John Spencer Smith facts for kids
John Spencer Smith (born September 11, 1769 – died June 5, 1845) was an important British diplomat, a politician, and a writer. He worked for his country in different ways throughout his life.
He was married to Constance Smith (née Herbert).
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John Spencer Smith's Journey
John Spencer Smith started his career in the British Army in 1790. He began as an ensign, which was a junior officer rank, and later became a lieutenant.
Early Diplomatic Work
In February 1793, when France and Britain went to war, John was in Turkey. His older brother, Sidney Smith, helped him get a job at the British embassy in Constantinople. An embassy is like an official office for a country in another country.
John worked as a private secretary for the ambassador, Robert Liston. An ambassador is the main representative of a country in another nation. After Liston left in 1795, John became the temporary head of the embassy, known as a chargé d'affaires. He officially became the Secretary of Legation in 1798, still serving as the temporary head when needed.
Becoming a Politician
In 1801, John Spencer Smith returned to England. He was invited to run for a seat in Parliament for the area of Dover in the 1802 general election. When you "stand for Parliament," it means you are trying to get elected to represent people in the government.
He won the election and became a Member of Parliament. While serving in Parliament, he was sent on a special diplomatic mission. He became an "Envoy Extraordinary" to a place called Württemberg in Germany from 1803 to 1804. This meant he was a special representative sent to deal with important matters.
Later Life and Writing
John Spencer Smith did not run for Parliament again in the 1806 election. Soon after, he moved to Normandy, a region in France. There, he spent his time writing about many different scholarly topics.
He passed away in Caen, France, on June 5, 1845.
