Smith, Sir Henry Babington (1863–1923), knight, civil servant and financier

Personne

Smith, Sir Henry Babington (1863–1923), knight, civil servant and financier

1863–1923

Henry Babington Smith was born on 29 Jan 1863, the fifth surviving son of Archibald Smith, mathematician and Susan Emma Parker, doughter of Mary Babington and Sir James Parker. He was educated at Eton from 1875 to 1882 whence he moved to Trinity College Cambridge in 1882 and graduated BA in 1886 with first classes in parts I and II of the Classical Tripos. He was elected a Fellow of Trinity in 1889.

On leaving Trinity, Smith embarked on a distinguished career as a civil servant. He held a number of posts, principally of a financial nature, which involved service overseas in India, South Africa, Turkey, and, briefly, the USA, besides a spell at home in the Treasury. He became administrator in the National Bank of Turkey in 1909, was Chairman of the Indian Currency and Finance Commission in the 1920s and a Director of the Bank of England in 1920 He also spent some years in the General Post Office and later chaired several important tribunals and Royal commissions. He was awarded the KCB in 1908.

During the early part of his career, Smith acted as private secretary to the 9th Earl of Elgin, then Viceroy of India. In 1898 he married Elgin's daughter, Lady Elisabeth Bruce. He died in 1923.

Trinity College, Cambridge (Founded 1546)

Smith, Constance Babington (1912–2000), writer and photographic intelligence interpreter (1912–2000)

Smith, Bernard Babington (1905-1993) academic, wartime intelligence officer, and amateur athlete (1905-1993)

Bunsen, Margaret Babington de (1907-1997), sister of Constance Babington Smith (1907-1997)

Smith, Michael James Babington (1901-1984), financier and army officer (1901-1984)

Smith, Arthur Hamilton (1860-1941), museum curator (1860-1941)

Smith, James Parker (1854-1929) MP (1854-1929)

Smith, Lady Elisabeth Mary Babington (1877-1944) daughter of 9th Earl of Elgin, wife of Sir Henry Babington-Smith (1877-1944)

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Alumni Cantabrigienses