Frederick William Mallard Cronk
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
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Frederick William Mallard was the youngest son of James Mallard Cronk and his wife Annie Marie (née Warner).
His father was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, in about 1857 and his mother in East Barnet, Middlesex, in about 1854.
James Cronk and Annie Warner were married in 1877 (reg. AMJ Hampstead) and had four children, Florence Louisa b. 1877 Kings Cross, London, and three sons who were born in Nottingham, James George Mallard b. 1883, Thomas Mallard b. 1885 and Frederick William Mallard b. 1887. All three boys were baptised at Sneinton St Stephen on 1 January 1888; the family was then living on Sutton Street, Sneinton.
The children's births were registered as 'Cronk' but the baptismal records of 1888 were in the surname 'Mallard'. James and Annie continued to use the surname Mallard on census returns from 1881 onwards, but both they and their children also alternated between 'Cronk' and 'Mallard'.
James, a railway guard for the Great Northern Railway, was living at 1 Albert Road, East Barnet, with his wife and daughter in 1881. However, they had moved to Nottingham by 1883 when James was born, living on Sutton Street in 1888 and at 2 Trent Lane, Sneinton, at the time of the 1891 Census.
By 1901 James, who was still employed as a railway passenger guard, and Annie were living at 10 Thurman's Cottages, Sneinton Dale, with their two youngest sons, Thomas, a messenger lad, and Frederick who was school age. Florence was a housemaid/waitress at Smedley's Hydropathic Company Ltd., Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, and James a stableman at Sherwood Lodge (Stables), Arnold.
James snr. and Annie were recorded at 56 Shrewsbury Road, Sneinton, in 1911 and this continued to be their home until their deaths in 1924 and 1926 respectively. Notices of their deaths were published in the Nottingham Evening Post; James's recorded that he had worked for the Great Northern Railway for over 50 years.
Their daughter Florence had married Benjamin Parks Fox at the Independent Chapel, Matlock Bath in 1902 and their second son, Thomas (Cronk), had married Sarah Lillian [Lily] Geeson in 1908 (Cronk). In 1911 Thomas, a postman, his wife and their first child, Thomas Ronald (b. 1909), were living at 44 Lichfield Road, Sneinton. They had three more children: James WL b. 1911, Arthur b. 1913 and Marjorie Lily b. 1914, births registered as 'Cronk'. Thomas and Sarah were still living in Sneinton when the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled.
James George and Frederick William have not yet been traced on the 1911 Census.
Frederick (Cronk) married Ruby May Stead (b. 26 March 1886) in 1912 (reg. OND East Retford). They had two sons, Frederick James (b. 26 January 1913) and Leonard William (b. 23 November 1914), both births were registered as 'Cronk'.
At the time of Frederick's death in November 1916 his wife and children were living at 308 St. Ann's Well Road, Nottingham. Ruby and her sons were still living at the same address in 1921; she was a laundry agent (working from home) for the Victoria Laundry Company.
Her eldest son, Frederick, married Barbara M Disney (b. 1913) in 1938 (reg. Bingham) and in 1939 Frederick, a motor fitter (?RAOC Chilwell) and his wife were living with her widowed mother, Henrietta Disney, at 60 Main Street, Keyworth. Frederick's mother, Ruby, was also living in Keyworth, at 52 Main Street; also in the household was an assistant school mistress, who was probably a boarder.
Ruby Cronk died in 1979.
Frederick Cronk enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars.
He served with the BEF France from 7 October 1914. Frederick was repatriated to the UK in 1916 where he died in the Military Hospital, Tooting, on 21 November 1916 from chronic mastoiditis. Frederick was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery (grave ref. 4224).
He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Note: 'Mastoiditis is a serious infection that affects the mastoid bone behind the ear ... Mastoiditis can lead to serious problems such as permanent hearing loss or meningitis if it is not treated quickly.' (www.nhs.uk/conditions/mastoiditis)
Frederick's brother Thomas served in France during the war (see below, Nottingham Evening Post, 1917). There is a record of 265221 L/Cpl Thomas Cronk, 2/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment), formerly 1881 Pte 1/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters.
There is also a record of a James George Mallard, MB1463 Chief Motor Mechanic RNVR, who qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Mallard, b. 2 March 1883, occupation driver mechanic, English but resident in Canada, enlisted in Canada on a 'Hostilities' engagement on 15 May 1916. He returned to England from Montreal disembarking Liverpool on 28 May 1916 and served to 11 April 1919, discharged shore on demobilization. His service record names a wife 'E Mallard'. Mallard (age 23 b. abt 1883), a farm hand, had left the UK in 1906; he was recorded on an outward passenger list, departing Glasgow 11 August 1906 onboard SS Athenia (Donaldson Line of Steamers) for Quebec. Find A Grave: James George Mallard d. 10 April 1943, buried Sudbury District Ontario RC Cemetery.
By Colin Dannett: 'Although the name Frederick James Cronk appears on the West Drayton memorial, it is almost certain to be Frederick William Mallard Cronk.'
CWGC Additional information: Husband of R. M. Cronk, of 308, St. Ann's Well Rd., Nottingham.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away' (Song of Solomon 2:17)
His widow Ruby Cronk was awarded a pension of 22 shillings and 11 pence a week with effect from 28 May 1917.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 23 November 1916: ‘Cronk. On November 21st, Frederick, the beloved husband of RM Cronk, Rockley, Retford. Peace after pain.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 23 November 1916: ‘Cronk. On November 21st, 1916, Frederick, our beloved son and brother. From his broken hearted mother, father, and sister Florrie [Fox], 7 Grove-road, Lenton. Funeral General Cemetery, Saturday 2.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 21 November 1917: 'Cronk', notices placed by ‘brother Tom (in France) and Lily’ and ‘Father, mother, and sister’. 'Cronk' 21 November 1918, notices from ‘Loving wife and children’, ‘Tom & Lily’ and ‘Mother and dad’. Also 20 November 1920 from ‘Wife and children, Freddie and Leonard’. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Probate: Cronk James Mallard of 56 Shrewsbury-road Sneinton Dale Nottingham died 23 August 1924 Probate Nottingham 19 September to Thomas Cronk postman and William Smith foreman baker. Effects £226 3s. 7d.
Death registration: Annie M Mallard-Cronk, 1926 JAS Nottingham, aged 72 (abt. 1854).
Probate: Cronk Annie Maria of 56 Shrewsbury-road Nottingham widow died 12 July 1926 Administration Nottingham 25 January to Thomas Cronk postman and Florrie Fox (wife of Benjamin Fox). Effects £50 6s.
Original research Colin Dannatt. Additional research/updated RF (Oct. 2025)
Frederick William Mallard Cronk
CWGC headstone marking Cronk's grave, Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Peter Gillings