Frank Crisp
Sir Frank Crisp, 1st Baronet, was an English lawyer, microscopist and officer of the Royal Microscopical Society, to which he donated furniture, books, instruments and work on technical publications.
Life and death
Frank Crisp was born on 25 October 1843 in London. His mother died when he was three years old and as a result he was brought up by his grandfather, John Filby Childs. He resolved to take up the law and at 16 was articled to a firm of solicitors. He also studied at the University of London, obtaining the degrees of BA in 1864 and LLB in 1865. In 1867 he married Catherine Howes. From 1881 to 1906, he was a treasurer, and later a vice-president, of the Linnean Society; Catherine Crisp, along with 14 of 15 other women whose names were presented on 17 November 1904, was elected a fellow of the Society, withdrawing in 1916.Crisp qualified as a solicitor in 1869 and his reputation soon grew, acting in many important commercial contracts. He counted several foreign railroad companies and the Imperial Japanese Navy among his clients, and drew up the contract for the cutting of the Cullinan diamond.
Having been knighted on 16 December 1907, Crisp was created a baronet on 5 February 1913 for services as legal advisor to the Liberal Party.
In 1889, Crisp bought Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames. He was a keen horticulturist and developed spectacular public gardens there, including an alpine garden featuring a 20-foot replica of the Matterhorn. He published an exhaustive survey of medieval gardening titled Mediaeval Gardens. He commissioned Henry Ernest Milner to design the gardens.
Crisp died on 29 April 1919 aged 75.