Croasdell Family - Potted Histories

 

My father, Raymond Carlyle Croasdell, was born at Holly Terrace, Hensingham, Cumberland and attended his first school, Kent House at nearby Whitehaven. Later he moved with his family first to West Derby, then Birmingham and finally, in his later schooldays, to Toller Lane, Bradford where the family lived above Croasdell's Chemists Shop.

 

 

Ray & Phyllis


It was in Bradford that father met my mother, Phyllis Pearson, and they married at Idle parish church in July 1941. They celebrated their Diamond Wedding in July 2001.


 

Ray on Left

After leaving Thornton Grammar School, Dad worked initially as an analytical chemist at Bradford Corporation Chemical Works. The job transferred to become part of Birkshall Gas Works, Bradford and so began a lifetime's career in the gas industry. In 1940 my father moved to Sheffield where he was joined by my mother after their marriage.

 


 

Mackenzie Crescent Sheffield

Mum taught at several schools in Sheffield and they settled at Mackenzie Crescent for the next 14 years or so. During this time I was born, followed by my sister and brother in succeeding leap years. Dad worked for Sheffield and District Gas Co which after nationalisation became part of the East Midlands Gas Board. He was manager at Effingham Street works and then moved to Neepsend and Grimesthorpe before being transferred to a major new operation as Deputy Works Manager at Carr House, Rotherham.

 


 

Broom Road Rotherham

In 1955 the family moved to Broom Road, Rotherham for the next 5 years. Then in 1960 Dad changed direction slightly from being a gas engineer and trained in the new discipline of work study, still with the East Midlands Gas Board.

 


 

Allestree Derby

Continuing with the EMGB he transferred to the Engineering department at Derby and we moved to Allestree, Derby for a further spell of 5 years.

 


 

Burnmill Road Market Harborough
Market Harborough

Finally Dad and his work study team moved to the new Gas Board headquarters in Leicester and our last move as a family was to nearby Market Harborough, where Mum taught at the local school. Mum and Dad retired in the late 1970s and travelled south to the coast, where they enjoyed life in Cooden, Bexhill-on-Sea.

 


Sadly Dad died on 7th March 2005 at Bexhill Hospital and his funeral service was held on March 21st, a lovely sunny first day of spring, at Eastbourne Crematorium.
 
Mum continued to live in Bexhill for her remaining years, moving to a Care Home just off the sea front until she died on 2nd August 2017 at Eastbourne Hospital. Her funeral service too was at Eastbourne Crematorium, on 21st August 2017.
Their three children are   Diane Ady Celia