Hugh Smyth

Hugh Smyth
Smyth in his mayoral robes, 1994
President of
the Progressive Unionist Party
In office
15 October 2011  12 May 2014
LeaderBilly Hutchinson
Succeeded byBilly Hutchinson
Leader of the Progressive Unionist Party
Interim
2 June 2011  15 October 2011
Preceded byBrian Ervine
Succeeded byBilly Hutchinson
In office
1979  13 April 2002
Preceded byParty created
Succeeded byDavid Ervine
51st Lord Mayor of Belfast
In office
1 June 1994  1 June 1995
DeputyIan Adamson
Preceded byReg Empey
Succeeded byEric Smyth
Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast
In office
2001–2002
Preceded byFrank McCoubrey
Succeeded byMargaret Crooks (2003)
In office
1993–1994
Preceded byFrank Millar
Succeeded byIan Adamson
In office
1983–1984
Preceded byFrederick Ashby
Succeeded byBilly Blair
Member of
Belfast City Council
In office
15 May 1985  6 January 2014
Preceded byNew district
Succeeded byBilly Hutchinson
ConstituencyCourt
In office
30 May 1973  15 May 1985
Preceded byNew district
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
ConstituencyBelfast Area E
In office
13 May 1972  30 May 1973
Preceded byJohn McQuade
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
ConstituencyShankhill
Member of the Northern Ireland Forum
In office
30 May 1996  25 April 1998
Preceded byForum created
Succeeded byForum dissolved
ConstituencyTop-up list
Member of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
for Belfast West
In office
1975–1976
Preceded byConvention created
Succeeded byConvention dissolved
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Belfast West
In office
28 June 1973  1974
Preceded byNew Assembly
Succeeded byAssembly abolished
Personal details
Born16 March 1939
Woodvale, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died12 May 2014 (aged 75)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Political partyProgressive Unionist Party (1979–2014)
Other political
affiliations
Volunteer Political Party (1974)
Independent Unionist (1973–1979)
Spouse
Ellen Smyth
(m. 1974)
Known forUlster loyalist politician

Hugh Smyth OBE (16 March 1939 – 12 May 2014) was a Northern Irish Ulster Loyalist and politician who was leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) from 1979 to 2002, as well as during an interim period in 2011. He was Lord Mayor of Belfast from 1994 to 1995, as well as a Belfast City Councillor for the Court and Belfast Area E DEAs from 1972 to January 2014, making him one of the longest-serving members on the Council. Smyth was awarded the Order of the British Empire in the 1996 New Year's Honours list.