Frederick
Smith,
the son
of a barrister, was born at Birkenhead on 12th July 1872. After his
education at Wadham College, Oxford, and
Gray's Inn, he followed his father into law.
In the 1906 General Election he won the Walton
seat for the Conservative Party. A
brilliant orator, he led the campaign in the House
of Commons against Irish Home Rule. On the outbreak of the First
World War Smith was placed in charge of the government's Press
Bureau where he was responsible for censoring newspaper reports on
the fighting. In May, 1915, Herbert Asquith
appointed Smith as Solicitor-General in his coalition government.
He was promoted to Attorney-General in October, 1915.
David Lloyd George granted him the title
of Baron Birkenhead in January 1919 and served in his Cabinet as Lord
Chancellor (January 1919 - October 1922). Birkenhead also held the
post of Secretary of State for India in the Conservative Government
headed by Stanley Baldwin.
After retiring from politics he was Rector of Aberdeen
University and a director of Tate & Lyle.
Frederick Smith died 30th September 1930.
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