William Henry Smyth
(1788-1865), Admiral and scientific writerEarly Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 3 portraits
William Smyth joined the Navy at an early age and saw active service in Indian, Chinese and Australian waters. In 1813, he joined the Sicilian flotilla, where he combined active service against the French in Naples with hydrographic surveying and antiquarian research. He carried out further surveys in Italian, Adriatic, Greek and North African waters, combining his work with archaeological research, until his retirement in 1824. His work resulted in a large number of published charts, many of which remained in use until the middle of the twentieth century. On returning to England, Smyth retired to Bedford and constructed an astronomical observatory.
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