Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode facts for kids
Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode (1730–1799) was an English collector of rare books and old master prints. He was a very important supporter of the British Museum. He gave many valuable items to the museum when he died.
Clayton Cracherode's Life Story
Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode was born on June 23, 1730, in Taplow, Buckinghamshire. His father, Colonel Mordaunt Cracherode, was a wealthy landowner and later became a general. His father even commanded the marines during George Anson's famous trip around the world.
Clayton went to Westminster School starting in 1742. After that, he studied at Christ Church, Oxford, from 1746. He earned his first degree in 1750 and a master's degree in 1763. He stayed connected with Christ Church until he passed away.
Clayton Cracherode became an Anglican priest for a short time. He worked as a curate in a small village near Oxford. However, he did not continue a long career in the church. In 1773, his father died, and Clayton inherited a large fortune. This wealth allowed him to focus on his passion: collecting.
He was a member of several important groups. These included the Royal Society, which is a famous group for scientists. He was also part of the Royal Society of Arts. In 1784, he became a trustee of the British Museum. This meant he helped manage and guide the museum.
Clayton Cracherode died on April 5, 1799. He was buried near his mother in Westminster Abbey. People at the time said he had never ridden a horse. This was quite unusual for someone from his background. They also noted that his longest journey was only from London to Oxford.
Amazing Gifts to the British Museum
Clayton Cracherode never married. When he died, he left almost all of his amazing collections to the British Museum. This was a huge gift!
His gifts included:
- About 4,500 valuable books.
- Seven collections of drawings.
- One hundred collections of prints.
- Many coins and medals.
- Beautiful engraved gems.
- Collections of shells and minerals.
He only kept two books from his collection. One was a special Bible printed in many languages. He gave this to a bishop. The other was an early edition of Homer's works. This book had once belonged to a famous French historian. He gave this to a friend. Both of these special books eventually also made their way to the British Museum.
His collection of prints was especially important. It included fantastic examples by famous artists like Rembrandt and Dürer. He also had many prints by Italian artists. His print collection became one of the most important parts of the British Museum's collection. He was known as the "second great benefactor" of the museum's collection. This means he was the second most important person to give large gifts to the museum, after Sir Hans Sloane.
Clayton Cracherode's generosity greatly helped the British Museum grow. His gifts continue to be studied and enjoyed by people today.
