Cornelius Smelt
Encyclopedia
Cornelius Smelt was an administrator who served as Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
from 1805 until his death in 1832. An officer in the British Army
, he served first with the 14th Regiment of Foot and then the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot
, acting as Deputy Governor of Southsea Castle
in the late 1700s. Upon his death, a memorial was erected in Castletown in the Isle of Man
.
, Yorkshire
, as the second son of William Smelt and Dorothy Cayley. He served in the British Army
, beginning his career with the 14th Regiment of Foot, and was promoted to Lieutenant
on 2 March 1772. Four years later, on 9 July 1776, he was gazetted to the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot
. On 17 July 1787, as a Captain
, he was assigned as Deputy Governor of Southsea Castle
. On 15 June 1805, Smelt was the first royally appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
; his political liberalism
was seen as a balance for the Dukes of Atholl
, who ruled the Isle of Man first as Kings of Mann, then Lords of Mann, and durings Smelt's time, Governors of the Isle of Man
. He was appointed a "Inspecting Field-Officer of Fencibles and Volunteers in the Isle of Man" on 26 October 1805, granting him the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He acted as a restraining influence on some of the modernising ambitions of John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl
, the last Governor. He died in office on 28 November 1832 at Castle Rushen
, and was buried under the altar at St Mary's Church in Castletown. When that church was deconsecrated
in the 1980s, his body was exhumed and reinterred in the Bacon family vault alongside his daughter at St Peter's Church in Onchan
.
proposed that a memorial be built, and it was decided that a column should be erected, with the funds for the painting providing a basis for the funding. Further money was raised, and John Welch, an architect, drew up two designs, one for an obelisk
, and the other a Grecian Doric
. The latter was chosen, and was built by John Thomas. There was little celebration of the monument, with minimal coverage in the newspapers of the time. A tongue-in-cheek
proposal by the Castletown Commissioners to remove the monument in 2009 drew an angry reaction from the public.
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
The Lieutenant Governor is the representative on the Isle of Man of the Lord of Mann . He/she has the power to grant Royal Assent and is styled His Excellency. In recent times the Governor has either been a retired diplomat or senior military officer...
from 1805 until his death in 1832. An officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, he served first with the 14th Regiment of Foot and then the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot
35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot
The 35th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment in the British Army. The regiment became The Royal Sussex Regiment.-History:The 35th Regiment changed its name many times during its history...
, acting as Deputy Governor of Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, built in 1544 on the waterfront at the southern end of Portsea Island . The castle was built to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and entrance to Portsmouth Harbour...
in the late 1700s. Upon his death, a memorial was erected in Castletown in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
.
Career
Smelt was born in August 1748 in Upper SwaledaleSwaledale
Swaledale is one of the northernmost dales in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in northern England. It is the dale of the River Swale on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire.-Geographical overview:...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, as the second son of William Smelt and Dorothy Cayley. He served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, beginning his career with the 14th Regiment of Foot, and was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 2 March 1772. Four years later, on 9 July 1776, he was gazetted to the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot
35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot
The 35th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment in the British Army. The regiment became The Royal Sussex Regiment.-History:The 35th Regiment changed its name many times during its history...
. On 17 July 1787, as a 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...
, he was assigned as Deputy Governor of Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, built in 1544 on the waterfront at the southern end of Portsea Island . The castle was built to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and entrance to Portsmouth Harbour...
. On 15 June 1805, Smelt was the first royally appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
The Lieutenant Governor is the representative on the Isle of Man of the Lord of Mann . He/she has the power to grant Royal Assent and is styled His Excellency. In recent times the Governor has either been a retired diplomat or senior military officer...
; his political liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
was seen as a balance for the Dukes of Atholl
Duke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl, alternatively Duke of Athole, named after Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray...
, who ruled the Isle of Man first as Kings of Mann, then Lords of Mann, and durings Smelt's time, Governors of the Isle of Man
Governor of the Isle of Man
The following were Governors of the Isle of Man:*Sir Thomas Gerrard *Peter Legh *John Ireland*John Greenhalgh *William Christian *Isaac Barrow *Nicholas Stanley *Charles Zedenno Stanley...
. He was appointed a "Inspecting Field-Officer of Fencibles and Volunteers in the Isle of Man" on 26 October 1805, granting him the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He acted as a restraining influence on some of the modernising ambitions of John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl KT, PC, FRS , styled Marquess of Tullibardine 1764 and 1774, was a Scottish peer.-Background:...
, the last Governor. He died in office on 28 November 1832 at Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen is a medieval castle located in the Isle of Man's historic capital, Castletown in the south of the island. It towers over the Market Square to the south-east and the harbour to the north-east...
, and was buried under the altar at St Mary's Church in Castletown. When that church was deconsecrated
Deconsecration
Deconsecration is the act of removing a religious blessing from something that had been previously consecrated by a minister or priest of that religion. The same act when performed by a member of a differing religion may be considered a curse by some religions and not a complete removal of the...
in the 1980s, his body was exhumed and reinterred in the Bacon family vault alongside his daughter at St Peter's Church in Onchan
Onchan
Onchan , is a village in the parish of Onchan on the Isle of Man. It is at the north end of Douglas Bay. Although administratively a village, it has the second largest population on the island, after Douglas, with which it forms a conurbation....
.
Family
In 1785 he married Mary Trant Ottley. Following her death at the age of 34, he married Anne Hale. He had children from both marriages.Smelt Monument
During Smelt's lifetime, a fund was raised for a portrait to be painted of the Lieutenant Governor; Smelt was against the idea, but it was painted by Thomas Barber in 1826, although not with the money raised. After Smelt's death in 1832, Sir William HillaryWilliam Hillary
Sir William Hillary, 1st Baronet was an English soldier, author and philanthropist, best known as the founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1824....
proposed that a memorial be built, and it was decided that a column should be erected, with the funds for the painting providing a basis for the funding. Further money was raised, and John Welch, an architect, drew up two designs, one for an obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
, and the other a Grecian Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
. The latter was chosen, and was built by John Thomas. There was little celebration of the monument, with minimal coverage in the newspapers of the time. A tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
proposal by the Castletown Commissioners to remove the monument in 2009 drew an angry reaction from the public.