James Masterton-Smith

Sir James Edward Masterton-Smith KCB (24 August 1878 – 4 May 1938) was a British civil servant.

He was the son of Edward Smith, formerly a member of the Stock Exchange.

In 1905 Masterton-Smith married 1st Barbara Crosbie-Hill. She was the eldest daughter of W. S. J. Crosbie-Hill, JP, of the Red House, Sevenoaks, Kent. They had one son and one daughter. His first wife died in 1921 in tragic circumstances.

In 1923 Masterton-Smith married Marjorie, the only daughter of Hubert B. Marten of 15 Mallord Street, London, SW3.

Masterton-Smith was educated at Harrow School and Hertford College, Oxford.

He entered the Home Civil Service (Class I). His career is summarised:

• 1901 Admiralty,
• 1904-1908 Private Secretary to the Second Sea Lord,
• 1908-1910 Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary,
• 1910-1917 Private Secretary to successive First Lords of the Admiralty (Mr Reginald McKenna, Mr Winston Churchill, Mr Arthur Balfour, Sir Edward Carson, and Sir Eric Geddes,
• Sep 1917 - Jan 1919 Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Munitions,
• 1919-1920 Assistant Secretary (Additional), War Office and Air Ministry,
• 1920-1921 Joint Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour,
• 1921-1924 Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies,
• 1924 retired.

He was a member of the official side of the National Whitley Council for the Civil Service;

Honours

• Officer of the Belgian Order of the Crown, 1915;
• Officer of the Legion of Honour, 1920.

References

Who Was Who'

Political offices
Preceded by Sir George Fiddes	Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies 1921–1925	Succeeded by Sir S Wilson