Everard Fawkener

Sir Everard Fawkener (1694–1758) was an English merchant and diplomat.

Fawkener was born into a family of silk merchants. His father father, William (1642–1716) was a leading member of the Levant Company. Everard was sent out to Aleppo in 1716 and remained there until 1725. He then worked in the family firm of Snelling and Fawkener, leading Levant merchants of their day until 1735.Haydn Mason, ‘Fawkener, Sir Everard (1694–1758)’, "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" (Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008) [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/9228] , accessed 8 Aug 2008]

It was probably on his way home from Aleppo that he met the philosopher Voltaire. He dedicated his tragedy Zaïre to Fawkener in 1733, and later stayed in Fawkener's house in Wandsworth while in England. [H. Mason, 'Voltaire and Sir Everard Fawkener', "British Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies", 23(1) (2000), 1-12.]

Fawkener was knighted in 1735 and sent as British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1737-1744, replacing Lord Kinnoull.

Upon his return he became secretary to the Duke of Cumberland, a post which he held for the rest of his life. He accompanies the Duke on his campaing in the Scottish Highlands to suppress the 1745 Rebellion. In 1745 postmaster general. In this period he was a financial backer in the foundation of the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory.

Fawkener did not marry until 1747, when aged 53. His wife was Harriet daughter of General Charles Churchill. A portrait of her by Constantinople-based artist Jean-Etienne Liotard hangs in Compton Verney. They had a daughter and two sons, and including William Augustus Fawkener. [ [http://www.jamesboswell.info/Biographies/William_Fawkener/ William Augustus Fawkener (c.1750-1811)] ]

References

*Perry, Norma. "Sir Everard Fawkener, Friend and Correspondent of Voltaire"

s-aft|after= The Lord Trevor

The Earl of Bessborough