Abel Smith (1788–1859)

For other people named Abel Smith, see Abel Smith (disambiguation).

Abel Smith (17 July 1788 – 23 February 1859) was a longtime British Member of Parliament.

Arms of Smith: Or, a chevron cotised sable between three demi-griffins couped of the last the two in chief respecting each other^[1]

He was the eighth child but eldest son of Samuel Smith, also a Member of Parliament, and Elizabeth Frances (née Turnor).^[2]

He was nephew of Robert Smith, 1st Baron Carrington. The family had grown wealthy through banking in Nottingham.

Abel Smith entered Parliament in 1810 as member for Malmesbury, and subsequently also represented Wendover and Midhurst, both pocket boroughs controlled by his uncle Lord Carrington, sitting in the Commons for 20 of the last 22 years before the Great Reform Act. He and his father were Wendover's last MPs, as they sat together as its members for the last two years before the borough's abolition.^{[citation needed]}

Three years after the Reform Act, he was elected for Hertfordshire, and served another twelve years as its MP. He was High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1849.^[3]

Smith married Frances Anne Calvert, the daughter of General Sir Harry Calvert. Their son Abel Smith also became MP for Hertfordshire.^[4]

Notes

1. Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.223, Smith/Carington, Baron Carrington; p.145, Smith, Baron Bicester, both descendants of the banker Abel Smith II (1717–1788)
2. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 3, ed. Charles Mosley,, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 3990
3. "No. 20944". The London Gazette. 13 February 1849. p. 431.
4. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 3, ed. Charles Mosley,, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 3990

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Abel Smith

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Philip Gell Sir George Bowyer	Member of Parliament for Malmesbury 1810–1812 With: Philip Gell	Succeeded by William Hicks-Beach Sir Charles Saxton
Preceded by Francis Horner George Smith	Member of Parliament for Wendover 1812–1818 With: George Smith	Succeeded by Robert Smith George Smith
Preceded by John Smith Samuel Smith	Member of Parliament for Midhurst 1820–1830 With: John Smith	Succeeded by John Abel Smith George Smith
Preceded by Samuel Smith George Smith	Member of Parliament for Wendover 1830–1832 With: Samuel Smith	Constituency abolished
Preceded by Viscount Grimston Nicolson Calvert Sir John Sebright	Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire 1835–1847 With: Rowland Alston Viscount Grimston 1835–1846 Granville Ryder 1841–1847 Thomas Plumer Halsey 1846–1847	Succeeded by Sir Henry Meux Thomas Brand Thomas Plumer Halsey
Honorary titles
Preceded by William Parker	High Sheriff of Hertfordshire 1849	Succeeded by Fulke Greville-Nugent