Julia Abel Smith Explained

Term Start:2013
Term End:2014
Predecessor:Christopher Palmer-Tomkinson
Successor:Nicholas Charrington
Spouse:Charles Abel Smith
Alma Mater:Selwyn College, Cambridge

Julia Mary Seton Abel Smith is a British historian and historical preservationist. She has authored the books Pavilions in Peril (1988) and Forbidden Wife (2020), the latter of which is about the relationship and eventual marriage of Lady Augusta Murray and Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex. She also served as High Sheriff of Essex (2013–2014).

Biography

Julia Wolton was born in 1959 or 1960. She was educated at Selwyn College, Cambridge, obtaining a degree in Art History.[1] [2] She married Charles Abel Smith, a descendant of the Smith banking family.[3]

She worked for Save Britain's Heritage and as a historical researcher for the Landmark Trust.[2] [4] In 1987, she wrote a report on the deteriorating state of British garden buildings for Save Britain's Heritage, titled Pavilion in Peril;[5] the same and next year, she and the report were cited in several news articles on the condition of follies, including in the New York Times.[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] She also has a career of creating catalogues of art, including a cataloguing project of sculptures in public ownership within Bedfordshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire and Art UK's catalogues of paintings located at the University of Cambridge or in public ownership within Essex.[2]

In February 2020, Abel Smith published Forbidden Wife, a historical book about the relationship and eventual marriage of Lady Augusta Murray and Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex.[12] She had come up with the idea after learning about Murray during her research on the Dunmore Pineapple and being inspired by the obscure nature of Murray's history.[13] [14] In her review of The Forbidden Wife for Tatler, Francesca Carington described Abel Smith as "a wonderful storyteller", noting that "her descriptions of late-eighteenth-century Virginia, Rome and London are almost novel-like in colour and detail".[15] She also wrote Augusta's Oxford Dictionary of National Biography article.[13]

She was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Essex on 17 September 2007.[16] She was appointed High Sheriff of Essex in 2013, serving until 2014.[2] She also serves as a governor of Felsted School.[17]

As of 2013, she lived in Little Leighs.[18] She also practices cycling as a hobby, having reportedly trained for a long ride from London to Paris.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Selwyn College Calendar 2019–2020 . . Cambridge . 118 . en.
  2. News: 2018-03-06 . New Patron of Felsted Art . en-US . Felsted School . 2023-12-02.
  3. June 12, 1986 . [cover] . . Miss Julia Wolton, only daughter of Mr and Mrs John Wolton, of The Old Rectory, Little Saxham, Suffolk, is to be married to Mr Charles Abel Smith, only son of Mr and Mrs Wilfrid Abel Smith.
  4. Web site: Governors of the School . 2023-12-02 . Felsted School . en-US.
  5. News: 1 August 1987 . New study of historic site . 2024-02-20 . Lincolnshire Echo . 9 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: Powell . Martin . 21 July 1987 . PAVILIONS IN PERIL? . 2024-02-20 . 21 July 1987 . 4 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: 1 August 1987 . New study of historic site . 2024-02-20 . Lincolnshire Echo . 9 . Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Rees . Mary . 25 July 1987 . Plea for our imperilled pavilions . 2024-02-20 . South Wales Evening Post . 7 . Newspapers.com.
  9. News: 11 August 1987 . Pavilions in peril... a heritage at risk . 2024-02-20 . Leicester Mercury . 8 . Newspapers.com.
  10. News: Pavord . Anna . 15 August 1987 . Faded splendour of lost pavilions . 2024-02-20 . The Independent . 11 . Newspapers.com.
  11. News: TRUCCO . TERRY . 28 January 1988 . Restoring Fanciful British Pavilions . C11 . New York Times . 2023-12-02. .
  12. Web site: Forbidden Wife . 2023-12-02 . The History Press . en.
  13. Web site: Julia Abel Smith . 2023-12-04 . Isle of Wight Literary Festival . en.
  14. Abel Smith . Julia . Ask the author: Julia Abel Smith on Lady Augusta Murray . 2023-12-02 . The History Press . en.
  15. News: Carington . Francesca . 2020-06-15 . The non-fiction edit: What to read right now . 2024-02-20 . Tatler . en-GB.
  16. Web site: 17 September 2007 . Deputy Lieutenant Commissions . 2023-12-02 . www.thegazette.co.uk.
  17. Web site: Deputy Lieutenants of Essex . 2023-12-02 . Essex Lieutenancy . en-US.
  18. News: 24 October 2013 . Visit Chelmsford app gets the royal seal of approval: High Sheriff of Essex Julia Abel-Smith praises our handheld guide . 31 . Essex Chronicle . 2024-02-20 . . Grainger, Ally
  19. News: 28 March 2013 . New High Sheriff 'excited' by opportunities of office: Julia Abel Smith looking forward to working with variety of people . 27 . Essex Chronicle . 2024-02-20 . .