Henry Babington Smith
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Babington Smith GBE
CH
KCB
CSI
(19 January 1863–29 September 1923) was a senior British
civil servant.
Smith was born in Jordanhill
, the son of the lawyer and mathematician Archibald Smith
. His brothers were James Parker Smith
, later an MP, and Arthur Hamilton Smith, later Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum
. He was educated at Eton College
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he read classics
. In 1887 he joined the Board of Education as an examiner, but in 1891 became principal private secretary to the new Chancellor of the Exchequer
, George Goschen
. In 1894 he became private secretary to Lord Elgin
on his appointment as Viceroy of India. He returned to Britain in 1899 and was immediately sent to Natal
as Treasury
representative in the South African War. In 1900 he became British representative on the Council of Administration of the Ottoman Public Debt, becoming its chairman in 1901. In 1903 he returned home to become secretary to the General Post Office, but in 1909 he returned to Constantinople
as president of the National Bank of Turkey, which he was instrumental in establishing.
The First World War saw him holding a variety of posts connected with finance, including deputy governor of the British Trade Corporation, and in 1918 he accompanied Lord Reading
to the United States
as Assistant Commissioner and Minister Plenipotentiary.
After the war, he chaired the Indian Finance and Currency Committee in 1919 and the Railway Amalgamation Tribunal in 1921. He was appointed a director of the Bank of England
in 1920.
Smith was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
(GBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours for his services in the United States.
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...
CH
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....
KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
(19 January 1863–29 September 1923) was a senior 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...
civil servant.
Smith was born in Jordanhill
Jordanhill
Jordanhill is an affluent area of the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. The area consists largely of terraced housing dating from the early to mid 20th century, with some detached and semi-detached homes and some modern apartments....
, the son of the lawyer and mathematician Archibald Smith
Archibald Smith
Archibald Smith FRS FRSE was a Scottish mathematician and lawyer.He was the only son of James Smith FRS , a wealthy merchant and antiquary of Jordanhill, Glasgow, and his wife Mary, daughter of Alexander Wilson, professor of astronomy in Glasgow University...
. His brothers were James Parker Smith
James Parker Smith
James Parker Smith was Liberal Unionist MP for Glasgow Partick . He was first elected in 1890, but lost the seat in 1906....
, later an MP, and Arthur Hamilton Smith, later Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. He was educated at Eton College
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"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he read classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
. In 1887 he joined the Board of Education as an examiner, but in 1891 became principal private secretary to the new Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, George Goschen
George Goschen
George Goschen, 1st Viscount Goschen was a British statesman and businessman best remembered for being "forgotten" by Lord Randolph Churchill...
. In 1894 he became private secretary to Lord Elgin
Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin
Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin, 13th Earl of Kincardine, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as Lord Bruce until 1863, was a British statesman who served as Viceroy of India from 1894 to 1899.-Background and education:...
on his appointment as Viceroy of India. He returned to Britain in 1899 and was immediately sent to Natal
Colony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...
as Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
representative in the South African War. In 1900 he became British representative on the Council of Administration of the Ottoman Public Debt, becoming its chairman in 1901. In 1903 he returned home to become secretary to the General Post Office, but in 1909 he returned to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
as president of the National Bank of Turkey, which he was instrumental in establishing.
The First World War saw him holding a variety of posts connected with finance, including deputy governor of the British Trade Corporation, and in 1918 he accompanied Lord Reading
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, PC, KC , was an English lawyer, jurist and politician...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as Assistant Commissioner and Minister Plenipotentiary.
After the war, he chaired the Indian Finance and Currency Committee in 1919 and the Railway Amalgamation Tribunal in 1921. He was appointed a director of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
in 1920.
Smith was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
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...
(GBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours for his services in the United States.