Craufurd’s father made a fortune in the Netherlands trade, purchased his wife’s ancestral estates and his own family property of Drumsoy, and left them all to the eldest of his seven surviving sons. Patrick, or familiarly ‘Peter’, having begun life as a merchant, applied his business experience to the extension of his estates and electoral interest. He was a close friend of William Mure, to whose judgment he deferred throughout his political life.
Through his marriage to Elizabeth Middleton he acquired another fortune and a life interest in the estate of Errol, where after his father-in-law’s death in 1747 he chiefly resided. His wealth was his principal weapon in the Ayrshire election campaign of 1753-4 when he was opposed by James Mure Campbell, cousin of Lord Loudoun, and Archibald Montgomerie, brother of Lord Eglintoun. When Pelham and Argyll declared for Campbell, Col. John Craufurd, sought an interview with Cumberland, ‘in which he assured him that his brother was a person whose loyalty was not to be suspected, though it might appear so from the zeal of the court against him’.
Out of Parliament Craufurd divided his time between Scotland and London, where, through William Mure, he became connected with the Bute circle. When in 1758 Mure proposed that Craufurd should succeed Stuart Mackenzie in Ayr Burghs, Bute welcomed the idea and obtained Eglintoun’s concurrence;
It would be of great use to me ... if Mr. Pitt would signify ... that he believes me an honest disinterested person [and] wishes me success ... as one favoured by your Lordship’s interest ... For my own part I say fairly and frankly my great motive to come into Parliament is to support your Lordship and Mr. Pitt.
When Pitt made no gesture and when Mure had to face a counter-attack in his own constituency, Craufurd, despite lavish expenditure and Eglintoun’s assistance, met with little success. An opponent wrote to Loudoun from Ayr, 22 Jan. 1760:
Mr. Craufurd left this place worse pleased than ever; all was spoke by Eglintoun, and Mr. Craufurd made up what he was deficient that way by most humble bows and squeezing the hand.
But in October 1760 the accession of George III turned the scales in Bute’s favour and Argyll was obliged to negotiate a series of electoral compromises. When it was suggested that both Craufurd and Fergusson be ‘laid aside’ in favour of a third candidate for Ayr Burghs, Craufurd, an incorrigible busybody, immediately informed John Campbell of Stonefield, Bute’s brother-in-law, and offered to recommend him.
In Parliament an undemanding devotee of Bute, he quickly forgot his attachment to Pitt. He wrote to Mure, 17 Dec. 1761:
A thrifty Scot, Craufurd was angered by the reckless extravagance of his sons, who, as young men of fashion, were inclined to despise their pawky homespun father. In 1766 he took action to protect the Errol estate. David Hume wrote to John Craufurd, 15 Nov. 1766:
I was told ... that your father had taken out an inhibition against you by which he declared your obligation to entail your mother’s estate and prohibited every one to lend you ...
A reconciliation was however effected; he made over the Errol revenues to John, who in return assisted him in his Renfrewshire election affairs. Patrick wrote to Mure, 6 Dec. 1766:
His hold on Renfrewshire was insecure; he had no residence there except the ruined castle of Auchenames and was regarded as an Ayrshireman. In expectation of a costly campaign he raised his rents to ‘bring in £10,000 clear’.
I think your Lordship may carry any man of character in the county, except Mr. Peter Craufurd, to him I find a general objection, which may surprise your Lordship and possibly you may suspect that from his formerly opposing me I carry a rancour still against him, but it is not so, I do assure your Lordship, and in looking on him as a friend of yours I have advised such of my friends as have consulted me and have votes in Renfrew to give them to him.
Craufurd however was equally unwelcome in Renfrew, and when two opponents appeared against him seems to have handed over the management of the election to John.
Thereafter he lived mainly in Edinburgh and in Bath. In 1771 he put John in possession of the Errol estate
He is much as you saw him in Scotland, but with the additional misfortune of being constantly deaf. Add to this that his temper or his mind are quite gone. He is grown anxious and attentive to money matters beyond what I ever saw an example of in anybody. I have been wearied by his persecutions into an entail of my estate along with his, which I know I shall repent all the rest of my life.
John begged Mure to assist him to ‘undo what has been done’ and was successful at the cost of a rift with his father. David Hume wrote to John from Edinburgh, 28 Jan. 1774:
I was told yesterday by Mr. Ross that he had just come from your father who regretted very feelingly his never hearing from you which he ascribed not to your indolence ... but to your neglect of him and your prejudices against him. In the fullness of his heart he opened up all his friendly intentions towards you and declared that except a reasonable provision for your sister and a small annuity to your brother ... he intended you to be the sole heir of all his remaining property. He wanted nothing from you except your friendship which he was sorry he could not obtain and it was the circumstance that embittered his remaining days.
Hume’s intervention seems to have healed the breach, and old Patrick, despite failing powers, assisted John at the 1774 general election.
He died in Edinburgh 10 Jan. 1778.