eng al ). ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁el dest ▁son ▁of ▁John ▁Smith , ▁che es em ong er , ▁of ▁J erm yn ▁Street , ▁St . ▁James ’ s , ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁central ▁London . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁India ▁as ▁an ▁en sign ▁in ▁the ▁Mad ras ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 2 , ▁rising ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁captain . ▁In ▁ 1 7 6 1 ▁returned ▁to ▁London ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁prominent ▁share holder ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁India ▁Company . ▁ ▁When ▁he ▁went ▁out ▁to ▁India ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 4 ▁it ▁was ▁as ▁Colonel ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁India ▁Company ' s ▁three ▁brig ades . ▁In ▁ 1 7 6 7 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Commander - in - Ch ief , ▁India . ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁Brig ad ier - General ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 8 ▁before ▁ret iring ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 0 . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 7 7 4 ▁he ▁went ▁into ▁politics ▁as ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁H ind on , ▁later ▁serving ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁Wend over ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 0 ▁and ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁W are ham ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁High ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁Ber k shire ▁for ▁ 1 7 7 9 – 8 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁not orious ▁as ▁a ▁nab ob , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁English men ▁returned ▁from ▁India