Colonial Despatches

John Fiennes Twisleton Crampton (1805-86) entered the British diplomatic service as an unpaid attaché, serving first in Turin (1826), St. Petersburg (1828), and then a paid attaché in Brussels and Vienna (1834).1 He became secretary to the British legation at Washington, DC in 1845, serving as chargé d'affaires in 1847-49 and 1850-52.2

Appointed minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary to the United States in 1852, Crampton was so disliked by American officials and he and three British consuls were recalled in 1856, amid rumours that personality conflicts might lead to war.3 Nevertheless, Palmerston expressed his satisfaction with Crampton by recommending him for a knighthood on 20 September 1856 and appointing him minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary at Hanover on 2 March 1857.4

On 31 March 1858, Crampton was transferred to St. Petersburg, and on 10 June 1858 he succeeded his father as baronet.5 On 11 December 1860 he was appointed minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary to Spain, remaining there until his retirement on 1 July 1869.6 He died on 5 December 1886 at his home in the county of Wicklow, Ireland.7

• 1. H. M. Stephens, rev. H. C. G. Matthew, Crampton, Sir John Fiennes Twisleton, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• 2. Ibid.
• 3. Ibid.
• 4. Ibid.
• 5. Ibid.
• 6. Ibid.
• 7. Ibid.