Holding(s) in Company

Smith WH PLC
20 January 2004

                           SCHEDULE 10
 
             NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1)   NAME OF COMPANY

     WH SMITH PLC

2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

     THE TRUSTEES OF BT PENSION SCHEME
     BRITEL FUND TRUSTEES LIMITED

3)   Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of 
     holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a 
     non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a
     holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18

      SEE LETTER BELOW DATED 19 JANUARY 2004

4)   Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the 
     number of shares held by each of them.

      SEE LETTER BELOW DATED 19 JANUARY 2004

5)   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

      N/A


6)   Percentage of issued Class


7)   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

     N/A

8)   Percentage of issued Class


9)   Class of security

     ORDINARY SHARES OF 55 5/9 PENCE EACH


10)  Date of transaction

     N/A


11)  Date company informed

     19 JANUARY 2004

12)  Total holding following this notification

      12,489,247
               
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

      4.985%

14)  Any additional information



15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

      A LAM [phone]

16)  Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for 
     making this notification

     Date of Notification 20 JANUARY 2004

From:  Hermes Administration Services Ltd  
Dated:  January 19, 2004

Issued Capital  250,543,464

As at January 16, 2004 the following entities had a material interest(s) in 
shares of:  W H Smith PLC

The Trustees of BT Pension Scheme
BriTel Fund Trustees Limited

Registered Holders:  BriTel Fund Nominees Ltd          648,311 shares   0.259%
                     Chase Nominees Ltd (note)      12,376,298 shares   4.941%

                     Less stock on loan                535,362          0.214%


                     Total Holding:                 12,489,247 shares   4.985%

NB.    Amount of shares on loan are deducted from Britel's holding, to amount to 
the total holding.

Hermes Focus Asset Management Limited, as general partners of various 
partnerships managed by Hermes SLP Limited Lens Investors (UK) LCC

as partner in one or more of the partnerships

Registered Holder: Chase Nominees Ltd               11,420,584 shares   4.559%

Hermes Focus Asset Management Limited and Hermes SLP Limited are both 
subsidiaries of Hermes Pensions Management Limited which is Ultimately owned by
BriTel Fund Trustees Limited, a company controlled by the trustees of the BT
Pension Scheme

Note:  This notifiable interest arises either as controller of Hermes Focus
Asset Management Limited and/or Hermes SLP Limited and/or as a partner in one
or more of the partnerships.








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