Holding(s) in Company

Smith WH PLC
11 October 2005



             NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1)   NAME OF LISTED COMPANY

     WH SMITH PLC


2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

     GRANTHAM, MAYO, VAN OTTERLOO & CO.  LLC


3)   Please state whether notification indicates that it is 
     regarding the holding of the shareholder named in 2 above;
     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 ATTACHED LETTER DATED 6 OCTOBER 2005


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

     SEE ATTACHED LETTER DATED 6 OCTOBER 2005


5)   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

     N/A
     

6)   Percentage of issued Class (any treasury shares held by the
     listed company should not be taken into account when
     calculating percentage)



7)   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

     N/A


8)   Percentage of issued Class (any treasury shares held by the
     listed company should not be taken into account when
     calculating percentage)




9)   Class of security

     ORDINARY SHARES OF 2 13/81 PENCE EACH


10)  Date of transaction

     N/A


11)  Date listed company informed

     11 OCTOBER 2005


12)  Total holding following this notification

     6,328,566

               
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification
     (any treasury shares held by the listed company should not be taken
     into account when calculating percentage)


     3.50%

14)  Any additional information

  


15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

     MISS A LAM
     01793 562489


16)  Name and signature of duly authorised officer of the listed company
     responsible for making this notification


     Date of Notification       11 OCTOBER 2005

LETTER TO:  WH SMITH PLC
            6 October 2005

         Re:  Notification under Sections 198 to 202 - UK Companies Act

Please be advised that as of October 5,  2005, accounts advised by Grantham,
Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC ('GMO'), a U.S. registered investment adviser
located at 40 Rowes Wharf, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, USA, hold a notifiable
interest in the ordinary shares of WH Smith plc of 3.51%.

The notifiable percentage is based on a share capital of 180,405,000 for WH
Smith plc.  GMO manages separate and pooled accounts in the United States and
abroad and does not purchase securities for the purpose of exercising, changing,
or influencing management or control of any issuer.

From:  Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC

WH Smith plc
Holdings as of October 5 2005

Shares                              Nominee Name                              Custodian 

  22,040                            SEINE & CO                                State Street Bank & Trust Company

  27,814                            Investors Bank and Trust Company          Investors Bank and Trust Company

 108,300                            Chase Nominees Ltd                        JP Morgan Chase

  66,520                            Chase Nominees Ltd                        JP Morgan Chase

 146,820                            The governor and company of the Bank of   Bank of Ireland Securities
                                    Ireland
            
 111,890                            The governor and company of the Bank of   Bank of Ireland Securities
                                    Ireland

 142,120                            The Bank of New York Ltd                  Bank of New York

 240,970                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company

 108,941                            Nortrust Nominees Ltd                     The Northern Trust Company

  51,840                            Nortrust Nominees Ltd                     The Northern Trust Company

 135,238                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company

  52,970                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company

 165,600                            BBH ISL Nominees Ltd. C/o HSBC Bank       Brown Brothers Harriman

 115,820                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company

  63,930                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company

 607,070                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company 

 156,830                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company

  23,170                            Roy Nominees Ltd                          RBC Global Services

  82,003                            The Bank of New York (Nominees) Limited   Various

 173,525                            BBH ISL Nominees Ltd. C/o HSBC Bank       Brown Brothers Harriman

   2,121                            BBH ISL Nominees Ltd. C/o HSBC Bank       Brown Brothers Harriman

 730,848                            BBH ISL Nominees Ltd. C/o HSBC Bank       Brown Brothers Harriman

  37,080                            KAS Nominees Ltd                          KAS Bank

 135,539                            Goldman Sachs Securities (Nominees) Ltd.  Goldman Sachs

  38,130                            Mellon Nominees Ltd                       Mellon Trust

 316,880                            Mellon Nominees Ltd                       Mellon Trust

 136,810                            HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd      HSBC Global Investor Services

  78,120                            HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd      HSBC Global Investor Services

  91,520                            Nortrust Nominee Ltd                      The Northern Trust Company

  87,760                            KAS Nominees Ltd                          KAS Bank

  41,042                            Mellon Nominees (UK) Ltd.                 CIBC Mellon

  17,823                            Mellon Nominees (UK) Ltd.                 CIBC Mellon

  90,094                            Roy Nominees Limited a/c 639922           Royal Bank of Canada

  39,420                            Roy Nominees Ltd                          RBS Global Services

 255,140                            State Street Nominees Ltd                 State Street Bank & Trust Company

 261,190                            Nortrust Nominees Ltd                     The Northern Trust Company

  80,780                            Mellon Nominees Ltd                       Mellon Trust

 739,868                            BBH ISL Nominees Ltd. C/o HSBC Bank       Brown Brothers Harriman

  20,760                            Nortrust Nominees Ltd                     The Northern Trust Company

 216,290                            Nortrust Nominees Ltd                     The Northern Trust Company

  66,950                            The Bank of New York Ltd                  Bank of New York

 240,990                            Vidacos Nominees Ltd                      Citibank


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange