Biography
He was born on 25 October 1843 in London.
Crisp's mother died when he was three years old and as a result he was brought up by his grandfather, John Filby Childs. He resolved to take up the law and at 16 was articled to a firm of solicitors. He also studied at the University of London obtaining the degrees of B.A. in 1864 and LL.B. in 1865. In 1867 he married Catherine Howes.
He qualified as a solicitor in 1869 and his reputation soon grew, acting in many important commercial contracts. He counted several foreign railroad companies and the Imperial Japanese Navy among his clients, and drew up the contract for the cutting of the Cullinan diamond. He received his baronetcy in 1913 for services as legal advisor to the Liberal Party.
In 1895, he bought Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames where he entertained the great and the good. He was a keen horticulturalist and developed spectacular public gardens there, including an alpine garden featuring a 20 foot (6 m) replica of the Matterhorn. He published an exhaustive survey of medieval gardening titled Mediaeval Gardens.
He died on 29 April 1919.
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