Frederick Hankey (diplomat)

Sir Frederick Hankey GCMG (13 March 1774 – 13 March 1855) was a British army officer, diplomat and colonial administrator.[1] He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1833 by William IV. He served as a diplomat on Corfu and Malta.

Hankey was born in London, the third son of John Hankey, a merchant of Mincing Lane, and his wife, Elizabeth.[2][3]

He achieved great respect for his execution of a sensitive diplomatic mission to the Vatican to resolve some potentially serious problems over the legal immunity that the Roman Catholic Church enjoyed on the Island of Malta.[4] In particular Naples' claim that he had the right to nominate any Bishops of Malta. The Vatican would eventually come down on the side of the British, thanks in large part to Hankey's diplomatic intervention with Rome.[5] He served in Malta from 1824 to 1837.[6][7]

A military career as an infantry officer (he attained the rank of colonel in the 15th Regiment of Foot)[8] preceded his diplomatic career.[9]

He was married twice and both his wives predeceased him (one in 1816 and one in 1835); he had a total of four children (two from each of the marriages).[10][11] Sir Frederick Hankey died in London in 1855.[12]

One of his children, also named Frederick, was a notorious and debauched pornographer.[13]

He died on his 81st birthday.