Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 53.djvu/40

 He subsequently largely increased his holdings, till they reached in 1684 a total of 46,449 acres in nine counties. He early projected a scheme for the education of children on his estates ‘in the fear of God, and good literature, and to speak the English tongue.’ His petition of 22 June 1655 contemplates the establishment of five free schools. On 28 April 1657 he was elected alderman of Billingsgate ward, and sworn on 5 May; but on 26 May he obtained his discharge on paying a fine of 420l. By indenture of 1 Dec. 1657 he founded five grammar schools, having bursaries at Trinity College, Dublin, and five elementary schools. Of eighteen trustees, the first in order was Henry Jones, D.D. [q. v.], followed by five nonconformist divines, officiating in Dublin as independents, and including Thomas Harrison (fl. 1658) [q. v.] and Samuel Mather [q. v.]; the children were to be taught the assembly's catechism. The trustees, reduced to seven, still headed by Jones, now bishop of Meath, obtained royal letters patent (3 Nov. 1667) directing them to pay 100l. a year to Christ's Hospital, London, adding an apprenticeship scheme, reducing the grammar schools to three, and dropping the assembly's catechism. On Smith's petition a royal charter (26 March 1669) incorporated a body of thirty-two governors, including as official governors the two primates, the lord chancellor of Ireland, the two chief justices, the chief baron of the exchequer, and the provost of Trinity College. Further powers were given by an act of the Irish parliament (1723) and by a royal charter of 27 July 1833. In 1794 the Fagel library was purchased by the governors for 8,000l., and presented to Trinity College. The estates now administered by the governors contain over 12,400 acres, yielding a rental (1892) of over 9,100l., with funded property amounting to 14,679l. Besides the payment to Christ's Hospital, payments are made in aid of lectureships, fellowships, and exhibitions at Trinity College; grammar schools are maintained at Drogheda, Galway, and Tipperary, a high school and a commercial school at Dublin, where also twenty boys are maintained at the Blue Coat Hospital; and thirty-eight elementary schools for boys, with four for girls, are kept up. The scheme of a new constitution was prepared in 1892 by the educational endowments (Ireland) commission, but has not advanced beyond the draft stage.

Smith's London residence was at Clerkenwell Green. He bought from Sir William Scroggs (1652?–1695) [see under, Sir ] Weald Hall in the parish of South Weald, Essex. He died between 25 Aug. and 9 Oct. 1691. His will directs his burial beside his wife, at Hamerton, Huntingdonshire (the burial register is defective). He married Mary, daughter of Hugh Hare, first Lord Coleraine [q. v.], and had six sons and three daughters. His fourth son, Hugh Smith (1672–1745), of Weald Hall, married Dorothy, daughter of Dacre-Barret Lennard of Belhouse, and had issue two daughters; Lucy, the younger (d. 5 Feb. 1759), married (17 March 1747) James Stanley lord Strange (1717–1771), who took (1749) the name of Smith-Stanley, which is retained by the earls of Derby, his descendants [see under, thirteenth earl].

His portrait is at Christ's Hospital and has been engraved by George White, who engraved also the portrait of his wife, ‘Madam Smith,’ from a painting by Kneller, 1680.

[Webb's Compendium of Irish Biog., 1878, pp. 484 sq.; Granger's Biogr. Hist. of Eng., 1779, iii. 404 sq., iv. 183; Burke's Extinct Baronetcies, 1841, p. 492; Debrett's Peerage, 1829, i. 98 sq.; Burke's Peerage, 1895, p. 413; Morant's Essex, 1768, i. 119; London Direct. of 1677 (1878 repr.); Endowed Schools (Ireland) Rep., 1858; Social Science Congress Rep., 1861; Educational Endowments (Ireland) Comm., Erasmus Smith Endowments, Draft Scheme, No. 144 (14 May 1892); Cal. of State Papers (Dom.), 1650, 1662, 1665; Smith's will at Somerset House; priv. inf.]

 SMITH, FRANCIS (fl. 1770), painter, was born in Italy, presumably of English parents. He became associated with the notorious Frederick Calvert, seventh lord Baltimore [q. v.], whom he accompanied on a visit to the east in 1763, and for whom he made some interesting drawings of the ceremonies of the court of Constantinople and of various oriental costumes. A set of plates from these, engraved by R. Pranker, Vitalba, and others, was published in London in 1769. Smith exhibited a view of Vesuvius with the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1768, and in 1770, 1772, and 1773 was a contributor to the Royal Academy, sending a panoramic view of Constantinople and its environs, and views of Naples and London. He died in London before 1780.

[Edwards's Anecd. of Painting; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Exhib. Cats.]

 SMITH, FRANCIS PETTIT (1808–1874), inventor of the screw-propeller for steamships, only son of Charles Smith, postmaster of Hythe, by Sarah, daughter of Francis Pettit of Hythe, was born there on