Charles Crocker - Silk Merchant

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries.


Celtic Cross monument to Charles Crocker, St James the Less, Stubbings, Berkshire.


"Charles Crocker born October 23rd 1840 - Died November 8th 1896.  R. I. P."


Charles Crocker was born in Paddington, London in 1840 to Jonathan Crocker, A silk and textile merchant, and his wife Ann Clift.

Charles first appears on the 1841 census, aged only 16 months living with his parents, elder siblings Ann Attwood aged 5 and Jonathan aged 3 and his younger brother Edmund aged only 6 months old, in Lambeth Surrey.

In 1851 the family had moved to Camberwell, Surrey, where the family had six servants including a governess to school Ann.  Both Jonathan Jr and Charles were schooled away from the home.  Sadly little Edmund had died in 1849 at the age of 7.  However Arthur W Crocker born in Norwood Surrey in 1843 is boarding at a grammar school in East Street, Maidstone, Kent.

In 1861 the family are living in Rosebank House in Camberwell, both Jonathan Jr and Charles are assisting their father in his textile business.  Arthur W is a clerk to a wine merchant.  Ann Attwood has no occupation listed other than merchant's daughter.

On 25th April 1863 Ann Attwood married Martin Bezeth.  In 1871 Ann and her husband can be found living with her parents at 28 Eaton Square, Belgrave, London.

In 1869 Jonathan Jr married Marianne Arabella Pyne and in the same year the celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter, Marianne Annie Crocker.  In 1871 they had moved to 7 Sussex Place in Paddington, London.

1871 finds Charles visiting the Goodlake family at The Rectory in Swindon, Gloustershire.  A few months later Charles marries Grace Emily Goodlake, the daughter of Thomas William, the rector, and his wife Mary Price.

Not long after Charles marriage, Arthur William marries Edith Elizabeth Nichols in Sussex.

Sadly Jonathan Crocker Snr was to pass away in 1881.

In 1881 Charles and Grace have moved to Ferry Lodge in Wargrave, Berkshire where Charles is working as a silk merchant.  Living with them is their son Charles Edward G Crocker born in 1874 in London.  1891, just 5 years before Charles's death finds the family and their six servants still living at Ferry Lodge in Wargrave.

Charles Crocker passes away on 8th November 1896 at Ferry Lodge.

In 1901 the widowed Grace has moved to Taplow, Buckinghamshire.  Charles Edward, now a racehorse trainer is visiting George Arnold at the Raleigh Club in Westminster.

Both Grace and Charles Edward seem to vanish after the 1901 Census.




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