| Frank James Smith | |
| Parliament: | New South Wales |
| Term Start: | 5 Feb 1887 |
| Term End: | 6 June 1891 |
| Birth Place: | England |
| Spouse: | Sarah Thursdon (married c 1872) |
| Children: | 1 daughter |
| Parents: | Sarah Leicester Lewis Francis Smith |
Frank James Smith (1852 - 4 January 1910) was an English-born Australian politician.
His parents were land speculator Lewis Francis Smith and Sarah Leicester. He arrived in Victoria around 1867, and then spent some time in Hobart. He worked as a printer's apprentice in Victoria and then moved to Balmain in Sydney around 1877. He trained as a solicitor, however he never practised. Around 1872 he married Sarah Thursdon, with whom he had a daughter.
In 1887 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as a Free Trade member for Balmain. He was re-elected in 1889, but was defeated in 1891.[1]
Smith was the managing director of the Australian Mercantile Loan and Guarantee Company from September 1889 until September 1890, and the company was placed into liquidation on 11 September 1891.[2] In February 1892 he was convicted of conspiracy to fraudulently misrepresent the financial affairs of the company,[3] and was sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years.[4] Peter Howe, another member of the Legislative Assembly, was also a director of the company. In 1891 Howe had been convicted of conspiracy to defraud the company and was also sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years.[5]
Smith was released from prison in June 1895 after serving 3 years.[6] [7]
He attempted to return to politics, standing as an independent candidate at the July 1895 election for Balmain North, but polled just 32 votes.[8]
Smith died at Woolwich on .[9]