Frederick Champion de Crespigny

Champion de Crespigny was born on 12 December 1822 at Hill Hall in Theydon Mount, near Epping, Essex. He was the third son of Augustus James Champion de Crespigny (1791–1825), and Caroline Smijth, daughter of Sir William Smijth, 7th Baronet. His father was an officer in the Royal Navy who died from yellow fever on board in 1825. His grandfather was Sir William Champion de Crespigny, 2nd Baronet and his elder brother was Sir Claude Champion de Crespigny, 3rd Baronet. He was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge. ==Career==

After graduating, de Crespigny became a Church of England priest and was perpetual curate at Emmanuel Church, Camberwell, from 1850 to 1858. He was then appointed vicar of Saint John the Baptist Church in Hampton Wick from 1858 until his death. At the age of 40, de Crespigny was elected Clerk of the Hampton Wick Local Board shortly after its creation in 1863. He had been considered for the position of Chairman until Sir Thomas James Nelson JP, Solicitor to the Board, elected at his place Philip May, Proprietor of Houses, to avoid a conflict of interest with the Parish. True to his passion for cricket, de Crespigny founded and presided the Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club in Bushy Park in 1863. Incidentally, he was a supporter and chaplain of the local lodge of Freemasons and the Kingston Division of the Fifth Surrey Rifle Volunteers. ==Personal life==

On 18 August 1857, he married Rosabelle Mary ( Tompson) Wythe in Boxted. The widow of Thomas Mallet Wythe, Esq., she was the only daughter of late E. Thompson, Esq., of Yarmouth. They had no children. He died on 25 June 1887 in London at the age of 64. ==References==