Colonel John George Smyth

A carte-de-visite portrait of Colonel John George Smyth (1815-1869), the Member of Parliament for the City of York from 1847 to 1865.

Born on 5 February 1815, John George Smyth was the elder son of John Henry Smyth of Heath Hall, near Wakefield, who had held office in Pitt’s government. His mother was Lady Elizabeth Anne née Fitzroy, daughter of George Henry Fitzroy, 4th Duke of Grafton.

He inherited his estates on the early death of his father at Hastings in 1822.

On 18 May 1837 he married the Honourable Diana Bosville Macdonald, daughter of Godfrey Bosville Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald of Slate.

He represented the Conservative interest as the Member of Parliament for the City of York from 1847 to 1865. He gained the rank of Colonel in the service of the 2nd West York Militia.

John George Smyth died, aged 54, on 10 June 1869 at Heath Hall. He left an estate valued at £30,000.

According to his obituary in the Illustrated London News (19 June 1869): ‘he was educated at Eton, and at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was M.P. for York from 1847 to 1865. He succeeded his father, Oct. 22, 1822. Mr Smyth married, May 18, 1837, the Hon. Diana Bosville Macdonald, fifth daughter of Godfrey, Lord Macdonald, by whom he leaves issue, two sons and two daughters; of whom the elder daughter, Diana Elizabeth Matilda, is married to Henry Thynne, fourth and present Earl of Harewood. Mr Smyth is succeeded by his elder son, now George John Fitzroy Smyth, Esq., of Heath Hall, who was born Sept. 13, 1841. This family of Smyth is of considerable standing in Yorkshire, and derives from Richard Smyth, Esq., of Myreshaw, in the parish of Bradford, in the county of York, born 1594. His grandson, John Smyth, Esq., purchased the estate of Heath Hall in 1709, and was direct ancestor of the Mr Smyth just deceased.’

Photographed by Camille Silvy of London on 17 April 1861.