John Smyth (1748–1811)

John Smyth (1748–1811) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1783 to 1807.[1]

John Smyth features in this group portrait of the Dilettanti Society. The others are: Sir William Hamilton, Stephen Payne-Gallwey, Walter Spencer-Stanhope, Sir John Taylor, Bart., Richard Thompson and Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn.[2] Hamilton (centre, with his Order of the Bath star visible) is showing the vase to Smyth on the right.[3]

Early life

Smyth was the son of John Smyth of Heath Hall, Yorkshire and his wife Bridget Foxley, daughter of Benjamin Foxley of London. He was educated at Westminster School and was admitted at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1766.[1] He married in 1778 Lady Georgiana, eldest daughter of Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton.[1]

Political career

Smyth served in Parliament as Member of Parliament for Pontefract from 1783 to 1807. He was a Lord of the Admiralty, from 1791 to 1794, and a Lord of the Treasury, from 1794 1802. He was Master of the Mint from 1802 to 1804, and a Commissioner of the Board of Trade in 1805.[4]

Later life and legacy

Lady Georgiana Smyth (circa 1757–1799) and her son (George Romney, 1783)

Smyth died 12 February 1811 in London. He and his wife Georgiana had four sons and two daughters.[4] His son John Henry Smyth was MP for Cambridge.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Smyth, John (SMT766J2)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. ↑ National Trust, Members of the Dilettanti Society (after Sir Joshua Reynolds). Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ apollo-magazine.com, Reynolds and Leonardo.
  4. 1 2 "SMYTH, John (1748-1811), of Heath Hall, nr. Pontefract, Yorks". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  • Lee, Stephen M. "Smyth, John (1748–1811), politician". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/64134. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
William Nedham
Nathaniel Smith		 Member of Parliament for Pontefract
1783–1807
With: William Nedham
William Sotheron
4th Viscount Galway
Richard Benyon
Robert Pemberton Milnes		 Succeeded by
Robert Pemberton Milnes
Viscount Pollington



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