Crisp Gascoyne
Sir Crisp Gascoyne | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Chiswick, England |
| Died | December 28, 1761 (aged 61) |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, politician, philanthropist |
| Known for | Lord Mayor of London (1752) |
Sir Crisp Gascoyne ( – 28 December 1761) was a prominent British merchant, politician, and philanthropist who held the office of Lord Mayor of London in 1752.
Early life
Born as the youngest child to Benjamin and Anne Gascoyne, he entered the world in Chiswick and was baptized there on 26 August 1700. He built his career as a brewer operating in Gravel Lane, Houndsditch. By 1733, he had moved to Barking, where four of his children were baptized between 1733 and 1738. In 1755, records show he lived in Mincing Lane, probably residing at his father-in-law Dr. Bamber’s residence, while continuing his brewing business with Weston in Houndsditch. Gascoyne became a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Brewers through purchase on 17 December 1741, joined the livery on 8 March 1744, and held the position of master of the company from 1746 to 1747.
Political life
On 20 June 1745, Gascoyne was chosen as alderman for Vintry ward and later served as sheriff of London and Middlesex during 1747–1748. In December 1748, leading the city lands committee, he successfully facilitated legislation through the common council to provide relief for orphans whose inheritances had been impacted by the Civil War and the closure of the exchequer under Charles II.
During his tenure as Lord Mayor in 1752, Gascoyne became the inaugural occupant of the newly constructed Mansion House, which had been commissioned in 1739 on the site formerly occupied by Stocks Market. That year also marked a change in the date of the mayoralty procession from 29 October to 9 November.
While serving as mayor, Gascoyne oversaw the trial of women Squires and Wells, who were found guilty of abducting Elizabeth Canning. Doubting the reliability of Canning’s testimony, he ordered additional inquiries that ultimately disproved her claims. This decision sparked public hostility towards him, including threats and damage to his carriage. He addressed these concerns in a speech to London's liverymen and received formal appreciation from the common council at year-end.
Early in his mayoral term, on 22 November 1752, Gascoyne was knighted during an audience with the king while presenting an official address. Additionally, he held the position of verderer of Epping Forest, a role subsequently taken up by his eldest son. He also acquired extensive properties in Essex, which included an ancient hospital and chapel at Ilford, along with patronage rights over the local parish.
Death and estate
Gascoyne passed away on 28 December 1761 and was interred on 4 January 1762 at Barking Church, where his four children commissioned a substantial monument in his memory. His last will and testament, dated 20 December 1761, was validated shortly after his death.
He married Margaret, daughter and co-heiress of Dr. John Bamber, a prosperous physician from Mincing Lane who owned significant estates in Essex and constructed the Bifrons mansion at Barking. The couple had four surviving offspring: Bamber, Joseph, Ann, and Margaret. His wife was laid to rest in Barking Church in 1740.
Following Dr. Bamber’s death in 1753, his property was entailed to Bamber Gascoyne I (1725–1791), their eldest son. Bamber matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford (1743), qualified as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn (1750), and represented several constituencies as M.P. between 1761 and 1786. He also held important offices such as receiver-general of customs and lord of the admiralty. Upon his death in 1791, ownership passed to his son Bamber (1758–1824), who served as M.P. for Liverpool from 1780 to 1796; he ended the entailment, demolished Bifrons mansion, and sold off the property.
Bamber's daughter married James Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, who incorporated the Gascoyne surname before Cecil and inherited an estate reportedly generating £12,000 annually. Their son was Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, who served three terms as British prime minister.
A mezzotint portrait of Crisp Gascoyne by James McArdell, based on an original painting by William Keable, was published in the London Magazine in July 1753. A smaller anonymous print likely originates from this same period.