Vincent Arthur Smith was born in Dublin in 1848. He passed the Indian Civil Services examinations in 1871 and was appointed to what would become the United Provinces in India. Between 1871–1900 he served in a variety of magisterial and executive positions including terms as district and sessions judge, eventually retiring as commissioner in July 1900. He published articles and books on the history of India, Indian numismatics and archaeology. By 1910 Smith was settled in Oxford where he joined St. John's College and was appointed a Curator of the Indian Institute. He died in Oxford in 1920.