| Francis Fulford | |
| Full Name: | Francis Fulford |
| Birth Date: | 31 August 1952 |
| Birth Place: | Great Fulford, Exeter, Devon, England |
| Nationality: | British |
| Residence: | Great Fulford |
| Issue: | 4 |
| Child: | no |
Francis Fulford (born 31 August 1952) is a British aristocrat, businessman, television personality, presenter and former stockbroker. He belongs to the landed gentry and is the 26th Fulford to have owned and inhabited Great Fulford manor house in Devon.[1] [2]
Francis Fulford is the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Edgar Anthony Fulford and Joan Shirley, younger daughter of Rear-Admiral C. Maurice Blackman, DSO.[3] He is a great-great-grandson of Francis Fulford (1803–1868), Bishop of Montreal.[4]
Fulford attended Sunningdale School in Berkshire, but failed the common entrance exam for Eton, so instead attended Milton Abbey School in Dorset. After leaving there, he did not go on to any higher education.[5] At 18 he started a career with the Coldstream Guards, but failed the Army Officer Selection Board exam and so left after nine months. He travelled to Australia to work as a jackaroo, but soon returned to Britain, re-taking (and again failing) the Army Officer Selection Board exam, before moving to London to work as a stockbroker and insurance broker. Since inheriting the family estate he has devoted himself to its management, though it is in need of restoration and currently (according to his many television appearances) in a state of severe debt. He lives there with his wife Kishanda and four children.
Since 2004 he has maintained an ongoing career in reality television, appearing in various entertainment and documentary-style programmes, many of which (such as The F***ing Fulfords) make a feature of his casual swearing, prejudices,[6] and traditionalist views.[7] [8] [9]
In 2007 he attempted a move into local politics, standing for a seat on Teignbridge District Council as a member of the Conservative Party. He was defeated, gaining 370 votes out of an electorate of 2215.[10] In all previous local elections, the Conservative Party candidate(s) had been elected easily. the Teign Valley was represented by two Conservative Party councillors on the Teignbridge District Council.[11]
In 2009 he appeared on 60 Minutes Australia where he expressed his desire to shoot what he deems "champagne socialists", amongst other comments expressing his gratification of his ancestor having killed 5000 Frenchman. He subsequently makes the remark "55 million left".[12]
As of 2014 Fulford was a member of the UK Independence Party.[13]
Fulford is lord of the manor of Great Fulford, the current owner of the estate which was granted to his ancestor William de Fulford by King Richard about 1191, as a reward for military service on the Third Crusade.[14] The present great house dates back to the 16th century.[15]