Abel Smith (1748–1779)

Abel Smith (29 June 1748 – 22 January 1779) was a British politician who sat briefly in the House of Commons from 1778 to 1779. ^[1]

Smith was the second son of Abel Smith, a Nottingham banker who, following his father, also called Abel, had continued developing the business into what was by the end of the century to become one of the biggest private banks in England. The first Abel Smith had contented himself with using some of his wealth to intervene in other people's elections. Abel the second eventually entered Parliament for a pocket borough in 1774. Four years later, in October 1778, the young Abel could rely on the family's standing in his home city to secure election as Member of Parliament for Nottingham; however, he died only three months later.

He had married Elizabeth, the daughter of Charles Uppleby of Wootton and had one daughter.

His younger brother, Robert, followed him as MP for Nottingham, and took over the business on his father's death. In 1796 he was raised to the peerage as Lord Carrington. Three of Abel's other brothers also became MPs.

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