John Croasdell 1805 - 1879 was the illegitimate son of Mary Croasdell, born at Hampsfield Hall, Cartmel, where his grandfather was farming, on 7 June 1805. He was baptised on 6 July at Cartmel. In previous research carried out elsewhere, before modern day access to all the relevant records was fully available, John's birth had been "attributed" elsewhere and his roots confused with that of another John of about the same age. This situation has been researched carefully and the two branches can now be separated out with evidence from several different sources. For any interested descendants I should be happy to provide details of the evidence and analysis. Please click to contact me on
John married Hannah Ellwood on 14 December 1840 at Cartmel church and they spent their married life at Finsthwaite where they can be found with their children in the census in 1851, at Plum Green; in 1861 at Town End and in 1871 at Finsthwaite Cottage. Hannah had been born about 1819 at Cartmel, daughter of Timothy Ellwood a farmer of Fairigg, and for some time she carried out the job of a launderess whilst bringing up her family. Two of her daughters worked with her in this domestic enterprise. John worked mainly as an agricultural labourer, with time also spent as a woodcutter. John died on 21st April 1879 and was buried at Finsthwaite Church 2 days later. Hannah died the following year on 3rd January and was buried on the 6th at the same church.
John and Hannah had 6 children and most of the major events of their lives centred around Finsthwaite
George 1840 - 1840