Gerard Smith (governor)

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gerard Smith KCMG (1839 – 28 October 1920) was Governor of Western Australia from 1895 to 1900.

He joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers as an ensign in 1857 and briefly saw service in Canada, retiring from the Army in 1874. He joined the family bank, Samuel Smith, Bros. & Co., and went on to become a business leader in Kingston-upon-Hull being instrumental in the formation of the Hull and Barnsley Railway. He became a Groom-in-Waiting to Queen Victoria and was knighted in 1895.

He was a freemason. He was initiated to the craft on 4 May 1880 at the age of 41 in the United Studholme Alliance Lodge No. 1591. He was passed and raised within two months. On 17 January 1890 he became Worshipful Master of the Lodge. As usually, when he was appointed Governor of Western Australia, he also became Honorary Past Junior Grand Warden. As the Grand Lodge of Western Australia had not been founded at the time, he was appointed District Grand Master of Western Australia. When the Grand Lodge was founded he became its first Grand Master.

References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Carington	Member of Parliament for Wycombe 1883–1885	Succeeded by Viscount Curzon
Government offices
Preceded by Sir William Robinson	Governor of Western Australia 1895–1900	Succeeded by Captain Sir Arthur Lawley