s ▁elder ▁son , ▁Sir ▁John ▁S my the ▁or ▁Smith ▁( 1 5 5 6 ? – 1 6 0 8 ) ▁of ▁Westen h anger , ▁was ▁High ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁Kent ▁in ▁ 1 6 0 0 , ▁and ▁father ▁of ▁Thomas ▁S my the , ▁ 1 st ▁Vis count ▁Str ang ford . ▁ ▁Thomas ▁senior , ▁one ▁of ▁th ir teen ▁children , ▁was ▁brought ▁in ▁his ▁father ' s ▁business , ▁and ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Mer chant ▁T ay l ors ' ▁School ▁( 1 5 7 1 ). ▁ ▁Business ▁and ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 0 , ▁young ▁S my the ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁freedom ▁of ▁the ▁Wor ship ful ▁Company ▁of ▁Hab erd ash ers ▁and ▁also ▁of ▁the ▁Wor ship ful ▁Company ▁of ▁Sk inners . ▁He ▁quickly ▁rose ▁to ▁wealth ▁and ▁distinction ▁after ▁entering ▁politics ▁to ▁augment ▁his ▁business . ▁ ▁S my the ▁was ▁made ▁Aud itor ▁for ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁London ▁from ▁ 1 5 9 7 ▁to ▁ 1 5 9 8 , ▁and ▁Tre as urer ▁of ▁St ▁Bar th ol ome w ' s ▁Hospital ▁from ▁ 1 5 9 7 ▁to ▁ 1 6 0 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 5 9 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁briefly ▁elected ▁to ▁Parliament ▁for ▁A yles bury . ▁In ▁ 1 5 9 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁al der man ▁for ▁F arring don ▁Without ▁and ▁chosen ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁sh