Bernard William Crouch
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Bernard William was the eldest surviving son of James and Harriet Caroline Crouch née Hirst. His father James Crouch was born in 1869 in Chard, Somerset (bap. Chard 16 January 1874); the family had moved to Nottingham by 1871 when they were living in the St Ann's area. Bernard's mother Harriett Caroline Hirst was born in 1864 at Nottingham. James and Harriett were married in 1894 (A/M/J Nottingham) and went on to have six children, sadly three were to die in infancy or early childhood. Four children were named on the census of 1901 and 1911: Bernard b. Carlton 18 May 1895 (A/M/J Nottingham), Leonard b. Thorneywood 1898 (O/N/D Nottingham), Frank b. 1899 (O/N/D Nottingham) d. 1901 (J/A/S Sheffield) and Cyril b. Attercliffe, Sheffield, 10 October 1901 (O/N/D Sheffield). In 1901 James (31) a navvy, and Harriett (36) and their three sons Bernard (6), Leonard (2) and Frank (1) were living in Attercliffe, Sheffield, with William and Alice Humphries and their son Horace. James and Harriett's relationship to William Humphries, who was head of household, was given as brother-in-law and sister-in-law. By the time of the 1911 census James and Harriett were living at 'Ewe Lamb Lane Cottage', Nottingham Road, Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, and shown as James Crouch 42 yrs an iron foundry worker, who was living with his wife Harriett Caroline 47 yrs and their children Bernard 16 yrs an iron foundry worker, Leonard 11 yrs a scholar and Cyril whose age on the census was given as 6 yrs. Also in the household was James' widowed father, William Frederick Crouch (79). The family was still living at the same address at the time of Bernard's death in 1916. Both James and Harriet died in 1935 (J/A/S Nottingham); Harriett on 1st July and James on 12 July. Their address was 69a Nottingham Road, Stapleford. There is a record on the 1939 England & Wales Register of a Cyril Crouch (b. 10 October 1901), a textile worker, living at 42 Manor Avenue, Stapleford, in the household of George and Annie WIlson. Cyril died on 31 December 1976 after being involved in a road traffic accident (see 'extra information'); the probate record gave his address as 38 Manor Avenue, Stapleford.
(Service number: Kitchener X/265). Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Bernard enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers on 4 September 1914 but was transferred to the RNVR on 7 September the same year and assigned to Howe Bn RND. He had a period of sickness (enteritis) following which he rejoined the Battalion on 26 January 1916 where he served until his death in action on 13 November the same year. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Theipval Memorial. He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His younger brother Private Leonard Croch enlisted at Ilkeston on 25th September 1916 whilst living at Stapleford. He gave his age as 18 yrs and 6 months and his address as Ewe Lamb Cottages, Nottingham Road, Stapleford, his next of kin was his father James of the same address. He was posted to the 16th battalion Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders. He died on 1st January 1918 at Sandwich, Kent when trying to recover a floating mine from the sea. His body was returned to his family who buried him at Stapleford Cemetery. (See ROH for more details) Long Eaton Advertiser, ‘Deaths’, 5 July 1935: ‘Crouch. On July 1, at 121, Highbury-road, Nottingham, Harriett Caroline Crouch, of 69a, Nottingham-road, Stapleford, aged 72 years..’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Long Eaton Advertiser, ‘Deaths’, 19 July 1935: ‘Crouch. On July 12, James Crouch of 69a Nottingham-road, Stapleford, aged 65 years.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Long Eaton Advertiser, 13 January 1977: ‘Police Appeal for Witnesses. An appeal by police for witnesses to come forward with information about an accident on New Year’s Eve in which a Stapleford man was fatally injured, has been unsuccessful so far. Mr Cyril Crouch (73), of Manor Avenue, Stapleford, was a pedestrian when in collision with a car at the junction of Pinfold Lane and Church Street, Stapleford. He was taken to Derbyshire Royal Infirmary but died soon after arrival there. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. A police spokesman said on Wednesday that it was important for anyone who saw the accident to contact them as quickly as possible. ‘The accident happened at about 5.15 on December 31 and I would have thought a lot of people would have been about at that time. However, we have had very little help to date’’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
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