Sir William Bowyer-Smijth, 11th Baronet, DL, JP (22 April 1814 – 20 November 1883) was an English cricketer, baronet and Conservative Party politician.

Background

Born as William Smijth, he was the oldest son of Sir Edward Bowyer-Smijth, 10th Baronet and his wife Laetitia Cecily Weyland, daughter of John Weyland. On 10 June 1839, his name was changed to Bowyer-Smijth by royal licence. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and went then to

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

. In 1850, Bowyer-Smijth succeeded his father as baronet.

Career

From 1845, he played for the

Marylebone Cricket Club The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's, Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London, England. The club was the governing body of cricket from 1788 to 1989 and retain ...

until 1848. Bowyer-Smijth contested South Essex in the 1847 general election unsuccessfully. He entered the

British House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 memb ...

in 1852, sitting as a member of parliament (MP) for until 1857. Bowyer-Smijth had a commission as lieutenant in the 19th Essex Rifle Volunteers and served as a Deputy Lieutenant and a Justice of the Peace.

Personal life

On 2 April 1839 he married firstly Marianne Frances Meux, second daughter of Sir Henry Meux, 1st Baronet in

Cheshunt Cheshunt (/ˈtʃɛzənt/ CHEZ-ənt) is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England, situated within the London commuter belt approximately north of Central London. The town lies on the River Lea and Lee Navigation, bordering th ...

in Hertfordshire and had by her two sons and a daughter. Bowyer-Smijth later left his wife and pretending to be a widower, he began to court Eliza Fechnie Malcolm, daughter of David Baird Malcolm, who was aged sixteen at that time. Under the impression of a feigned ceremony, she considered herself to be lawful married and borne him twelve children, six sons and seven daughters until 1873, when she learned that his wife was still alive. When he promised to make up the marriage after the death of Marianne, she however continued to stay with him. Bowyer-Smijth's first wife died on 19 March 1875 and he remarried Eliza in

Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...

in London only a week later. Only two daughters born after the marriage, were legitimately, all others illegitimately. Although legitimised under Scottish law by petition in 1918, the English baronetcy and estates could not pass to these children. Bowyer-Smijth died, aged 69 in Twineham Court in Sussex and was succeeded as baronet by his oldest son William of his first marriage, after whose death the title went to his nephew Alfred Bowyer-Smyth.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowyer-Smijth, William 1814 births 1883 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Bowyer-Smijth, Sir William, 11th Baronet Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers People educated at Eton College UK MPs 1852–1857 English cricketers English justices of the peace