Donald Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal immortalised as the "Cheeryble Brothers" in Charles Dickens' book, Nicholas Nickleby. Donald's mother was the sister of the Canadian explorer John Stuart, partner of the North West Company who rose to become Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company. Smith was educated at Anderson's Free School and on leaving at age sixteen he was apprenticed to become a lawyer in the offices of Robert Watson, Town Clerk of Forres. By the age of eighteen, Smith chose another career path: offered entry into mercantile life at Manchester, and a career in the Indian Civil Service, his choice was to pattern himself
Kim Dickens she appeared in "Great Expectations", a film adaptation of the Charles Dickens's novel, and had the female leading roles in "Zero Effect" and "Mercury Rising". In 1999, she starred alongside Antonio Banderas in the comedy film, "The White River Kid". In 2000, Dickens had co-starring roles in films "Committed" opposite Heather Graham, "Hollow Man" with Elisabeth Shue and Kevin Bacon, and "The Gift" starring Cate Blanchett. The following year, she played the lead in the independent film, "Things Behind the Sun". Dickens received critical acclaim for her performance, and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead nomination. Later that