John Lindsay Eric Smith
Encyclopedia
Sir John Lindsay Eric Smith, CH
, CBE
(3 April 1923 – 28 February 2007) was a British
bank
er, Conservative
Member of Parliament
, and Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire
. He was involved with many architectural, industrial and maritime conservation charities. He founded the Landmark Trust
in 1965.
, the son of Captain
Evan Cadogan Eric Smith MC
of Ashfold in Sussex
and his wife, Beatrice Helen (née Williams). He was a scion of an old banking family: Smiths of Nottingham
was founded in the 1650s, and merged with the National Provincial Bank
after the First World War, and his father became its chairman. His mother was the daughter of Albert Williams and granddaughter of Sir George Williams
, founder of the YMCA
, and a great-granddaughter of Thomas Cook
. His elder sister, Fortune
, married Hugh FitzRoy, Earl of Euston
(later 11th Duke of Grafton
) in 1946; she was a Lady of the Bedchamber
to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 and 1966, and has been the Mistress of the Robes
since 1967.
Smith was educated at Eton
, where he was Captain of the Oppidans and won the Rosebery Prize for History. He joined the Fleet Air Arm
in 1942 and trained as an observer
at HMS Daedalus. He served in the Second World War in a Swordfish
squadron in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, then as a liaison officer to the U.S. Ninth Air Force, and then with a squadron of Barracudas
in the North Atlantic. He flew as a navigator
in an operation to dive-bomb
the German battleship Tirpitz
in Kvænangen
fjord
in July 1944. He joined the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable
, and served in the Far East with 845 Naval Air Squadron, flying Avenger
s. He was in Ceylon at the end of the War.
After the War, he read history at New College, Oxford
, where he later became an honorary fellow in 1979. He met his future wife, Christian Carnegy, in Oxford, where she was reading English. They married in 1952.
They had two sons and three daughters:
Smith owned a property at No. 1, Smith Square
, in his former constituency. However, he resided at Shottesbrooke Park
, near Maidenhead
in Berkshire
, the ancient home of the Vansittart family which he inherited from his father's second cousin in 1962.
He died in Windsor
. He was survived by his wife, their two sons, and two of their three daughters.
He also joined the boards of many other companies, including Rolls-Royce Limited
, the Ottoman Bank
, and the Financial Times
. He was also a deputy-governor of Royal Exchange Assurance. He was awarded the OBE in 1964.
He was a British
Conservative
politician. After the death of the Speaker of the House of Commons
, Sir Harry Hylton Foster
in 1965, Smith was elected to succeed him in the subsequent by-election
as Member of Parliament for the Cities of London and Westminster
. Smith served until he stood down in 1970. He was awarded the CBE in 1975.
He served as High Steward of Maidenhead
, and as Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire from 1975 to 1978. He was knight
ed in 1988 and became a Companion of Honour in 1994.
He greatly enjoyed travelling, and claimed to be the first man to visit all of the explorers' huts in Antarctica.
from 1952 to 1995, and was deputy chairman from 1980 to 1995. He assisted financially with repairs to Barlaston Hall
, damaged by subsidence
due to coal mining
. He also served on the Standing Committee for Museums and Galleries from 1958 to 1966, the Historic Buildings Council
from 1971 to 1978, the Redundant Churches Fund from 1972 to 1974, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund
from 1980 to 1982.
He founded the Manifold Trust
in 1962, to raise money for charity by buying long leases close to the date of their expiry. The rather speculative venture was very successful, producing a "cataract of gold" which funded many of his charitable interests, including the Landmark Trust
, which he founded three years later, and which still operates from his estate at Shottesbrooke. He was involved in canal
restoration through his friendship with L. T. C. Rolt
, and was a driving force behind the preservation of HMS Belfast, HMS Warrior
and SS Great Britain
.
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(3 April 1923 – 28 February 2007) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
er, Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, and Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire
Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire. Since 1689, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Berkshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Berkshire:*Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset 1551 – 22 January 1552...
. He was involved with many architectural, industrial and maritime conservation charities. He founded the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
in 1965.
Early and private life
Smith was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
Evan Cadogan Eric Smith MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
of Ashfold in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and his wife, Beatrice Helen (née Williams). He was a scion of an old banking family: Smiths of Nottingham
Smith's Bank
Smith's Bank in Nottingham was one of the earliest banks established in England and was the first English bank outside London.-Thomas Smith :...
was founded in the 1650s, and merged with the National Provincial Bank
National Provincial Bank
National Provincial Bank was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1833 until its merger into the National Westminster Bank in 1970; it remains a registered company but is dormant...
after the First World War, and his father became its chairman. His mother was the daughter of Albert Williams and granddaughter of Sir George Williams
George Williams (YMCA)
Sir George Williams , was the founder of the YMCA.Williams was born on a farm in Dulverton, Somerset, England. As a young man, he described himself as a "careless, thoughtless, godless, swearing young fellow" but eventually became a devout Christian.He went to London and worked in a draper's shop...
, founder of the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, and a great-granddaughter of Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook of Melbourne, Derbyshire, England founded the travel agency that is now Thomas Cook Group.- Early days :...
. His elder sister, Fortune
Fortune FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton
Ann Fortune FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton GCVO is the widow of Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton...
, married Hugh FitzRoy, Earl of Euston
Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton
Hugh Denis Charles FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton, was the son of Charles FitzRoy, 10th Duke of Grafton, and his first wife Lady Doreen Maria Josepha Sydney Buxton, second daughter of Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton. He was known until 1970 as the Earl of Euston.-Biography:He was born in 1919 in...
(later 11th Duke of Grafton
Duke of Grafton
Duke of Grafton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1675 by Charles II of England for his 2nd illegitimate son by the Duchess of Cleveland, Henry FitzRoy...
) in 1946; she was a Lady of the Bedchamber
Lady of the Bedchamber
This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...
to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 and 1966, and has been the Mistress of the Robes
Mistress of the Robes
The Mistress of the Robes is the senior lady of the British Royal Household. Formerly responsible for the Queen's clothes and jewellery, the post now has the responsibility for arranging the rota of attendance of the Ladies in Waiting on the Queen, along with various duties at State ceremonies...
since 1967.
Smith was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, where he was Captain of the Oppidans and won the Rosebery Prize for History. He joined the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
in 1942 and trained as an observer
Observation
Observation is either an activity of a living being, such as a human, consisting of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses, or the recording of data using scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any data collected during this activity...
at HMS Daedalus. He served in the Second World War in a Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
squadron in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, then as a liaison officer to the U.S. Ninth Air Force, and then with a squadron of Barracudas
Fairey Barracuda
The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo- and dive bomber used during the Second World War, the first of its type used by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to be fabricated entirely from metal. It was introduced as a replacement for the Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore biplanes...
in the North Atlantic. He flew as a navigator
Flight officer
The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Armed Forces where it was an air force warrant officer rank. It was also an air force rank in several Commonwealth nations where it was used for female officers and was equivalent to the rank of flight lieutenant...
in an operation to dive-bomb
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
in Kvænangen
Kvænangen
Kvænangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Burfjord. The European route E6 highway goes through the municipality and over the Sørstraumen Bridge, and most people stop at the mountain pass of Kvænangsfjellet to view the...
fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
in July 1944. He joined the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable
HMS Indomitable (R92)
HMS Indomitable was a modified Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy. The Illustrious class came about due to the 1937 Naval Programme...
, and served in the Far East with 845 Naval Air Squadron, flying Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
s. He was in Ceylon at the end of the War.
After the War, he read history at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, where he later became an honorary fellow in 1979. He met his future wife, Christian Carnegy, in Oxford, where she was reading English. They married in 1952.
They had two sons and three daughters:
- Serena Mary Smith (married The Rt. Hon Nicholas Soames MPNicholas SoamesArthur Nicholas Winston Soames MP , known as Nicholas Soames, is a British Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the constituency of Mid Sussex....
, son of Christopher Soames, Baron SoamesChristopher Soames, Baron SoamesArthur Christopher John Soames, Baron Soames, GCMG, GCVO, CH, CBE, PC was a British politician belonging to the Conservative Party and the son-in-law of Winston Churchill. A European Commissioner and the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, he had previously been the longtime Member of Parliament...
) - Bartholomew Evan Eric Smith (born 1 February 1955; founder of the Amber Foundation and West London Aero Club)
- Adam Carnegy Eric Smith (born 1953)
- Dido Smith
- Emma Smith, who pre-deceased him
Smith owned a property at No. 1, Smith Square
Smith Square
Smith Square is a square in the Westminster district of London, just south of the Palace of Westminster. The centre of the square is occupied by St John's, Smith Square, a Baroque church now used as a concert hall...
, in his former constituency. However, he resided at Shottesbrooke Park
Shottesbrooke
Shottesbrooke is a hamlet and civil parish administered by the unitary authority of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire. The parish has an area of and had a population of 154 at the 2001 census.-Geography:...
, near Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, the ancient home of the Vansittart family which he inherited from his father's second cousin in 1962.
He died in Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
. He was survived by his wife, their two sons, and two of their three daughters.
Financial and political career
He followed the family calling to become a director of Coutts and Co, the private bank and a subsidiary of National Provincial, in 1950. He was the ninth generation of Smiths, father and son, to work in the bank. He remained a director for 43 years, until 1993.He also joined the boards of many other companies, including Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
, the Ottoman Bank
Ottoman Bank
The Ottoman Bank was founded in 1856 in the Galata business section of İstanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, as a joint venture between British interests, the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas of France, and the Ottoman government.The opening capital of the Bank consisted of 135,000 shares,...
, and the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
. He was also a deputy-governor of Royal Exchange Assurance. He was awarded the OBE in 1964.
He was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. After the death of the Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
, Sir Harry Hylton Foster
Harry Hylton-Foster
Sir Harry Braustyn Hylton-Foster , was a British Conservative Party politician who served as an Member of Parliament from 1950 until his death...
in 1965, Smith was elected to succeed him in the subsequent by-election
Cities of London and Westminster by-election, 1965
The Cities of London and Westminster by-election of 4 November 1965 was held after the death of Conservative MP and Speaker of the House of Commons Harry Hylton-Foster:...
as Member of Parliament for the Cities of London and Westminster
Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)
Cities of London and Westminster is a borough constituency covering the area comprising the City of London and southern portion of the City of Westminster in Central London...
. Smith served until he stood down in 1970. He was awarded the CBE in 1975.
He served as High Steward of Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
, and as Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire from 1975 to 1978. He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1988 and became a Companion of Honour in 1994.
He greatly enjoyed travelling, and claimed to be the first man to visit all of the explorers' huts in Antarctica.
Conservation
Smith served on committees of the National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
from 1952 to 1995, and was deputy chairman from 1980 to 1995. He assisted financially with repairs to Barlaston Hall
Barlaston Hall
Barlaston Hall is an English Palladian country house in the village of Barlaston in Staffordshire, overlooking the valley of the River Trent south of Stoke-on-Trent . It was bought by the Wedgwood pottery company in 1931, but disrepair and subsidence due to coal mining brought the hall close to...
, damaged by subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
due to coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
. He also served on the Standing Committee for Museums and Galleries from 1958 to 1966, the Historic Buildings Council
Historic Buildings Council
Three separate Historic Buildings Councils were created by the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953, one for each of England, Scotland and Wales...
from 1971 to 1978, the Redundant Churches Fund from 1972 to 1974, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund
National Heritage Memorial Fund
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is a non-departmental public body set up under the National Heritage Act 1980 in memory of people who gave their lives for the United Kingdom....
from 1980 to 1982.
He founded the Manifold Trust
Manifold Trust
The Manifold Trust was created by Sir John Smith in 1962 to generate funds for conservation in the UK, particularly of buildings, and to support other culturally important activities, including churches, arts, education, and the environment....
in 1962, to raise money for charity by buying long leases close to the date of their expiry. The rather speculative venture was very successful, producing a "cataract of gold" which funded many of his charitable interests, including the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
, which he founded three years later, and which still operates from his estate at Shottesbrooke. He was involved in canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
restoration through his friendship with L. T. C. Rolt
L. T. C. Rolt
Lionel Thomas Caswall Rolt was a prolific English writer and the biographer of major civil engineering figures including Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Thomas Telford...
, and was a driving force behind the preservation of HMS Belfast, HMS Warrior
HMS Warrior (1860)
HMS Warrior was the first iron-hulled, armour-plated warship, built for the Royal Navy in response to the first ironclad warship, the French Gloire, launched a year earlier....
and SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain was an advanced passenger steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Steamship Company's transatlantic service between Bristol and New York. While other ships had previously been built of iron or equipped with a screw propeller, Great Britain was the first...
.