William James Croucher (1900-1985)

Dates

Birth: 28 October 1906 The Barracks, Barford Upper Mill, Churt, Farnham, Surrey, UK
Father: James Croucher 1860-1939
Mother: Ellen Fullick 1872-1943

Christening: 12 November 1900 St John the Evangelist, Churt, Surrey, UK

Marriage: 12 February 1927 All Saints, Vange, Essex, UK
Wife: Ella Marion (Marian) Cowles 1906-1951

Marriage: 1st October 1954 SW Surrey, UK
Wife: Lina Mina Louise Krumfuss 1910-1997

Death: 30 November 1985 Ingledene, Churt, Farnham, Surrey, UK
Cremation: 5 December 1985 Guilford Crematorium, Surrey, UK. Ashes in front garden of Ingledene (now Foxwood), Hale House Lane, Churt, Surrey, UK

Children

Notes

Birth of William James Croucher in FreeBMD in October-December 1900 in Farnham (2A 131).

Entry in Ancestry Surrey, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912 for William James Croucher on 12 November 1900 at Churt, St John the Evangelist, Surrey, parents James and Ellen Croucher. "Page 67 Baptisms solemnized in the Parish of Churt in the County of Surrey in the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and [blank ...] Privately Baptised Recd into Church Dec 1 1900 1900 Nov 12th No. 536 William James [parents] James [a] Labourer 7 Ellen Croucher [of] The Barracks Churt".

In the 1901 census as William Croucher aged five months and living with his parents (James and Ellen), and two sisters (Ellen and Emily) in two rooms at The Barracks, Churt. (This was a cottage, now demolished, on the right of the track leading to the Barracks which were a terraced row built below the dam of Barford Upper Mill pond).

His brother was born on 4 December 1903, registered in in January-March 1904 in Farnham, and baptised on 3 January 1904 at St John the Evangelist, Churt, when they were living at The Barracks, Churt.

The family lived there until 1905 when they went to live with his grandmother at Keepers/Pond Cottage when his grandfather died. However they were given notice to quit soon afterwards when the owner, Mr Compton of Churt House, died, and then moved to Copse or Coppice Cottage on the Furzehills where they lived for 6 years. He started at St John's School, Churt in June 1905.

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 William Croucher aged 11 and living with his parents (James and Ellen), two brothers (Ernest and Frederick), and three sisters (Ellen, Emily and Ruth) in four rooms at Copse Cottage, Churt, Surrey.

Diocese of Winchester This is to Certify that William Croucher has passed a specially satisfactory Examination in Religeous Knowledge in the Churt St John's School on the undermentioned dates:- Feb 27. 1912, Feb 11. 1913, Feb 11. 1914.

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.

He was employed at Barford House from 7:40 to 8:40 am earning 2d, and from 4 to 5:30 pm earning 3d in the week, on Saturdays from 7 to 4:30 earning 1/- and also did one hour on Sunday mornings earning 3d. He cleaned boots, knives, fetched coals, kindling wood etc. and was a garden boy on Saturdays. By 1917 he was working with his father at the Beacon Hotel, Hindhead.

Entry in Soldier's Service Book for Croucher William James born in 1900, single, a hotel porter, father James Croucher of Mead End, Churt, Farnham, Surrey enlisted 31 March 1917 as a regular 6907634 in 4t Rifle Brigade and in 1918 he nearly died from Spanish Flu and pneumonia, and subsequently was transfered to a wing of the Wellingboro' work house. He enlisted again on 9 November 1918 at Guildford, and discharged 28 January 1919 in Winchester height 5 ft 7, sallow complexion, grey eyes dark brown hair, but enlisted on 29 January 1919 in Northampton in the 4th Bn Royal Rifle Brigade Prince Regents Own. After a spell at North Camp they went to the North West Frontier, being stationed near Quetta. During his time there he received a Second Class Certificate of Education (reduction, simple practice and proportion, vulgar and decimal fractions, averages, percentages and proportional parts, simple, superficial and cubic measure, regimental accounts, writing from dictation and writing a simple essay) dated 4 Sptember 1920 at Quetta.

In the 1921 census as William James Croucher aged 20 years 3 months, born in Farnham, Surrey, single and a rifleman in 4 Bn the Rifles Bugade (sic - in the index, Brigade on the original), Roberts Barracks, Quetta, India.

A Permanent Pass (after duty to 2400) for Rfm W Croucher 6907634 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade Prince Consort's Own dated 5 January 1922 but no location.

He returned to Gibralter in 1922 where he explored the old military tunnels, and then to Southampton in May 1922 on SS Huntsgreen (this was the ex German passenger ship Derfflinger which was captured in 1914 at Port Said and operated as troopship until 1923 when it was sold back to previous German owners and eventually scrapped in 1932). A pass gave him permission to wear plain clothes on proceding home dated 1 June 1922.

He was discharged on 29 June 1922 in Winchester as his services were no longer required on reduction of the establishment. He joined the reserves, and he took various casual jobs at bars in London and Horsham, Sussex where he worked at the Kings Head while living at Broadbridge Heath. On an Army Reserve Training Order Rifle W J Croucher Army No. 6907634 Rifle Brigade of Mead End Churt, Farnham, Surrey was required to report on 16 May 1925 at 9 30 am at Guildford Rly Stn Booking Office. In 1925 he was employed in laying out an orchard for Mr Ainslie of The Chase at the rate of 6/- per 8 hour day. He met his future wife here, and spent some time in Vange helping her brother Arthur and Wally Heavers with their building company. He helped his father build Fairfield. He was finally discharged from the army on 30 March 1927 in Winchester which relates to his enlistment on 31 March 1923 at Guildford in Section D (Pool) Army Reserve as 6907634 Rifleman.

There are eight entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for William James Croucher addresses Mead End Cottage, Churt, Frensham, Farnham from 1922 to Spring 1925, other occupants James and Ellen Croucher (parents?), Fairfield, Churt, Frensham, Farnham in Autumn 1925 and 1926, other occupants James and Ellen Croucher (parents), and Frederick Croucher (brother?) in 1926, 1 Furze Hill Cottages, Churt, Frensham, Farnham in 1927, and Outmoor, Churt, Frensham, Farnham in 1928.

Final banns in Churt 30 Jan 1927 : William James Croucher and Ella Marion Cowles of P. of Vange, Essex.

Marriage of William J Croucher and Ella M Cowles in FreeBMD in January-March 1927 in Billericay (4a 763).

Entry in Ancestry Essex, England, Church of England Marriages, 1754-1935 for William James Croucher aged 26, father James Croucher and Ella Marian Cowles on 12 February 1927 at Vange, All Saints.

His daughter was born in Churt in 1928.

Ingledene was built in front of Fairfield in 1928, cost £380, both houses having a common garden. There was no electricity or bathroom (the latter being built in the early 1950s). Gas was used for cooking, and there was a gas copper in a shed which was used for washing clothes, and heating water for the bath which was in the same shed. There was an outside earth closet, later a WC. There was no gas lighting because of the unsightly pipes, and so waited for electricity which came in the 1930s - in the mean time they used huricane (paraffin) lamps. His earlier building experience was used in building a front porch, larder and back porch.

He was a witness at the marriage of his brother Ernest on 14 September 1929 in Churt.

There are ten entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for William James Croucher address Ingledene, Churt, Frensham, Farnham from 1929 to 1939, other occupant Ella Marion Croucher (wife?).

In the 1939 England and Wales Register as William J Croucher born 28 October 1900, married, a gardener in private service and a B.R.C stretcher bearer, and living with Ella M Croucher (wife?) and two others (daughter? and Michael E Meadows? wife's nephew) at Ingledene, Hambledon, Surrey.

He joined the Home Guard Churt as a sub-section leader at the start of the Second War when he was involved in training the platoon (from a reference dated 18 July 1941 by Lt Col Arthur Cyril Langston Hardman-Jones of Sunwared, Churt who was the commander), but then joined the airforce on 21 July 1941, and spent the rest of the war at pilot training bases in the Isle of Man and Scotland. Royal Air Force Service and Release Book for Cpl 1452476 William James Croucher born 28 October 1900 height 5 ft 8 in, joined 21 July 1941 as postal clark R.A.F.U.R. daily pay 5/- increasing to 8/3 on leaving on 3 October 1945.

He went first to Butlin's Skegness (built in 1936) for training in July 1941.

A Royal Air Force pass for the year 1941 issued at RAF Andreas S.H.Q to 1452476 AC2 Croucher for 10 miles radius from after duty to 2359 hours. RAF Andreas is a former Royal Air Force station in the Isle of Man which was operational between 1941 and 1946. It was built in fields between Andreas and Bride in the north of the island.

A Royal Air Force pass for the year July 1942 issued at Unit No. 1 (0) A.FD.U Wigtown for 1452476 AC1 Coucher W J. RAF Wigtown is a former Royal Air Force station within the Dumfries and Galloway region of southwest Scotland. It was built on the Machars peninsula near the village of Wigtown.

National Identity Card issued 11 October 1945 DNN 3227434 Croucher William J Class A of Ingledene Churt, Farnham, Surrey.

A hedge had been planted to separate Ingledene from Fairfield when that was sold following the death of his father in 1943. Before and after the war, complete gardens were opened as part of the Churt flower show, and he also entered produce

His son was born in Haslemere in 1946.

There are nine entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for William J Croucher address Ingledene, Churt, Frensham, Farnham from 1946 to 1960, other occupant Ella M Croucher (wife?) until 1951.

A bathroom was built in 1951 on my sandpit. The old black stove was removed from the kitchen which now became a living room, and the scullery now became the kitchen with a Rayburn which provided hot water as well as two ovens. Prior to this there was no hot water in the house except that heated on the gas stove, and baths were taken in the the shed with the water heated in the gas copper and manually transfer to the bath.

His wife died on 1 March 1951 at Haslemere Hospital and was buried on 5 March 1951 at St John the Evangelist, Churt.

He was working as a gardener at Horwood House, Hatch Hill (for Mr Levy), and he met his second wife here (she was working in the house).

Marriage of William J Croucher and Lina M L Krumfuss in FreeBMD in October-December 1954 in SW Surrey (5g 1303). On a Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage "Registration District Surrey South Westrn 1954 Marriage solemnized at The Registrer Office District of Surrey South Western in the County of Surrey [No.] 127 First October 1954 William James Croucher [aged] 53 years [a] Widower [and] Gardener Domestic [of] Ingledene Churt [father James Croucher (deceased) [a] Gardener (Domestic), [and] Lina Minna Luise Krumfuss [aged] 44 years [a] Spinster [and] House Keeper [of] Hawood Cottage Hindhead [father] Hienrick Krumfuss [a] Wholesale Victualler Married in the Register Office by Certificate [...] in the Presence of us R. Deadman [and] Sylvia M Barton". R. Deadman and Sylvia M Barton.

After Mr Levy died, he worked for Mr Noble at Old Barn (converted by Lloyd George). He finally worked at a house on the hill from Hindhead down to Shottermill where he had a heart attack in 1966. He retired, and did a lot of walking with the local ramblers. In the winter they would go to the whist drive in the village hall. In the mid 1960's he wrote about life in Churt in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and some fifty short stories. But his main interest right to the end was his garden.

Entry in the Register of Deaths for William James Croucher, born 28 October 1900, in December 1985 in Surrey SW (17 1142).

Farnham Herald Personal Announcements Croucher, Wiliam James. On Saturday, November 30th at his home aged 85 years. Cremation took place at Guildford on Thursday. Donations in memory to the Royal Bristish Legion, c/o Mrs Botell, Ingledene, Churt.

Farnham Herald Obituary Death of Churt Resident William James Croucher
The death occured at the weekend at his home in Churt of Mr. William James Croucher. Mr. Croucher, who was 85, was the third child of Mr. anfd Mrs. James Croucher and was born in Churt near Barford Mill. He spent most of his life in the village, apart from his military service in the North West Frontier Province (now Parkistan) in the early 1920s. He married Ella Marion Cowles in 1927 and started immediately on the construction of Ingledene, which was to be his home for the rest of his life. Mrs. Croucher died in 1951 and he brought up his four year old son, Edward, on his own until 1954 when he married Lina Krumfuss, who had come to England after the war. He stated in his will that they had 30 years of happiness together, for which he was very thankfull. Mr. Croucher was one of the first volunteers to join the LDV (Local Defence Volunteers), to become the Home Guard, and subsequently joined the Royal Air Force for the remainder of the war. He was a member of the Churt branch of the Royal British Legion, and represented them at the 1959 Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Mr. Croucher was well known for his extraordinary memory, and in 1967 wrote a personal history of Churt up to the year 1935, including his father's recollections of the late 19th century. The account was published in the Farnham Museum Newsletter. His researches into the history of Churt trace the Croucher family back to the 13th century, when a William atte Cruce was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls (record of the Bishop of Winchester's Manors) as holding land in the Manor of Farnham. He also had short articles, letters and poems published in the Farnham Herald. However, his real interest in life was his garden, which he continued to maintain on his own until a few weeks before his death. He had also, until recently, been a regular walker with the local rambling group. The cremation took place on Thursday at Guildford, the service being conducted by the Rev. George Parkinson. Disliking the waste of cut flowers he asked for donations to be sent to the Churt Branch of the Royal British Legion (care of Mrs. Botell at Ingledene, Churt). He leaves his wife, Lina, a daughter, Mrs. Sylvia Marion Botell, and a son, Edward James, as well as his two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Deadman and Mrs. Ellen Frampton, and two brothers Ernest and Lenard. He also leaves three grandchildren and two great grandchildren, Ella and Eliot Thomas-Wright.

Entry in Ancestry England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 for William James Croucher died 30 November 1985 in Farnham Sy, probate London 21 March 1986. "Croucher, William James of Ingledene Churt Farnham Sy died 30 November 1985 Probate London 21 March £63426".

There are forty one entries in Ancestry Family Trees for William James Croucher.

Photographs

William James Croucher circa 1917
William James Croucher No. 5908 Rifle Brigrade, Prince Consorts Own, Quetta, Balachistan, NW Frontier 1920
William James Croucher and Ella Marion Cowles in Vange, Summer 1926
1452476 AC2 William James Croucher Skegness July 1941
William James Croucher and Lina Minna Louisa Croucher on the Little Lawn at Ingledene, August 1957
William James Croucher on the Little Lawn at Ingledene circa 1965

Relationship

William James Croucher was my father.

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