Sir Robert Smyth, 5th Baronet
Sir Robert Smyth, 5th Baronet | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age |
| Died | April 12, 1802 (aged 58) |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, revolutionary, banker |
| Known for | Member of Parliament for Cardigan Boroughs and Colchester; radical democrat and associate of Thomas Paine |
Sir Robert Smyth, 5th Baronet (10 January 1744 – 12 April 1802) was a British political figure and revolutionary who represented constituencies in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1790.
Born to Rev. Robert Smyth, the vicar of Woolavington, Sussex, and Dorothy Lloyd, Smyth received his education at Westminster School. He entered Lincoln's Inn in 1761 and enrolled at Trinity College, Cambridge the following year. In 1765, he succeeded his cousin Sir Trafford Smyth as baronet and later attained Master of Arts degrees in 1766 and 1775.
During the 1774 election, Smyth secured a seat as MP for Cardigan Boroughs, though he was removed from this position following a petition in 1775. He married Charlotte Sophia Blake in 1776. Smyth returned to Parliament in the 1780 election as MP for Colchester. Although defeated in the 1784 contest, he regained his seat through petition and did not seek re-election after 1790.
Later, Smyth shifted his career towards banking in Paris. By 1792, he was recognized as a radical democrat with strong connections to prominent French republican leaders and was involved with a British revolutionary society based there. A close confidant of Thomas Paine, Smyth publicly rejected his hereditary title and supported the elimination of aristocratic privileges. Despite his revolutionary engagement, he was detained during the Reign of Terror. In 1796, with Paine's help, Smyth obtained permission to travel to England to raise funds but opted against returning, expressing discontent with both England’s political system and climate. He passed away in Paris on 12 April 1807.