Keppel Richard Craven
Encyclopedia
Hon. Keppel Richard Craven (1 June 1779 – 24 June 1851) was a British traveller and dilettante
.
Craven was the third and youngest son of William Craven
and Lady Elizabeth Berkeley
, daughter of the 4th Earl of Berkeley
. His mother divorced when Keppel was only three years old and moved to France
with him, but it was under a promise to return him to his father when he was eight years of age. This condition was not fulfilled. They returned to England in 1791 to send Keppel to school at Harrow
under an assumed name, where, however, he was soon recognised by his likeness to her, and henceforth was called by his family name.
His father died on 27 September 1791 and his mother in the following month married Christian Frederick Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
. Craven was not by these events permanently estranged from his mother; on the contrary, after the margrave's death in 1805 he went to live with her in Naples
.
In 1814 he accepted the post of one of the Chamberlain
s to Princess Caroline of Wales
, without receiving any emolument; but this occupation lasted for a short time only, until the princess departed for Geneva
. Six years afterwards he was called on to give evidence at the trial of the unfortunate princess, when he stated that he was in her service for six months, during which time he never saw any impropriety in her conduct either at Milan
or Naples
, or improper familiarity on the part of Bergamo (DOLBY, Parliamentary Register, 1820, pp. 1269–76).
He published in 1821 A Tour through the Southern Provinces of the Kingdom of Naples, and in 1838 Excursions in the Abruzzi and Northern Provinces of Naples, in 2 vols. The former of these two works is embellished with views from his own sketches, and the latter with a smaller number from drawings by W. Westall, A.R.A.
Having received a considerable addition to his fortune, he in 1834 purchased a large convent in the mountains near Salerno
, which he fitted up as a residence, and there received his visitors with much hospitality. He was for many years the intimate friend and inseparable companion of Sir William Gell
; he shared his own prosperity with his less fortunate comrade, cheered him when in sickness, and attended him with unwearying kindness, until Gell's death in 1836.
Another of his highly esteemed acquaintances was Lady Blessington
, who arrived in Naples in July 1823; with her he afterwards kept up a correspondence, and some of the letters which he addressed to that lady are given in her Life by Richard Robert Madden
. He died at Naples 24 June 1851, aged 72, being the last of a triumvirate of British literati, scholars, and gentlemen who resided there for many years in the closest bonds of friendship, namely, Sir William Drummond
, Sir William Gell, and the Hon. K. R. Craven. He was buried in the English Cemetery
in Naples.
Besides the two works already mentioned, there was published in London in 1825 a book entitled Italian Scenes: a Series of interesting Delineations of Remarkable Views and of Celebrated Remains of Antiquity. Chiefly sketched by the Hon. K. Craven.
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
.
Craven was the third and youngest son of William Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven was an English nobleman.He was the son of Rev John Craven of Staunton Lacy in Shropshire and succeeded his uncle, William Craven, as Baron Craven in 1769...
and Lady Elizabeth Berkeley
Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven , Princess Berkeley , previously "Lady Craven" of Hamstead Marshall, was an author, playwright, traveller, and socialite, perhaps best known for her travelogues...
, daughter of the 4th Earl of Berkeley
Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley
Lt.-Col. Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley KT was the son of Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley and Lady Louisa Lennox....
. His mother divorced when Keppel was only three years old and moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with him, but it was under a promise to return him to his father when he was eight years of age. This condition was not fulfilled. They returned to England in 1791 to send Keppel to school at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
under an assumed name, where, however, he was soon recognised by his likeness to her, and henceforth was called by his family name.
His father died on 27 September 1791 and his mother in the following month married Christian Frederick Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Christian Frederick Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Christian Frederick Charles Alexander was the last Margrave of the two Franconian principalities Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, which he sold to the King of Prussia, a fellow member of the House of Hohenzollern.-Life:His parents were Charles William...
. Craven was not by these events permanently estranged from his mother; on the contrary, after the margrave's death in 1805 he went to live with her in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
In 1814 he accepted the post of one of the Chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
s to Princess Caroline of Wales
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
, without receiving any emolument; but this occupation lasted for a short time only, until the princess departed for Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. Six years afterwards he was called on to give evidence at the trial of the unfortunate princess, when he stated that he was in her service for six months, during which time he never saw any impropriety in her conduct either at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
or Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, or improper familiarity on the part of Bergamo (DOLBY, Parliamentary Register, 1820, pp. 1269–76).
He published in 1821 A Tour through the Southern Provinces of the Kingdom of Naples, and in 1838 Excursions in the Abruzzi and Northern Provinces of Naples, in 2 vols. The former of these two works is embellished with views from his own sketches, and the latter with a smaller number from drawings by W. Westall, A.R.A.
Having received a considerable addition to his fortune, he in 1834 purchased a large convent in the mountains near Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, which he fitted up as a residence, and there received his visitors with much hospitality. He was for many years the intimate friend and inseparable companion of Sir William Gell
William Gell
Sir William Gell was an English classical archaeologist and illustrator.-Life:Born at Hopton in Derbyshire, the son of Philip Gell and Dorothy Milnes...
; he shared his own prosperity with his less fortunate comrade, cheered him when in sickness, and attended him with unwearying kindness, until Gell's death in 1836.
Another of his highly esteemed acquaintances was Lady Blessington
Marguerite, Countess of Blessington
Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington was an Irish novelist.Born Margaret Power near Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland, she was a daughter of Edmund Power, a small landowner...
, who arrived in Naples in July 1823; with her he afterwards kept up a correspondence, and some of the letters which he addressed to that lady are given in her Life by Richard Robert Madden
Richard Robert Madden
Richard Robert Madden was an Irish doctor, writer, abolitionist and historian of the United Irishmen....
. He died at Naples 24 June 1851, aged 72, being the last of a triumvirate of British literati, scholars, and gentlemen who resided there for many years in the closest bonds of friendship, namely, Sir William Drummond
William Drummond of Logiealmond
Sir William Drummond of Logiealmond was a Scottish diplomat and Member of Parliament, poet and philosopher. His book Academical Questions is arguably important in the development of the ideas of English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.-Career:In 1795 he was MP for St. Mawes, and in the...
, Sir William Gell, and the Hon. K. R. Craven. He was buried in the English Cemetery
English Cemetery, Naples
The English Cemetery, Il Cimitero degli Inglesi, or more correctly, Il Cimitero acattolico di Santa Maria delle Fede, is located near Piazza Garibaldi, Naples, Italy...
in Naples.
Besides the two works already mentioned, there was published in London in 1825 a book entitled Italian Scenes: a Series of interesting Delineations of Remarkable Views and of Celebrated Remains of Antiquity. Chiefly sketched by the Hon. K. Craven.