Charles Smith was born in September 1756, the only son of Charles Smith of Stratford and his second wife Judith. He was educated at Felsted School.
He married twice, firstly to Susanna (d. 26 Oct. 1796), da. of John Devall of Marylebone, in 1791; and secondly in 1796 to Augusta, daughter and coheiress of Joshua Smith of Erlestoke Park, Devizes, Wilts. They had 3 sons and six daughters.
Smith (then described as of Mile End) purchased the Suttons estate for £15,725 in 1787 and consolidated his position as an Essex landowner by buying Lord Petre’s Stanford estate in 1796. He also invested in East India Company stock.
He was High Sheriff for Essex 1811-1812.
Parliamentary Career:
He was elected at a by-election in November 1796 as one of the two members for the Borough of Saltash, Cornwall, and held the seat until 1802.
At the 1892 election he was elected as one of the two MPs for the Borough of Westbury in Wiltshire, and held that seat until the 1806 general election.
He does not appear to have attempted to come into Parliament again, though Joseph Holden Strutt seems to have considered him a suitable candidate for Maldon in 1810.
Children:
His daughters were Augusta, Emma (died 1876), Frances (died 1871); Sarah Eliza (died 1808), Charlotte Judith (died 1840) and Maria Louisa (died 1887). His sons were Charles Joshua (born 1800), Spencer died 1882) and Drummond (died 1832).
Charles Joshua, the eldest son succeeded to the title of 2nd Baronet Smith upon the death of his maternal uncle Sir Drummond Smith, Bart. (1740-1816). He married, (1) Belinda daughter of George Colebrooke, on 28 October 1823. He married (2) Mary Gosling, daughter of William Gosling, on 2 July 1826. He died 31 January 1831.
His heir was Charles Cunliffe, born 15 September 1827 (mother = Mary). He married Lady Agnes Frederica Smith (née Cure).
They had 4 children, Frederica Mary Smith; Laura Cunliffe-Smith; Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith, (4th Bt.) and Reginald Cunliffe Smith. He succeeded as the 3rd Bt. on the death of his father in 1831. He died at Suttons on the 31 July 1905.
The 4th Bt. Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith was born on the 23 February 1861 and died unmarried on the 8 May 1947. He was High Sheriff, and Lieutenant West Essex Militia Essex 1915.
Sir Drummond Cospatric Hamilton-Spencer-Smith, 5th Baronet (1876–1955).
Sir John Hamilton Spencer-Smith, 6th Baronet (born 1947).
The heir presumptive of the baronetcy is Michael Philip Hamilton-Spencer-Smith (born 1952).