Robert Wigram Crawford
Robert Wigram Crawford | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | July 30, 1889 (aged 76) |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, Banker, Politician |
| Known for | Governor of the Bank of England, Member of Parliament for City of London |
Robert Wigram Crawford (18 April 1813 – 30 July 1889) was a prominent British merchant associated with the East India trade, who also held the position of Governor at the Bank of England and represented the Liberal Party in the House of Commons from 1857 until 1874.
He was the son of William Crawford, who served as Member of Parliament for London between 1833 and 1841. Crawford spent a significant period in Bombay working as a partner at Remington & Co. Subsequently, he became head of Crawford, Colvin, and Co., a London-based firm dealing in East India commerce, and held chairmanships at both the East Indian and Mexican Railway Companies. After serving as Deputy Governor, he was appointed Governor of the Bank of England in 1869, overseeing the institution during the financial turmoil known as Black Friday (1869). Additionally, he fulfilled duties as Commissioner of Lieutenancy for London and was recognized as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Crawford’s initial attempt to enter Parliament occurred in Harwich in 1851, where he briefly held a seat before being unseated following a petition concerning voting irregularities. Although he received substantial support in 1852 for the City of London seat, he chose not to stand as a candidate. He successfully secured election as MP for the City of London in 1857 and maintained that position until 1874.
In 1836, he wed Margaret Urquhart Cruikshank, daughter of Reverend John Cruickshank from Scotland. His sister Jane was married to Henry Ray Freshfield and gained recognition for writing travel accounts focused on the Swiss Alps.
Crawford passed away at the age of 76 in 1889.
A caricature portraying Crawford by Melchiorre Delfico, originally published in Vanity Fair (January 1873) and personally signed by Crawford, is exhibited on the fifth floor of Norman Shaw North, a parliamentary building.