Richard Smith (East India Company officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Smith
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | baptised 1734 |
| Died | 3 July 1803 |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
British Army |
| Rank | Brigadier-General |
| Commands held | Indian Army |
Brigadier-General Richard Smith (baptised 1734 – 3 July 1803) was a high-ranking officer in the East India Company's army in Bengal. He held the important position of Commander-in-Chief, India, which meant he was in charge of all the company's military forces in that region.
Contents
Early Life
Richard Smith was born in 1734. He was the oldest son of John Smith, who worked as a cheesemonger. His family lived on Jermyn Street in St. James’s, which is now part of central London.
Military Career
Richard Smith began his military journey in India in 1752. He started as an ensign, which was a junior officer, in the Madras Army. Over time, he worked his way up and became a captain.
In 1761, he returned to London. There, he became a major shareholder in the East India Company. This meant he owned a significant part of the company.
He went back to India in 1764. This time, he was a Colonel leading one of the East India Company's three large military groups called brigades. By 1767, he was promoted to Commander-in-Chief, India, making him the top military leader. He was made a Brigadier-General in 1768 before he retired from the army in 1770.
Political Life
After his military career, Richard Smith entered politics in 1774. He was chosen to represent Hindon, a town in Wiltshire, in the British Parliament. However, there were problems with this election, and it was later cancelled.
He was re-elected for Hindon in a new election. Later, he served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for other areas. He was an MP for Wendover in 1780 and for Wareham in 1790. He also held a local government role as High Sheriff of Berkshire from 1779 to 1780.
Richard Smith became known as a "nabob". This was a term used for Englishmen who returned from India with a lot of wealth. He was even featured in a magazine called Town and Country Magazine.
Family
Richard Smith lived at Chiltern Lodge, which was near Hungerford in Berkshire. In 1756, he married Amelia Hopkins. Her father, Captain Charles Hopkins, was a master mariner.
Richard and Amelia had a son and a daughter. His son, John Mansell Smith, also became involved in politics.
