Richard Smith (mining engineer)
Encyclopedia
Richard Smith was an English
-born mining engineer, industrialist and politician. He represented Cape Breton County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
from 1833 to 1834.
He was born in Tipton
, Staffordshire
, the son of Thomas Smith and Mary Morris, and was educated at the Royal School of Mines
. In 1811, he married Elizabeth Fereday. Smith and his father-in-law suffered financial losses when the coal and iron market collapsed at the end of the Napoleonic Wars
. He subsequently set himself up in business again in London
and also managed coal operations in Wales and Portugal. In 1827, Smith was hired to establish coal mining operations in Nova Scotia for the General Mining Association. He established sites at Albion Mines (later Stellarton
), Sydney Mines
, Bridgeport
and Little Bras d'Or
. Smith contested a new assembly seat for Cape Breton in a violent election held in 1832 where William Young
's supporters intimidated voters at some polls; he was declared elected to the assembly in 1833 after Young's election was overturned. In 1834, he returned to England. Smith managed the mineral holdings of the Earl of Dudley from 1836 to 1864. He died near Lichfield
, Staffordshire at the age of 85.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born mining engineer, industrialist and politician. He represented Cape Breton County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...
from 1833 to 1834.
He was born in Tipton
Tipton
Tipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47,000. Tipton is located about halfway between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is a part of the Black Country....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, the son of Thomas Smith and Mary Morris, and was educated 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...
. In 1811, he married Elizabeth Fereday. Smith and his father-in-law suffered financial losses when the coal and iron market collapsed at the end of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. He subsequently set himself up in business again in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and also managed coal operations in Wales and Portugal. In 1827, Smith was hired to establish coal mining operations in Nova Scotia for the General Mining Association. He established sites at Albion Mines (later Stellarton
Stellarton, Nova Scotia
-External links:*...
), Sydney Mines
Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia
Sydney Mines is a former town in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Founded in 1784 and incorporated as a town in 1889, Sydney Mines has a rich history in coal production, although mining activity has now ceased.Prior to a permanent settlement being established, there was significant...
, Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Nova Scotia
Bridgeport is a community that is part of the former town of Glace Bay in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality on Cape Breton Island.-References:*...
and Little Bras d'Or
Little Bras d'Or, Nova Scotia
Little Bras d'Or is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality on Cape Breton Countyon Cape Breton County.-References:*...
. Smith contested a new assembly seat for Cape Breton in a violent election held in 1832 where William Young
William Young (politician)
Sir William Young, KCB was a Nova Scotia politician and jurist.Born in Falkirk, the son of John Young and Agnes Renny, Young was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1836 as a Reformer and, as a lawyer, defended Reform journalists accused of libel...
's supporters intimidated voters at some polls; he was declared elected to the assembly in 1833 after Young's election was overturned. In 1834, he returned to England. Smith managed the mineral holdings of the Earl of Dudley from 1836 to 1864. He died near Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, Staffordshire at the age of 85.