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William George (Bill)Crampton (5 May 1936 – 4 June 1997) was a Britishvexillologist. His chief legacy, theFlag Institute, has hundreds of members in the UK and overseas. He was recognised as Britain's foremost authority on flags by government agencies, the flag trade, the media, publishers, librarians and vexillologists of all ages and backgrounds. He served as a president ofFédération internationale des associations vexillologiques, the International Federation of Vexillological Associations.
He was educated atWallasey Grammar School and then, afterNational Service inEgypt in 1954-56, at theLondon School of Economics where he studiedsociology. He became a teacher atGravesend Technical College, and inGhana. In 1963, he was appointed as an adult education organiser for the West Lancashire and CheshireWorkers Educational Association.[1]
When asked when he first became interested inflags, Crampton responded that it was like being asked when he startedbreathing. He was fascinated by flags from an early age, and began research as a 14-year-old schoolboy, when he realised that some flags in his atlas were obsolete. Thereafter, he devoured all the flag knowledge he could find, scouring libraries and bookstores for every available book. At university, in the army, and while working overseas, chances for flag research were limited but he nevertheless took every opportunity to gain more knowledge.[1]
In 1963, while working in adult education, he renewed his interest in organizedvexillology and contactedWhitney Smith, noted byThe Economist as "the world's greatest flag expert"[2] and father of the international vexillological movement. In 1967, Smith held a meeting inLondon at which Crampton met other vexillologists flags, includingCaptainE.M.C. Barraclough, then editor of the standard British reference bookFlags of the World. The meeting was Crampton's launching pad. Active in the Flag Section of theHeraldry Society, he edited its newsletter from its introduction in 1969. In 1971 he formed theFlag Institute and became its director, with Barraclough as chairman. The Flag Section newsletter became the Institute's journalFlagmaster. In the same year, at the Fourth International Congress of Vexillology inTurin, the Flag Institute joined FIAV and successfully proposed that the1973 Congress be held inLondon.[1]
After the London Congress, Crampton was producing booklets and improvingFlagmaster. He was invited to assist with editingThe Observer's Book of Flags published byWarne. He worked with Barraclough on a new edition ofFlags of the World, as well as providing information and advice on a wide variety of flag projects. The Flag Institute's services to the flag trade, its members and non-member bodies steadily increased.[1]
At the 10th International Congress of Vexillology atOxford in 1983, Crampton was elected as FIAV Secretary-General for Congresses. In ensuing years he achieved a near monopoly in Britain as a flag-book editor, producing many new books and new editions of established titles. His tour of duty as Congress Secretary ended in 1989. In 1991 he was awarded the "Vexillon", an award for excellence in the promotion of vexillology. In 1993 he was elected FIAV President, a post which he held until his death.[1]
In 1995, he obtained a first-classDoctorate from theUniversity of Manchester after 10 years of part-time study; his dissertation was titledFlags as Non-Verbal Symbols in the Management of National Identity.[1]
Following his death in 1997, the newly opened Library of theFlag Institute inKingston upon Hull was named in his honour as theWilliam Crampton Library in 1999.
| Preceded by | President of FIAV 1993–1997 | Succeeded by |
