SMITH, Charles (1756-1814), of Suttons, Essex.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

10 Dec. 1796 - 1802
1802 - 1806

Family and Education

b. Sept. 1756, o.s. of Charles Smith of Stratford, Essex by 2nd w. Judith, da. of Isaac Lefevre of Old Ford, Mdx. educ. ?Felsted sch. m. (1) 16 Apr. 1791, Susanna (d. 26 Oct. 1796), da. of John Devall of Marylebone, Mdx., s.p.; (2) 29 Mar. 1798, Augusta, da. and coh. of Joshua Smith* of Erlestoke Park, Devizes, Wilts., 3s. 6da. suc. fa. 1777.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Essex 1811-12.

Biography

Smith (then described as of Mile End) purchased the Suttons estate for £15,725 in 1787 and consolidated his position as an Essex landowner by buying Lord Petre’s Stanford estate in 1796.1 He also invested in East India Company stock. He was a paying guest in Parliament, sitting in turn on the Buller interest and Lord Abingdon’s. He supported Pitt’s ministry, voting for the assessed taxes, 4 Jan. 1798. His only speech would appear to have been in support of the bill against artisans’ combinations, 10 June 1799. He married a daughter of Addington’s friend Joshua Smith and did not at first oppose Addington. On 3 June 1803, however, he seems to have joined Pitt’s minority and on 23 Apr. 1804 was allegedly in the minority for Fox’s defence motion. Yet it seems that on 15 June 1804 he joined Addington (and his father-in-law) in opposing Pitt’s additional force bill. In September he was listed a doubtful Addingtonian. On 1 Mar. 1805 he was in the minority for Giles’s motion to continue the naval commissioners of inquiry. On 8 Apr. and 12 June 1805 he voted for the censure and criminal prosecution of Melville and was duly listed ‘Sidmouthite’ in July. When Lord Sidmouth took office in the Grenville ministry, he supported them, voting for the repeal of Pitt’s Additional Force Act, 30 Apr. 1806. He does not appear to have attempted to come into Parliament again, though Joseph Holden Strutt* seems to have considered him a suitable candidate for Maldon in 1810.2 He died 9 May 1814.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes

  • 1. VCH Essex, iv. 212, 236; Hasted, Blackheath, 194. Smith’s father was a cousin of Nathaniel Smith*.
  • 2. Add. 37295, f. 384.