| | | | |
| William Henry Smith | |
| |
| Date (from) | (Date to) | Personal |
| 24 June 1825 | | Born (London). |
| 1849 | | Member of the managing committee of King's College Hospital. |
| 1855 | | Elected to the Metropolitan Board of Works. |
| 1858 | | Married Emily, eldest daughter of Frederick Dawes Danvers, and widow of an old friend, Benjamin Auber Leach. |
| 1865 | | Head of WH. Smith & Son upon death of his father. |
| July 1865 | | Stood unsuccesfully as M.P. for Westminster. |
| December 1868 | November 1885 | M.P. (Liberal-conservative) for Westminster. |
| February 1874 | August 1977 | Financial Secretary to the Treasury in Disraeli's 2nd ministry. |
| 15 August 1877 | 13 May 1880 | First Lord of the Admiralty in Disraeli's 2nd ministry. |
| 1885 | December 1885 | Secretary of State for War in Salisbury's 1st ministry. |
| November 1885 | 6 October 1891 | M.P. for Strand division of Westminster (died in office). |
| December 1885 | January 1886 | Chief secretary for Ireland (until government defeat). |
| August 1886 | December 1887 | Secretary of State for War in Salisbury's 2nd ministry. |
| December 1886 | 6 October 1891 | First Lord of the Treasury and leader of the House of Commons (died in office). |
| 1 May 1891 | 6 October 1891 | Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (died in office). |
| 6 October 1891 | | Died. |
| 10 November 1891 | | Widow created Viscountess Hambleden, with remainder to Smith's heirs. |
| Smith was the grandson of the founder of the newsagency of "WH. Smith & Son"; between 1851 and 1862 he negociated exclusive rights of selling books and newspapers on all the important railways in England. |
| Literature: (DNB; Stenton). |
Home
