Holding(s) in Company

Smith WH PLC
11 May 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 11 MAY 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 11 MAY 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

     11 MAY 2004


12)  Total holding following this notification

     14,499,419

               
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

     5.787%


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

     I HOUGHTON

     Date of Notification

     11 MAY 2004


Fax from: Hermes Administration Services Ltd  
Dated:    May 11, 2004


                      DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL INTEREST IN SHARES
         
                          COMPANIES ACT 1985  SECTION 198


                                                 Issued Capital  250,543,733

As at May 10, 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          596,511 shares   0.238%
                     Chase Nominees Ltd (note)      15,239,559 shares   6.083%

                     Less stock on loan              1,336,651 shares   0.534%


                     Total Holding:                 14,499,419 shares   5.787%

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               14,283,845 shares    5.701%

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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