William Horatio Crawford
Irish brewer and philanthropist
William Horatio Crawford (1815–1888) was an Irish brewer and philanthropist. He was both a book collector and art collector, and contributed to the art school at the Cork School of Design, which became known as the Crawford School of Art in 1885. Much of the Crawford art collection is now held in the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork city.
Biography
Early life
William Horatio Crawford was the first-born son of William Crawford (d. 1840), brewer, and Dulcibella Crawford (née Morris) of Lakelands House, Blackrock, Cork. The family was originally from County Down, related to the Crawfords of Crawfordsburn, and to William Sharman Crawford. William Crawford senior was joint owner of the Beamish and Crawford brewing company, founded by his grandfather; the firm paid one-eighth of the total rates in Cork City in 1834, and employed hundreds of men. In addition to other business interests, William Crawford senior was a philanthropist and helped fund the Cork School of Art and the Cork Savings Bank.
William Horatio Crawford entered Trinity College Dublin (TCD) on 1 July 1833, graduated BA in 1837, and entered King's Inns the same year.
Career and philanthropy
For much of his life, William Horatio Crawford was associated with the family firm, which he and his partner Richard P. Beamish controlled from the 1850s.
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