Bowyer-Smyth baronets

The Smith, later Smyth, later Smijth, later Bowyer-Smijth, later Bowyer-Smyth Baronetcy, of Hill Hall in the County of Essex, was created on 28 November 1661 for Thomas Smith, High Sheriff of Essex in 1663. He was the great grandson of John Smith of Saffron Walden, Essex.

According to tradition John Smith was a descendant of Sir Roger de Clarendon, a natural son of Edward, the Black Prince. He was granted arms in 1545, and the original family crest of an eagle holding an ostrich feather was used to denote descent from Sir Roger de Clarendon. It was later substituted for a salamander in flames to commemorate the escape of Sir Thomas Smith from 'Bloody Mary's' fires. He married in 1508 Agnes Charnock and had four sons and four daughters.

The second son, Sir Thomas Smith was born in 1514. He was Secretary of State during the reigns of King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I. He was Ambassador to France three times during the reign of Elizabeth I and was created Chancellor of the Order of the Garter. Sir Thomas Smith's brother George was a draper in London. Upon the death of Thomas Smith in 1577 he inherited his estates, which he made over to his son in 1581 in return for the settlement of all his debts. His son Sir William Smith, born in 1550, was a Colonel in the Army in Ireland. He returned from Ireland in 1581 and was later sent by King James I to Spain with the Ambassador. He married in 1590 Bridget, the daughter of Thomas Fleetwood, Master of the Mint.

His son Thomas Smith was created a baronet 28 November 1661.

His son Edward, the second Baronet, was High Sheriff of Essex from 1680 to 1681. He changed the spelling of the family surname to Smyth.

His son, the third Baronet, died in 1774. Three of his sons, the fourth, fifth (who was High Sheriff of Essex from 1760 to 1761) and sixth Baronets, all succeeded in the title.

The latter was succeeded by his son, William, the seventh Baronet. Sometime between 1779 and 1799 the seventh Baronet changed the spelling of the family surname to Smijth to distinguish descent from Edward, the Black Prince. Two of his sons, the eighth and ninth Baronets, both died childless. On the latter's death in 1838 the title passed to his third son, Edward, the tenth Baronet. He was Chaplain to King George IV. His mother Anne was heiress of both the Windham and Bowyer families. She devised the Bowyer estates to her son Edward, who assumed by Royal licence in 1839 the surname of Bowyer-Smijth.

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Wikipedia