FREEMASONS AND THE ROYAL SOCIETY Alphabetical List of ...

Fellows of the Royal Society who are or were Freemasons, listed alphabetically
surviving, son of Langdale Smithson, younger, but only surviving, son of Sir Hugh Smithson, 3 rd Bt (1657–1733), and
his wife, the Hon Jane Langdale, elder dau of Marmaduke Langdale, 2 nd Baron Langdale of Holme 466 (1628–1703),
both the Langdales and the Smithsons being recusant families. Brought up as a Roman Catholic, but by the time of his
grandfather’s death in 1733, he had conformed to the authorized religion – Protestantism – and had entered the
Church of England.
Matric 467 at Christ Church, Oxford, 15 Oct 1730, inherited, 2 Mar 1733, the Btcy of Smithson, created 2 Aug 1660
for Hugh Smithson (1598–1684) of Stanwick, near Catterick, Yorkshire, North Riding, on the death of his
grandfather, Sir Hugh Smithson, 3 rd Bt (1657–1733), 468 also of Stanwick. In 1734, his sister Dorothy, who was
baptized just under a year and 6 weeks before him, 469 died and he inherited £10,000 from her estate.
High Sheriff of Yorkshire, 1738–39. In 1740, his cousin, Michael Godfrey Smithson, died and he inherited the
estates in Middlesex and at Armin, near Goole, from his grandfather’s first cousin, Hugh Smithson (c.1661–1740), 470
MP for Middlesex in 1701, 1702–05 and 1710–22.
MP for Middlesex 15 May 1740–7 Feb 1750, when he succeeded his father-in-law, Algernon Seymour, 7 th Duke
of Somerset (b.1684), as 2 nd Earl of Northumberland and 2 nd Baron Warkworth, which titles had been created on 2
Oct 1749. Took his seat in HL 1 Mar 1750 and by Act of Parliament dated 12 Apr 1750 changed his surname from
Smithson to Percy.
In 1753: Trustee of the newly formed Br Museum until 1786; Ld of the Bedchamber to both George II and George
III until 1763; Ld-Lt, Northumberland, 23 Mar–1786; 471 V-Adml thereof 1755; nominated KG 18 Nov 1756, installed
29 Mar 1757; sworn of the Privy Council, 22 Nov 1762; Ld Chamb to Queen Charlotte 472 1762–68, Ld-Lt,
Middlesex, 1762–1786; Ld-Lt of Ire, 27 Apr 1763, sworn in 22 Sep 1763, until Jun 1765; V-Adml of North America,
1764.
Created Earl Percy and Duke of Northumberland, 22 Oct 1766 and took his seat as such in HL 11 Nov 1766.
Master of the Horse 1778–80; created 28 Jan 1784 Lord Lovaine, Baron of Alnwick, with special remainder to his 2 nd
son, Lord Algernon Percy (1750–1830), MP for Northumberland 1774–86, who succeeded his father as 2 nd Lord
Lovaine, Baron of Alnwick, and was created, 2 Nov 1790, 1 st Earl of Beverley.
Married at St Martin-in-the-Fields, 16 Jul 1740, Lady Elizabeth Seymour (1716–1776), only dau and heir of
Algernon Seymour, then styled Earl of Hertford (1684–1750), who later became, on his father’s death on 2 Dec 1748,
7 th Duke of Somerset, PC. 473
Died at Syon 474 House, Kew, Surrey, and bur in Westminster Abbey, 21 Jun 1786. His other titles, apart from the
Barony of Lovaine, devolved on his elder son, Lt-Gen Hugh Percy, styled Earl Percy (1742–1817), as 2 nd Duke of
Northumberland, later KG, FRS, FSA.
He had 3 natural children, 2 daus, both bur in Westminster Abbey; by his wife’s reputed cousin, Elizabeth
Hungerford Keate, through common kinship to the 6 th Duke of Somerset, an illegitimate son named James Lewis or
Louis Macie (1765–1829), born in France but matric as Jacobus Ludovicus Macie from Pembroke Coll, Oxford, in
1782 [MA 1786], by which time he was already distinguished as a student of mineralogy and chemistry. Elected the
youngest FRS, 19 Apr 1787, at the age of 22, under the name James Lewis Macie.
James Smithson was the founder of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, for by his will he left over
£100,000 to the United States of America to found at Washington an establishment for the increase and diffusion of
knowledge. The Institution was inaugurated in 1846, and the handsome buildings now comprise a Natl museum
(mainly zoological and ethnological) and an astrophysical observatory. His own scientific papers nearly all perished
in a fire at the Institution in 1865. He died on 27 Jun 1829 and was bur at Genoa. 475
465
According to ODNB, he was baptized at Kirby Wiske, near Northallerton, Yorkshire, North Riding, on 10 Dec 1712, whereas GEC, Vol.
IX, 744, and BP, 1999, 2122, severally give 19 Dec 1714 or 1715 and 19 Dec 1714/5 as his date of birth. As he was apparently 15 when he matric
on 15 Oct 1730 [GEC], which implies that his birth was in 1714, but two years earlier, from other evidence, seems much more likely.
466 st
He succeeded to the title on the death on 5 Aug 1661 of his father, Marmaduke Langdale, 1 Lord Langdale of Holme (b.c.1598). He was
Col of the 7 th Horse Jan to Feb 1687; a Commissioner in Dec 1687 to enquire into money yet owing from Recusants in Yorkshire and other
northern counties; Govr of Hull 1687–89 until the disposition of James II when he was imprisoned; he was superseded before 14 Jan 1689 when he
was said to be a Roman Catholic. In Feb 1667 proceedings against him for recusancy were stayed as contrary to the rights and privileges of the
Peers of this Realm and Lds of Parliament. In 1689 he was appointed Recorder of Hull, but being Papist was unable to hold office [GEC, Vol. VII,
431, n. (b), citing Lords’ Journal and Cal. S. Dom., 1689–90, 237, as the sources].
467
Being then “aged 15” [GEC, Vol. IX, 743].
468 nd
The intermediate Bt was Sir Jerome Smithson, 2 Bt (c.1630–1684).
469
The date was 1 Nov 1711, as recorded in the Baptisms Register for St John the Baptists’ Church, Kirby Wiske [Maintained by the North
Yorkshire County Record Office, Malpas Road, Northallerton].
470 st
He was the only son of Anthony Smithson, of Tottenham High Cross and Armin, and his wife Susanna, dau of Sir Edward Barkham, 1 Bt
(1636–1708), MP for Old Sarum 1679–81, of South Acre Norfolk. He was twice married and his 2nd wife, Constantia, was the only dau of Henry
Hare, 2 nd Lord Coleraine, MP, a celebrated antiquary, and his first wife, Theodocia, dau of Sir Richard Lucy, 1 st Bt (†1667), of Broxbourne,
Hertfordshire, and sister of Henry Hare, 3 rd and last Lord Coleraine, FRS [8 Jan 1730], FSA [8 Dec 1725] (1693–1749), MP for Boston 1730–34,
GM of the Premier GL of England 1727–28.
471
One of 3 Earls and 7 Dukes of Northumberland who have held this office from the end of the fifteenth century to the present day.
472 th
(1744–1818), 5 , but 2nd surviving, dau of Charles Lewis, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1708–1752).
473 th
He was the 2nd, but eldest surviving, son of Charles Seymour, 6 Duke of Somerset, KG, PC (1662–1748), generally known as ‘the proud
Duke’ [GEC, Vol. XII, Part II, 77].
474
Spelt Sion in his entry in GEC, Vol. VIII, 744.
475
An edited version of his biography in Internet website:
http://09.85.229.132/search?q=cache:9O8QurMybgEJ:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Smithson+James+Lewis+Macie&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=
uk.
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