Family and Education

b. 26 Apr. 1703, 1st s. of Richard Crawley of Doctors’ Commons, London, registrar of the Admiralty, by Sarah, da. of Sir Samuel Dashwood, M.P., ld. mayor of London 1702. educ. ?Eton 1718; Univ. Coll. Oxf. 1720. m. 29 May 1740, Susannah, da. of Sir Samuel Sambrooke, 3rd Bt., M.P., of Bush Hill, Edmonton, Mdx., sis. of Sir Jeremy Vanacker Sambrooke, 4th Bt., 2s. 2da. suc. fa. 1712.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Beds. 1735-7.

Biography

John Crawley, of an old Luton family, was great-grandson of Sir Francis Crawley, justice of the common pleas in 1632.1 In 1734 he unsuccessfully contested Great Bedwyn as a Tory on the interest of the Bruce family, who had a long connexion with Bedfordshire. Three years later Lord Bruce was able to provide him with a seat at Marlborough till 1747, after which he did not stand. In Parliament he voted against the Administration in all recorded divisions. He died 9 Sept. 1767.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: R. S. Lea

Notes

• 1. W. Austin, Hist. of a Beds. Fam.; A. W. Crawley-Boevey, The Perverse Widow, 301.