Birth: 4 December 1903 Near The Barracks, Barford Mill, Churt (now demolished) Churt, Farnham, Surrey, UK
Father: James Croucher 1860-1939
Mother: Ellen Fullick 1872-1943
Christening: 3 January 1904 St John the Evangelist, Churt, Surrey, UK
Marriage: Never married
Death: October-December 1973 In his bedsit near the railway station, Farnham, Surrey, UK
Also known as Rust or Rusty, both from the colour of his hair and the state of his bicycle.
Birth of Frederick Croucher in FreeBMD in January-March 1904 in Farnham (2A 138).
Entry in Ancestry Surrey, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912 for Frederick Croucher on 3 January 1904 at Churt, St John the Evangelist, Surrey, parents James and Ellen Croucher. "Page 75 Baptisms solemnized in the Parish of Churt in the County of Surrey in the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Three-Four [...] 1904 January 3rd No. 594 Frederick [parents] James, [a] Labourer, & Ellen Croucher [of] The Barracks, Churt".
His brother was born on 4 January 1906, registered in January-March 1906 in Farnham, and baptised on 4 February 1906 at St John the Evangelist, Churt when they were living at Keepers Cottage (Pond Cottage) with his widowed grandmother.
His sister was born on 27 November 1908, registered in January-March 1909 in Farnham, and baptised on 7 February 1909 at St John the Evangelist, Churt, when they were living at Copse or Coppice Cottage, Furze Hills, Churt.
In the 1911 census as Frederick Croucher aged 7, born in Churt, Surrey and living with his parents (James and Ellen), two brothers (Ernest and William) and three sisters (Ellen, Emily and Ruth) in four rooms at Copse Cottage, Churt, Surrey.
His brother was born on 24 January 1916, registered in January-March 1916 in Farnham, and baptised on 2 April 1916 at St John the Evangelist, Churt when they were living at Mead End Cottages, Churt.
In the 1921 census as Frederick Croucher aged 17 years 6 months, born in Churt, Surrey, single, a gardener working for Rev D R Barton of The Vicarage, Churt, and living with his parents (James and Ellen), two brothers (Ernest and Leonard) and two sisters (Emily K and Ruth) at Meadcud Ctge (sic - in the index, Meadend Cottage on the original), Churt, Surrey.
Fourteen entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for Frederick Croucher address Fairfield, Churt, Frensham, Farnham from 1926 to 1939, other occupants James and Ellen Croucher (parents?), William James Croucher (brother?) in 1926, Ernest Croucher (brother?) from 1928 to 1931, Ellen Elizabeth Croucher (sister?) in 1932, Alfred Benjamin Frank Frampton (future btrother-in-law) in 1932, and Leonard Croucher (brother?) in 1937.
In the 1939 England and Wales Register as Frederick Croucher born 4 December 1903, single, a gardener, and living with James and Ellen Croucher (parents?) at Fairfield, Green Cross Lane, Hambledon, Surrey.
Twelve entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for Frederick Croucher address 2 Pine Lodge, Tilford, Frensham, Farnham from 1945 to 1948, and 6 changing to 6/9 from 1954 Church Lane (Middle), Castle, Farnham from 1952 to 1962, plus 25 to 40 others.
Death of Federick Croucher, born on 4 December 1903, in FreeBMD in October-December 1973 in Surrey SW (5g 1217).
Although he lived in Farnham, he seems to have lost touch with the rest of the family. I went with my father to see him in the late 1960's when he gave me a very small wood plane. My father cleared his bedsit after his death - it was full of books. My father and his sisters went to the cremation at Guildford, but due to a mixup over dates, were a day too late.
Entry in The Pastoral Notebooks of Wallis Hay Laverty, rector of Headley 1872–1928
p582 Fullick Henry (18.9.1833) & Martha (Shrubb) & family
[...]
They were married 24.12.1853 and had children
[...]
Ellen - Mrs James Croucher (son Fred bapt 3.1.1904 at Churt) - "Miss E Fullick" who is missus.
There are twenty eight entries in Ancestry Family Trees for Frederick Croucher.
Written by my father:
His real name is Fred Croucher
But he's known to his friends as Rust
And by gum his cycle is rusty
And covered with mud and dust
He neither cleans nor overhauls it
The nuts and the bolts are gone
In places it is tied together
And the wheels are wired on
The machine is well known in the district
By ear as well as by sight
For who in the world could mistake it
About 10 o'clock every night
The dogs in the yards would be barking
As he rides through the mist and the rain
And the good folk would listen, then whisper
There's Rusty's old iron again
One day he was trying to sell it
Would anyone buy it, no fear
His price was an ounce of Nut Brown
And half a pint of club beer
But Rust didn't care for the chaffing
He rode on till he got a bad skid
Then the kids all gathered around him
And asked for a ride on his grid
Of course not one was in earnest
Who was there to dare such a game
For to ride the old iron in public
Would earn one a terrible name
When Rust saw they did not mean it
He tied up the broken chain
Threw his leg over the saddle
And was off with the rattle again
Down hills, around corners, he sped on
With nothing his speed to check
Whilst folk stood gasping, expecting
Him to fall off and break his neck
Now that is the story of Rusty
Have you ever heard the like
A head like a blazing prairie
Astride a rusty old bike
William Croucher 1924
Frederick Croucher was my uncle.
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