James Bogle Smith

West India merchant, reportedly partner in Brooke, Smith and Co. (q.v.) c. 1835-6, and colonial banker, son of John and Rebecca Smith. James Bogle Smith's given names suggest that his father John was probably the John Smith who had been a partner with James Bogle French (q.v.).

1. Baptised 28/10/1788 (born 10/09/1788) at St Botolph's, London: parentage as above.  Will of James Bogle Smith late of Lavender Hill Battersea and Great St Helens who died 27/11/1870 proved 10/12/1870 by Percy Shaw Smith the son, Charles Britiffe Smith the brother and one other executor, effects under £50,000.

2. Described as London representative of Liverpool shipping firm of William Smith & Son in 1837.

3. Percy Shawe Smith of Frogmore House Southsea identified as son and Charles Britiffe Smith of Roundle [?] Villa Ramsgate as brother. Percy Shawe Smith was a Lieutenant in the 13 Light Dragoons at the Charge of the Light Brigade 25 October 1854. Charles Britiffe Smith was 'the earliest collector of autograph letters of musicians', what appears to be his collection including letters of Beethoven Handel, Haydn etc., was sold in 'an Evans sale on 27 May 1842'. He also collected letters of actors, and his 9 vol. 'Original letters of Dramatic Performers, Collected and Arranged by Charles Britiffe Smith', c. 1850 passed to Sir William Augustus Fraser and was presented by him to the Garrick Club.

1. Ancestry.com, London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database online]. The 1851 and 1861 censuses show him at 'Lavender Hill' and 'Wandsworth Road Lavender Hill' respectively, but in a private communication Sean Creighton has provided Bogle Smith's address as The Chestnuts (now 22-28 Mossbury Road) between 1822 and 1867, and noted that he served as trustee of Sir Walter St John's School in Battersea. The Chestnuts was built in 1812, English Heritage Survey of London Vol. 50 Chapter 10 'Lavender Hill', draft online, http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/imported-docs/a-e/battersea-vol-50-chap-10.pdf [accessed 08/04/2013].

2. Sourced from http://eprints.utas.edu.au/8996//07chapter5.pdf p. 281.

3. London Gazette, Issue 23689, 20/12/1870, p. 17; A Hyatt King, 'Some British collectors of Music c. 1600 1960'', Cambridge University Press 1963, p. 37; [http://www.garrickclub.co.uk/about_library_collection [accessed 08/03/2010].