Frances Anne Crewe, Lady Crewe (''née'' Greville; November 1748 – 23 December 1818), was the daughter of

Fulke Greville Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke, ''de jure'' 13th Baron Latimer and 5th Baron Willoughby de Broke KB PC (; 3 October 1554 – 30 September 1628), known before 1621 as Sir Fulke Greville, was an Elizabethan poet, dramatist, and statesman wh ...

, envoy extraordinary to the

elector of Bavaria The following is a list of rulers during the history of Bavaria. Bavaria was ruled by several dukes and kings, partitioned and reunited, under several dynasties. Since 1949, Bavaria has been a democratic state in the Federal Republic of Germ ...

, and his Irish wife, Frances Macartney, who was a poet, best known for "A Prayer for Indifference". She was considered one of the most beautiful women of her time, and was a political hostess with a sharp wit. In late 1783, when

William Pitt the younger William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a British statesman, the youngest and last prime minister of Great Britain (before the Acts of Union 1800) and then first prime minister of the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Ire ...

took office, she famously remarked that he "could do what he pleased during the holidays, but it would only be a mince-pie administration" (in other words it would barely last past Christmas; as it turned out she was wrong in her prediction, but virtually everyone in the political world agreed with her). Crewe Hall (front+gate)

In 1766, Frances married John Crewe, who became Baron Crewe. They had four children, of whom two reached adulthood,

John Crewe, 2nd Baron Crewe John Crewe, 2nd Baron Crewe (bap. 1772 – 4 December 1835) was an English soldier and a peer. He formed part of the first British embassy to China, and rose to the rank of General. Becoming estranged from the majority of his family, he spen ...

, and Emma Crewe, who married Foster Cunliffe-Offley. The younger John as an adult became completely estranged from his family. She was accustomed to entertain, at

Crewe Hall Crewe Hall is a Jacobean mansion located near Crewe Green, east of Crewe, in Cheshire, England. Described by Nikolaus Pevsner as one of the two finest Jacobean houses in Cheshire,Pevsner & Hubbard, p. 22 it is listed at grade I. Built in 16 ...

, her husband's seat in Cheshire, and at her villa at Hampstead, some of the most distinguished of her contemporaries. Fox, who much admired her,

Burke Burke is an Anglo-Norman Irish surname, deriving from the ancient Anglo-Norman and Hiberno-Norman noble dynasty, the House of Burgh. In Ireland, the descendants of William de Burgh (–1206) had the surname ''de Burgh'' which was gaelicised ...

, Sheridan,

Sir Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. John Russell said he was one of the major European painters of the 18th century. He promoted the "Grand Style" in painting which depen ...

, and Canning were frequent visitors. She was also on friendly terms with Charles Burney and Sarah Burney and

Hester Thrale Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi (née Salusbury; later Piozzi; 27 January 1741 or 16 January 1740 – 2 May 1821),Contemporary records, which used the Julian calendar and the Annunciation Style of enumerating years, recorded her birth as 16 January ...

. In May 1784 when Charles James Fox, after an epic battle, was finally confirmed as MP for

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...

, Frances Crewe hosted a party to celebrate, where all the guests were asked to wear Fox's chosen colours, blue and buff.

The Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers o ...

gave a toast ''True blue and Mrs. Crewe''. She famously replied ''True blue and all of you''. Sheridan dedicated the ''

School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Sn ...

'' to her, and some lines addressed to her by Fox were printed at the

Strawberry Hill Press The Strawberry Hill Press was established on 25 June 1757 at Strawberry Hill, by the house's owner, Horace Walpole. He called it the ''Officina Arbuteana'', and many of the first editions of his own works were printed there. The first works prin ...

in 1775. Three portraits by Reynolds have been engraved, in one of which she appears with her brother as Hebe and Cupid. She died on 23 December 1818.

Notes

References

* The entry cites: **Hinchliffe's Barthomley, pp. 306–10 **D'Arblay's Memoirs **Piozzi's Autobiography, 2nd ed. **Warburton's Memoirs of Horace Walpole, ii. 223 * Michael Allen (Editor and Foreword): ''An English Lady in Paris: the diary of Frances Anne Crewe, 1786'', St Leonards, U.K.: Oxford-Stockley Publications, 2006, 1818 deaths 1748 births English people of Irish descent British socialites British salon-holders

Frances Frances is a French and English given name of Latin origin. In Latin the meaning of the name Frances is 'from France' or 'free one.' The male version of the name in English is Francis. The original Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman", comes from the F ...

British baronesses {{UK-baron-stub