CROASDELL FAMILY - POTTED HISTORIES - BRANCHES
John Croasdell and Sarah Riding
John Croasdell 1876 - 1939 was the eldest surviving son of John Croasdell and Agnes Roberta Dickenson. He was the twin of another Agnes Roberta but his sister only lived for one year. John was born at Pennybridge and baptised at Egton-cum-Newland on 27th February 1876. As a child he can be found in the 1881 census living at Tom Cragg, Finsthwaite and 10 years later in 1891 he has moved with his family to High Elinghearth where he is described, aged 15 as an apprentice oak basket maker. By 1901 he had joined what was becoming a family business in Haverthwaite Post Office where he was employed as a postman, with his mother as postmistress and two sisters as postal clerks.
On 13th April 1903 John married Sarah Ridding at Finsthwaite St Peter's. John's working life was spent in Haverthwaite with the Post Office where his eldest son eventually took over the role of postmaster. In the photo taken outside Haverthwaite Post Office, John is in the centre of the group of three standing by the horse and cart. In his leisure time he was a keen member, and Secretary, of the Leven Valley Brass Band in which he played a Bass euphonium. He was also Sexton, gravedigger and Church clerk.
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| In the First World War John served with the Kings Own Border Regiment | Leven Valley Brass Band John front row right |
John was also apparently a bit of an entrepreneur and a keen amateur photographer. He took some of the photos used on this site and also produced many views of the village which he sold as postcards in the village post office cum shop. Following the family's tradition of working with wood, he designed and made several items of treadle operated machinery to make lathes and other woodcutting devices, which in turn helped him to make and sell wooden bowls, rolling pins and oak swills. he even built a boiler to soak and soften the oak strips.
John and Sarah had six children. Dates and places shown below in [ ] have been provided by present day descendants. Other information has been researched from parish registers, will indexes and certificates. Information on family members still living or recently deceased has been restricted here.
John kept a number of diaries in which he recorded brief accounts of his daily life and these, covering the years 1924 to 1939, have been passed on in the family (It is hoped to be able to add a few extracts at a future date)
John Edward 1903 - 1975
- Known as Teddy. Born on 8th October 1903 and baptised at Haverthwaite on 1st November.
- Died 21st March 1975 and buried on the 25th at Haverthwaite.
- Married Mary Ann Richardson at Haverthwaite on 10th October 1925
- For Teddy's descendants please click here
Agnes Roberta 1905 - 1923
- Baptised 3 September 1905 at Haverthwaite [Born 10 August]
- Buried 10 February 1923 at Haverthwaite [Died February 7th]
William Ridding 1906 - 1941
- Baptised 26 August 1906 at Haverthwaite [Born 2 August]
- Served in the Scots Guards
- Married Rose Mary Whitbread on 9th March 1929 in West Hampstead, London
- The couple had three daughters, Patricia Margaret, Olive Jessie Ruby and Daphne Lillian. They lived in the London area in the 1930s and seem to have returned to Haverthwaite where Daphne was born in 1941 and where William died. All three daughters married.
- William died at the age of only 35 on 21 October 1941 and Rosemary, who re-married to John Coveney in 1943 [died on 30 December 1980.] William was buried at Haverthwaite on 25 October 1941.
George 1908 - 1977
- Born at Bridge End, Haverthwaite on 25 July 1908 and baptised at the church there on 9 August
- Married Sarah Jane Benson in 1933 [25 May at Field Broughton] Sarah was born 27 December 1907
- They had two daughters, Joyce Marina and Georgina Anne known as Gina, and the family moved to live in the Blackpool area, at Thornton.
- George was a Police Officer but in retirement returned to take over as postmaster at Haverthwaite for a few years after his elder brother retired.
- George died in 1978 and Sarah on 7 June 1998. Both daughters married.
James Dickenson 1913 - 1996
- Born 8 August 1913
- Married Marjorie Dickinson in 1938 [22 January at Colton]
- James and Marjorie's two sons are John James and Neil
- John married in 1963 and has two sons David and Anthony
- David (& Jayne)'s sons are Wayne and Grant
- Anthony (& Jacqueline)'s children are Samantha and Bradley
- James died in 1996 and Marjorie ?
Thomas Middleton (Tommy) 1915 - 1946
- Baptised at Haverthwaite on 16 May 1915 [born 16 April at Backbarrow]
- Married Lena Redmayne in 1942 [4 June Salmesbury]
- Tommy and Lena were both police officers and probably met while training for the force
- Both Tommy and Lena died within a month of each other. She on 12 July 1946 and he on 10th August. They were living at Fulwood in Preston.
This is one of John's photographs
John died on 23rd October 1939 at West View Haverthwaite and was buried in the church there on October 26th. Sarah died 2nd February 1972 (Ulverstone) and was buried at Haverthwaite on February 15th
I should be very interested in contacting any of the present day descendants of John and Sarah's children, including their children and grandchildren mentioned above.