Humphrey Cripps

Who was Humphrey Cripps?

Sir Cyril Humphrey Cripps was an English businessman and a philanthropist.

Humphrey Cripps was educated at Northampton School For Boys and went up to St John's College, Cambridge to read Natural Sciences. He joined the family firm, Pianoforte Supplies Limited, started by his father in 1919 to make the metal components of pianos. Humphrey became Managing Director in 1960 and Chairman in 1979.

The decline in the British car industry in the 1970s caused Humphrey to diversify his business interests, and he invested abroad, playing a major role in the creation of Velcro Industries. By these means he continued to channel funds into the family charitable foundation.

The Cripps Foundation is a charity established in 1956 by the Cripps family which has made huge gifts to universities, colleges, schools, churches, hospitals and museums. Many Cambridge Colleges have benefited from this generosity, as well as the Fitzwilliam Museum. Halls of residence at St John's College, Magdalene College, Selwyn College, Queens' College and the University of Nottingham are named after the Cripps family. His former school also benefitted. The construction of many of the facilities were made possible through his generous donations.