(fl. 1761-1814), banker and diplomat.
c.1761-97 Capua (Mar. 1761), Rome, Genoa (by 8 Oct. 1763-Nov. 1797),
For thirty-five years Brame acted as a banker in Genoa and he acted as British chargé d'affaires there for his last two years of residence. He may have been the 'Monsieur Bramer Inglese' who applied for a passport at Capua on 27 March 1761 en route to or from Rome;1 he was certainly 'Mr Brame the banker' whom James Martin saw in Genoa on 8 October 1763.2 In November 1776 Brame referred to his long residence at Genoa when canvassing his application for the consulate.3 The previous consul, James Holford, had appointed Brame as his attorney, but in December 1776 John Collet, described by Brame as 'my dearest friend and Partner,' was appointed consul. Brame continued in Genoa, sometimes acting as charg? d'affaires during the absences of Collet and his successor Francis Drake, and he was officially charg? d'affaires from 4 December 1795 until November 1797, when the mission at Genoa came to an end.4 He was generally described as the British consul at Genoa, or 'my banker, the English consul' and most thought him civil. William Assheton, at Genoa at the end of October 1783, met 'Mr and Miss Brame';5 at least two travellers, James Edward Smith and the 2nd Earl Grandison, were grateful for his introduction to the other long-term English resident at Genoa, Dr William Batt.6 In 1790 the Rev.Thomas Brand described him as 'a very good natur'd fellow but bitter vulgar & a little inclind to Hebraism in his money dealings'.7
1. ASN CRA 1277.2. Martin jnl.mss.3. Genoa cons.corr.mss (2, 10, 23 Nov., 14 Dec. 1776).4. Horn, 2:56.5. Assheton list mss.6. Smith, Sketch of Tour, 1:228 (29 Dec. 1786). Ragley mss, CR11 4A/279 (Grandison, Dec. 1792).7. Brand letters mss E (13 Oct. 1790).