Edmund Charles Wyldbore Smith
Encyclopedia
Sir Edmund Charles Wyldbore Smith (January 15, 1877 - October 18, 1938) was a British
civil servant, diplomat
, and businessman.
. His grandfather was Sir John Wyldbore Smith (1770-1852).
In 1901, he married Evadne Maude Kellet; and the couple had two daughter—Monica Elizabeth and Jocelin Evadne.
), Crete. In January 1910 he transferred to the Board of Trade
where he was employed as Officer-in-Charge of Commercial Enquiries in its recently established Exhibitions Branch; in effect he acted as deputy to the Director of the Branch, Ulick Fitzgerald Wintour. During the First World War, Smith was Director of the British Executive Staff of the Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement, which was the international commission for the purchase of supplies for the Allies.;
Wyldbore-Smith resignation from the Civil Service in 1919 opened the way for a career in business. He was appointed chairman of Thomas Cook
(both the travel agency and the banking firm), succeeding Frank Cook, who was the grandson of the company's founder.
Wyldbore-Smith served as vice-president of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (International Sleeping-Car Company) and vice-president of the Federation of British Industries
. He also served as a director of the Suez Canal Company
.
.
Smith was awarded decorations of seven countries, including:
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, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, and businessman.
Biography
Smith was the son of Reverend Francis Smith (1841-1877), who was the fourth son of the second Smith-Marriott BaronetSmith-Marriott Baronets
The Smith, later Smith-Marriott Baronetcy, of Sydling St Nicholas in the County of Dorset, is a title in the Baronetage of Great Britain. It was created on 1 June 1774 for John Smith, High Sheriff of Dorset in 1772. The second Baronet married Elizabeth Anne, daughter of Reverend James Merriott. The...
. His grandfather was Sir John Wyldbore Smith (1770-1852).
In 1901, he married Evadne Maude Kellet; and the couple had two daughter—Monica Elizabeth and Jocelin Evadne.
Career
In the early 1900s, Wyldbore-Smith served in the Foreign Office beginning his service as Vice-Consul at Tangiers in 1903. Four years later he was appointed Vice-Consul in Canea (modern ChaniaChania
Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...
), Crete. In January 1910 he transferred to the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
where he was employed as Officer-in-Charge of Commercial Enquiries in its recently established Exhibitions Branch; in effect he acted as deputy to the Director of the Branch, Ulick Fitzgerald Wintour. During the First World War, Smith was Director of the British Executive Staff of the Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement, which was the international commission for the purchase of supplies for the Allies.;
Wyldbore-Smith resignation from the Civil Service in 1919 opened the way for a career in business. He was appointed chairman of Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook of Melbourne, Derbyshire, England founded the travel agency that is now Thomas Cook Group.- Early days :...
(both the travel agency and the banking firm), succeeding Frank Cook, who was the grandson of the company's founder.
Wyldbore-Smith served as vice-president of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (International Sleeping-Car Company) and vice-president of the Federation of British Industries
Federation of British Industries
The Federation of British Industries was founded by the Midlands industrialist Dudley Docker in 1916. It was composed of 124 firms which all gave £1,000 for its foundation. The FBI never took part in labour relations but progressively involved in tariff reform...
. He also served as a director of the Suez Canal Company
Suez Canal Company
The Universal Suez Ship Canal Company was the Egyptian corporation which was formed by Ferdinand de Lesseps during 1858, constructed the Suez Canal between 1859 and 1869, and owned and operated it for many years thereafter...
.
Honours
In 1906, he was elected to the Royal Statistical SocietyRoyal Statistical Society
The Royal Statistical Society is a learned society for statistics and a professional body for statisticians in the UK.-History:It was founded in 1834 as the Statistical Society of London , though a perhaps unrelated London Statistical Society was in existence at least as early as 1824...
.
Smith was awarded decorations of seven countries, including:
- Knight BachelorKnight BachelorThe rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
(United Kingdom) - Légion d'HonneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(France) - Order of Leopold (Belgium)
- Order of the Crown of ItalyOrder of the Crown of ItalyThe Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
, 1918 (Italy). - Order of George IOrder of George IThe Royal Order of George I is a defunct order of Greece.- History :The order was founded in 1915 by King Constantine I in honor of his father, George I. It was only the second Greek order to be created after the Order of the Redeemer in 1833, and remained the second senior award of the Greek...
, 1920 (Greece). - Order of the Sacred TreasureOrder of the Sacred TreasureThe is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, 1920 (Japan). - Order of the Crown of Rumania, 1921.