Lord Crewe

Lord Crewe graduated Oxford in 1760 with no degree and began in 1761 his two-year tour of France and Italy then returning to his Cheshire estates. He was an esteemed agricultralist. His political career began in 1765 when he was elected as M.P. for Stafford and was a supporter of the Duke of Grafton. In 1782 Crewe’s Act was passed barring revenue officers from participating in parliamentary elections. He was a keen supporter both politically and financially of Charles James Fox going into opposition with him in 1783. In 1773 he took on £1200 in annuity on Fox’s behalf and spent each year roughly £12,000 to support Fox. In 1784 he led the counterattack on a crowd attempting to break the windows of Fox’s house and in 1806 was awarded a peerage for his steadfast support. He and his wife Frances had a happy marriage with four children, two boys and two girls. Frances was a noted beauty and political hostess well-liked by members of Fox’s party. His son and heir John Crewe was disinherited as far as his father was able to do so.