Herbert Warrington Smyth
Encyclopedia
Herbert Warington Smyth CMG
, LLM, FGS
, FRGS, was a British travel
ler, writer, naval officer and mining engineer who served the government of Siam and held several important posts in the Union of South Africa
.
Smyth, who was known as Warington, was the son of Sir Warington Wilkinson Smyth
FRS, Professor of Mining at the Royal School of Mines
. He was educated at Westminster School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. After being an unpaid assistant to the Mineral Adviser to the Office of Woods from 1890 to 1891, he went to Siam. There he was Secretary of the Government Department of Mines from 1891 to 1895 and Director General from 1895 to 1897. He became a Commander of the Order of the White Elephant
of Siam and received the Murchison Award
of the R.G.S.
for journeys in Siam in 1898. In 1898, he was secretary of the Siamese legation from 1898 to 1901.
Warington Smyth was called to the bar in 1899 and in 1900 was delegate for Siam to the Congres International, Paris Exhibition
. In 1900, he was Hon Secretary for London of the National Committee for the organization of a Volunteer Naval reserve
. In 1901 he went to South Africa
where he was Secretary for Mines in the Transvaal from 1901 to 1910. He was also Member of Legislative and Executive Councils, Transvaal in 1906 and 1907 and a JP and Advocate of the Supreme Court of the Transvaal. He was also President of the Transvaal Cornish Association from 1907 to 1910. He was also Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal
and was awarded the CMG. In 1910, he was awarded the Queen's South Africa medal
. From 1910, he was Secretary for Mines and Industries in South Africa and Commissioner of Mines for Natal. He was also Chief Inspector of Factories. He took an active part in World War I
as an acting Sub Lieutenant RNR in 1914, Assistant Naval Transport Officer, GSWA campaign 1914 to 1915, when he was mentioned in dispatches. He became Lieutenant RNVR and Acting Naval S.O. at the Cape from 1915 to 1916, and Controller of Imports and Exports for the Union of South Africa
in 1917. Following the war, he was South African government delegate to the International Labour Conferences at Washington in 1919 and Geneva in 1922. He retired in 1927 and returned to England living at Falmouth
Cornwall
where he enjoyed yachting. In World War II
, he was still active in the RNVR in 1940 as Lieutenant Commander.
He married Amabel Sutton, the third daughter of Sir Henry Sutton KC and his wife Caroline Nanson in 1900. They had three sons, Bevil, Nigel and Rodney, and one daughter. His brother Sir Nevill Maskelyne Smyth
(1868 - 1941) won the Victoria Cross
at the Battle of Omdurman
. Amabel's sister Marjorie was married to Julius Bertram
.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, LLM, FGS
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
, FRGS, was a British travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
ler, writer, naval officer and mining engineer who served the government of Siam and held several important posts in the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
.
Smyth, who was known as Warington, was the son of Sir Warington Wilkinson Smyth
Warington Wilkinson Smyth
Sir Warington Wilkinson Smyth was a British geologist.-Biography:Smyth was born at Naples, the son of Admiral W. H. Smyth and his wife Annarella Warington. His father was engaged in the Admiralty Survey of the Mediterranean at the time of his birth. Smyth was educated at Westminster and...
FRS, Professor of Mining at the Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines comprises the departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Materials at Imperial College London.- History :The Royal School of Mines was established in 1851, as the Government School of Mines and Science Applied to the Arts...
. He was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
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...
. After being an unpaid assistant to the Mineral Adviser to the Office of Woods from 1890 to 1891, he went to Siam. There he was Secretary of the Government Department of Mines from 1891 to 1895 and Director General from 1895 to 1897. He became a Commander of the Order of the White Elephant
Order of the White Elephant
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...
of Siam and received the Murchison Award
Murchison Award
The Murchison Award was first given by the Royal Geographical Society in 1882 for publications judged to have contributed most to geographical science in preceding recent years.-Recipients:* 1895 Eivind Astrup* 1898 Herbert Warrington Smyth...
of the R.G.S.
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
for journeys in Siam in 1898. In 1898, he was secretary of the Siamese legation from 1898 to 1901.
Warington Smyth was called to the bar in 1899 and in 1900 was delegate for Siam to the Congres International, Paris Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1900)
The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from April 15 to November 12, 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next...
. In 1900, he was Hon Secretary for London of the National Committee for the organization of a Volunteer Naval reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
. In 1901 he went to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
where he was Secretary for Mines in the Transvaal from 1901 to 1910. He was also Member of Legislative and Executive Councils, Transvaal in 1906 and 1907 and a JP and Advocate of the Supreme Court of the Transvaal. He was also President of the Transvaal Cornish Association from 1907 to 1910. He was also Prime Minister of the Colony of 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...
and was awarded the CMG. In 1910, he was awarded the Queen's South Africa medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
. From 1910, he was Secretary for Mines and Industries in South Africa and Commissioner of Mines for Natal. He was also Chief Inspector of Factories. He took an active part in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as an acting Sub Lieutenant RNR in 1914, Assistant Naval Transport Officer, GSWA campaign 1914 to 1915, when he was mentioned in dispatches. He became Lieutenant RNVR and Acting Naval S.O. at the Cape from 1915 to 1916, and Controller of Imports and Exports for the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
in 1917. Following the war, he was South African government delegate to the International Labour Conferences at Washington in 1919 and Geneva in 1922. He retired in 1927 and returned to England living at Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
where he enjoyed yachting. In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was still active in the RNVR in 1940 as Lieutenant Commander.
He married Amabel Sutton, the third daughter of Sir Henry Sutton KC and his wife Caroline Nanson in 1900. They had three sons, Bevil, Nigel and Rodney, and one daughter. His brother Sir Nevill Maskelyne Smyth
Nevill Maskelyne Smyth
Major General Sir Nevill Maskelyne Smyth, VC, KCB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:Born the son of Sir Warington Wilkinson Smyth, a noted...
(1868 - 1941) won the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
at the Battle of Omdurman
Battle of Omdurman
At the Battle of Omdurman , an army commanded by the British Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener defeated the army of Abdullah al-Taashi, the successor to the self-proclaimed Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad...
. Amabel's sister Marjorie was married to Julius Bertram
Julius Bertram
Julius Bertram was a Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom who served one term as Member of Parliament for the Hitchin division of Hertfordshire....
.
Publications
- Journey on the Upper Me Kong 1895
- Five years in Siam: from 1891-1896 (1898). Reprint 1994 Bangkok : White Lotus. ISBN 9748495981. (Chapter 1)
- Mast and Sail in Europe and Asia 1st edition 1906, 2nd edition 1929
- Sea-Wake and Jungle trail 1925
- Chase and Chance in Indo-China 1934