RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: queencorgi1 on Monday 04 August 25 16:38 BST (UK)
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I'm trying to identify a woman for whom I have a few disconnected facts, but no actual first name. Miss Pycroft was the head, or senior staff, for an organisation called something like 'The Hostels for Bachelor Women' (haven't been able to trace this, so think the name is incorrect). She was born around 1886 in Britain, since she gave her age as 38 when in 1926 she travelled out to Australia under the name Mrs E Craddock, arriving in Fremantle WA on 4 April. She may be the 'Eva Craddock' who returned to England in 1930 from New Zealand, giving her age as 46 (i.e. born in 1884).
My information confirming that Miss Pycroft travelled as Mrs Craddock comes from a private letter shown to me, not from an online source.
I would like to identify Miss Pycroft, confirming her full name and anything at all about her life and after her trip to Australia (and possibly New Zealand, if I'm right about the return in 1930 being her!)
All help in this very vague quest very much appreciated!
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Have you looked for her on the 1939 register or the 1921 census?
Have you looked for a birth/marriage or death?
Where does she fit into your FH?
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The Eva Craddock who arrived in London on 21 March 1930 (from NZ via Sydney) was a Drapery Buyer. She was headed for Beston, Bevenden in Kent.
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freebmd has 7 births for a female E Pycroft between 1883 & 1887
What is your interest in her? Where did the info re the hostel come from? Seems unlikely she was the Mrs Craddock you mention given the reply above
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freebmd has 7 births for a female E Pycroft between 1883 & 1887
What is your interest in her? Where did the info re the hostel come from? Seems unlikely she was the Mrs Craddock you mention given the reply above
Have you looked for her on the 1939 register or the 1921 census?
Have you looked for a birth/marriage or death?
My interest in her is that she was secretly the mistress of Robert Gee VC, with whom she travelled to Australia. This information comes from contemporary letters written by his wife.
Where does she fit into your FH?
Hi Carole
I've been digging around for a BMD but so far all the marriages for an E Pycroft I've found have been pre 1926, at which point she was definitely not married. I've not been able to identify an Eve or Eva so the 1930 passenger arrival item may be a red herring.
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She's not part of my family history. I'm a historian writing an article.
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possibly Elsie Maud Pycroft
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWHN-Q7N?lang=en
not seeing a marriage to Craddock, but she had a brother William Craddock Pycroft
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NPTY-4VG?lang=en
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Eva Craddock was a Drapery Buyer in 1930. Believe her dob was 5th September 1875 as per war register, her occupation being Glove and hosiery buyer.
SS
added
Births Dec 1875
CRADDUCK Eva Tenterden 2a 646
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possibly Elsie Maud Pycroft
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWHN-Q7N?lang=en
not seeing a marriage to Craddock, but she had a brother William Craddock Pycroft
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NPTY-4VG?lang=en
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Oh my goodness, that's so interesting! No, she definitely didn't marry a Craddock, just used the name to go out to Australia. Once she got there she called herself 'Mrs Gee', the real Mrs Gee being back in England!
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birth regs
Elsie Maud Pycroft march qtr 1887 Fulham vol 1a pg 242 mmn Phillips
William Craddock Pycroft march 1889 Peterborough vol 3b pg 253 mmn Phillips
;)
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1921 census Elsie was Secretary at Ladies National Clubs Ltd, at 104a, Knightsbridge.
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She features in a tree on Ancestry linking her to Robert Gee. Died Australia 1976
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/161757344/person/422107305378/facts?_phsrc=Tro4&_phstart=successSource
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Ladies National Clubs fits with your mention of hostels in your original post.
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She features in a tree on Ancestry linking her to Robert Gee. Died Australia 1976
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/161757344/person/422107305378/facts?_phsrc=Tro4&_phstart=successSource
You are right, this is the woman!
In 1921 Elsie Maud Pycroft described herself as 'Secretary to the Ladies' National Clubs' which sounds awfully close to the description I had originally!
Carole, thank you for the link to the family tree. How interesting that she stayed in Australia! Robert Gee returned to Britain in 1956 and died there in 1960.
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Ladies National Clubs fits with your mention of hostels in your original post.
Thank you, that's brilliant! We are absolutely motoring now ...
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The Robert Gee who died 1960 was b around 1900 - not 1876. Aged 60 when died
His birthdate is on the incoming passenger list 1956 - 30.8.1901
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Once again RootsChat members have proved their genius!
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The 1956 Robert was a porter travelling with his wife Rose. Did you check the passenger list?
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He was returning to England for the VC Centenary Review, hosted by the Queen, and I have photographs -- so he definitely came back in 1956, it was national news!
I will say I haven't checked which ship he came on, even though one photograph shows him on board ship ...
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gee
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gee
Yes, his wartime career is insane, both for the amount of trauma and injury he suffered, and for his astonishing bravery. A complicated man.
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Died 1960 Australia & cremated there which explains Elsie's death there in 1976. the Wiki article mentions that when he resigned as an MP in 1927 he had been in Australia for a year
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Of course you're right, Carole -- just double checked what I noted down some years ago, and had misremembered. He died in Australia and asked his daughter in England to donate his medals to the Royal Fusiliers Museum.
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Of interest if you've not seen it.
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx
The two travelled to Australia per Ormonde and had embarked at Toulon, South of France.
Capt Gee is listed as a Member of Parliament.
In the column 'Country of intended permanent residence, Mrs Craddock states England.
Sue
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I am not sure if you needed information about their daughter Ruth (deceased).
Happy to post if required.
Sue
EDIT
To add.
Elsie used the first name Joan in Western Australia
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Hi Sue, thank you so much for your contributions. I knew about their journey out to Australia but not that they had a daughter.
If anyone would like to explore the extraordinary wartime career of Captain Robert Gee VC further then my source is A Tiger and A Fusilier, by Derek Seaton, privately published in Leicester in 2001. Rather surprisingly, there doesn't seem to be another biography. It's evident that Seaton had the help of Gee's relatives.
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The daughter died in 2021.
I wonder whether she made a contribution to the information in the Seaton book.
Sue
A picture of him in his summer suit ;D
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/59540997
Sue
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Here he is as an MP with his wife Elizabeth ...