THE CRAWCOUR FAMILY HISTORY- Synopsis

[phillip]

For any researchers looking for Crawcour connections and information on the family history here is a very brief synopsis of the range of data held by myself and my 5th cousin removed Pat Coppel. First of all, all Crawcour's worldwide are related via one main progenitor Samuel Crawcour b1748 d 1816 ( Western Synagogue Records- Hyamson Collection). The name Crawcour is not French or English but derived from the place of origin of Samuel namely Cracow Poland and the family are Jews.
Samuel was an apothecary/dentist arriving in England date unknown but certainly before 1770 according to early newspaper records. Samuel and his sons were dentists and travelled widely across England. Edward and Moses Crawcour also went to New York in 1835 to practice dentistry ( see American records of Port entry- Ancestry Com).
The history of the Crawcour family dentists is a colourful one with many American dental research papers saying incorrectly that the family were of French origin and others accusing them of gross misconduct as dentists. Whatever the truth or not of this information and bearing in mind the varied quality of dental treatment both in Europe and America a copy of Samuel Crawcour's apothecary note book reveals a well educated and literate man who could write very well in both English and Latin.

We hold an extensive data base on the Crawcour lines world wide and an article on the early part of the family history was due to be published in November in the Australian Historical Jewish Society Journal written by Pat Coppel who is also responsible for collating all the data.

Any Crawcour relatives are welcome to contact us via this website.
The families married into numerous Jewish and later non Jewish lines too many to mention.
Phillip

[phillip]

There are several researchers who have listed Crawcour names as part of their family trees on Genesreunited and other sites and who maybe interested in the South African and Australian links to the Crawcour lines.
The South African lines relate to David Crawcour son of Samuel. David b1791 died in St Helier Jersey 1882 and some of his descendents settled in South Africa in the early 1900s- some have adopted the spelling of Crawcour as CrawCour for an unknown reason. Many of the Australian Crawcour lines also descend from David's son Isaac b 13 March 1815 d 23 Oct 1886 South Melbourne Victoria who married Esther Cashmore ( parents Joseph Cashmore and Alice Nathan).

The Crawcour lines also relate to David De Lara/Barczinsky/Simmons/Henry Russell/Phillips and many others.
Phillip

[phillip]

Following contact with one of my South African distant cousins she has sent me a business card for David Henry CrawCour which gives brief information on his whistling ( siffleur) skills for performances.
It is clear from this card that the printer his allocated a sylistic type face and also 'dressed up' the surname so that the card looks attractive and theatrical. Nonetheless, David Henry is one of my distant cousins as are the other South African Crawcour lines all descended from David Crawcour my 4x great grandfather.
Phillip

[phillip]

For those researchers who have mistakenly confused the Crawcour family with French origins here is a summary of the children of Samuel and Rebecca Crawcour:
Isaac ( of Kracow)
Samuel Crawcour c1748-1816 ( See Hyamson collection- Western Synagogue record plus Hyamson collection and various family trees at Society of Genealogists) m Rebecca -d 1821
Children:
Andrew c1773
Barnett c1776-1834
Isaac c1777-1837
Moses c1778-1858
Ann ( Nancy) c1780-1817
Catherine ( Kitty)c1785-1858
Henry c1787-?
David c1791-1882
Sarah ? ?

The two 'dentists' who were supposed to be French and who went to America circa 1835 were not brothers - they were Moses 1778-1858 and Edward c1813-1865 m Margaret Buchanan- Edward ( son of Isaac c1777-1837) and a nephew of Moses sailed from France and was listed as a farmer.He was base in Scotland at the time of his marriage. There are accounts of Edward in Google books showing how he changed his name to attract business as a dentist but Moses was a well know London dentist pre his trip to the USA as were the other brothers and Catherine ( Kitty) who married Aaron Aarons - their children dropped the 's' to their surname and were known as Aaron was listed as a dentist in 1851 census.
For an excellent review and summary of the Crawcour family see 'Crawcour Stories' Patrick Coppel Australian Jewish Historical Society Journal Vol XV111 2007 Part 4. Pat is a Crawcour descendant from David Crawcour 1791-1882 as I am.
We hold numerous records including wills; GRO records; newspaper transcripts; portraits;photos etc on the families.
Phillip
Moses was already

[Kerrywood]

Phillip,

While checking for someone else in the index to Death Duty Registers, I came across a David CRAWCOUR who (according to the index) died in Jersey on 21 Nov 1891. Letters of Administration were granted to M. A. M. CRAWCOUR in 1892.

No doubt you will already have him in your database, but I thought I'd mention it just in case :)

Kerrywood

[phillip]

Many thanks Kerry for the data- we already have wide ranging records on the family but there are still gaps- I appreciate your help.
Phillip

[phillip]

For the South African and Australian relatives who have David Crawcour 1792-1882 as a relative- the Grand Lodge London have his details:
David Crawcour Joppa Lodge Member 233 21 April 1823 -dentist age 30- City Road. Membership ceased 1838
Phillip

[phillip]

The British Library Newspapers online has numerous advertisements of the Crawcour dentists including ones of early1800s.
The snippets of original adverisements record:
S Crawcour Sen 327 Strand 1800 ( This is Samuel Crawcour 1748-1816)
Crawcour surgeon dentist 54 St George's Square 1800
M Crawcour 1803 15 Strand ( Moses Crawcour one of Samuels's sons)
S Crawcour 15 Strand 1804 and due to visit Ipswich ( looks as if father and son were at the same premises or trading from one or more premises)
Mr Crawcour 439 Strand 1805 and visiting Exeter
Mr Crawcour 46 Strand 1806
Mr Crawcour Rackbere House Commercial Road 1809

There are many others with advertisements showing travel as far as Cornwall.
Ann Hargreaves and Christine Hillam in Dental Practice in Europe at the end of the 18th Century Ed by Hillam, Amsterdam 2003 describe the widespread itinerant practices of Samuel and his sons around the UK. Samuel Crawcour in the 1790s was one of only 8 truly itinerant dentists. Advertisements for all dentists at this period and later were vital for business and the more florid often the better for trade.
Rarely did the advertisements match the quality of 'dental' practice ( the term 'dentistry' is to be noted advisedly).
Phillip

[phillip]

For all Crawcour/CrawCour relatives see 'Crawcour Stories' Patrick Coppel Australian Jewish Historical Society Journal Vol XV111 2007 Part 4 Pp585-614.
Pat has written an excellent summary account of the lines and one day proposes to write a book on the families. Given the research that Pat and I have done relating to the various lines it would be sensible for researchers particularly those seeking informed data on the Crawcour dentists to read the journal article. Currently most of the published research is ill informed and of poor quality on the families.
Pat has also enclosed in the article small copies of portraits and photographs of the siblings of Samuel and Rebecca Crawcour including a portrait of Samuel himself plus an outline family tree of the main lines descended from Samuel and his children.
Phillip

[Hulbert]

Hi Phillip, I am a grandson of David Henry CrawCour (yes in South Africa we use the capital C in the middle of our name) I am David Hulbert CrawCour. My father was David Lindsay. In July 1979 my father completed a family tree using as much information as he was able to gather. At that time there was no internet and all correspondence was by mail so you can imagine the time and effort required to do something of this magnitude. A family member took over attending to the family tree but it appears they have lost interest and no longer have the computer records whch they compiled. I have the hand written family tree which my Dad did but I don't know how to acess a computerised version to be able to insert the information which I have. Can you please give he some help in this regard?
My dob is 28th September 1935. My email address is hulbertcr(AT)gmail.com
I live in Durbanville, Cape Town
I am very new at this and will need some help to get going.

[phillip]

Dear David
I have sent you a private message on BG regarding our mutual Crawcour lines.
Phillip

[maxk]

Hello Phillip
My Great Grandfather was a close friend of Isaac (Izzy) Crawcour who was Immigration Officer at Fremantle Western Australia in about 1910-20. Can you point me to where I may find out a little more about him?
Thanks
Maxine Graham ([email protected])

[phillip]

I have replied to Maxine via personal e mail
Phillip

[phillip]

The London Tax Land Records 1692-1932 show that Samuel Crawcour 1748-1816 was renting a property at 20 Coleman St City of London between 1785-1787. His son was renting a property St Matthew Bethnal Green in 1804. David Crawcour, Samuel's youngest son, was renting a property at 2 Fountain Place Islington St Luke in 1821. There are further Crawcour rental records but the reference to Samuel Crawcour being in London by 1785 or earlier is important given that one of his son's Moses was born in Hull abt 1780/81 - see Cemetery Scribes Person ID 13525 for the photograph of Moses tombstone.
The British Museum has a record of a Trade Card for a Crawcour Dentist ( no date or first name given).
Phillip

[alanhendrick]

The British Library Newspapers online has numerous advertisements of the Crawcour dentists including ones of early1800s.
The snippets of original adverisements record:
S Crawcour Sen 327 Strand 1800 ( This is Samuel Crawcour 1748-1816)
Crawcour surgeon dentist 54 St George's Square 1800
M Crawcour 1803 15 Strand ( Moses Crawcour one of Samuels's sons)
S Crawcour 15 Strand 1804 and due to visit Ipswich ( looks as if father and son were at the same premises or trading from one or more premises)
Mr Crawcour 439 Strand 1805 and visiting Exeter
Mr Crawcour 46 Strand 1806
Mr Crawcour Rackbere House Commercial Road 1809

There are many others with advertisements showing travel as far as Cornwall.
Ann Hargreaves and Christine Hillam in Dental Practice in Europe at the end of the 18th Century Ed by Hillam, Amsterdam 2003 describe the widespread itinerant practices of Samuel and his sons around the UK. Samuel Crawcour in the 1790s was one of only 8 truly itinerant dentists. Advertisements for all dentists at this period and later were vital for business and the more florid often the better for trade.
Rarely did the advertisements match the quality of 'dental' practice ( the term 'dentistry' is to be noted advisedly).
Phillip

Caherine Isabella WARD. My interest is her eldest son Robert, born 1826. I have his army career in full from tthe 19th Native Infantry in 1841 until he retired as Captain Royal Dragoon Guards ,London Gazette 17.5.1879. But the issue of 10.2.1880 he commuted his pension (no further army records) and I lost all trace of him until his daughter, Catherine, married Alban (de) MANBEY at Prittlewell, Essex in 1906. I did not know when mother Catherine and children Jane, George and William returned to UK or how George became a dentist.
Can anybody help? Alan

[phillip]

Alan
Have you seen my posts on "Edward Crawcour alias Cartwright" on this Jewish Forum? If not, please take a look and see how Edward and Catherine adopted the alias of Cartwright surname and the link between George and Edward Crawcour. My thoughts are that George adopted the 'dentist' practice through Edward who in his turn learned from his father Isaac. I use the term 'dentist' with caution given that there appears to have been no formal qualifications for the Crawcour.
I will see if there are any further records.
Phillip

[phillip]

Alan
Would you like to post data on Robert Ward's marriage and children.
I have seen that he was a Sergeant Major in the Cavalry and Riding Master 1st May 1866 and on his retirement given the honorary Captain rank 9 Jan 1880. He also had service in the Crimean War with the 10th Hussars from 17 April 1855 ( you know this already but useful to post for others)- see Google Books for brief details of some of his service record and The London Gazette Archives for further data.
I am looking further.
Phillip

[phillip]

Alan
I have just read part of the newspaper article which describes the death of George Ward. It is a tragic account. The Belfast Newsletter Thursday March 22 1894 gives the account of George Ward barman Islington murdering Lizzie Allen and then committing suicide. In his suicide letter George refers to himself as " I am the son of the late Captain Robert Ward of the 3rd Dragoons..."
I will post more details but it appears from the letter that following the death of Robert, George encountered problems.
I believe I have seen further reports on both George and Robert and will check the newspaper archives.
Phillip

[phillip]

Alan
Further to the Newspaper report which describes the coroner's inquest. The coroner referred to Robert Ward committing suicide and that there was insanity in the family. George describes himself in his suicide letter as travelling the world. I am still researching and need to re- check that George Ward is one in the same step son of Edward Crawcour alias Cartwright.
Phillip

[phillip]

Alan
I think you have the wrong relationships. George Ward the dentist was born in 1831 -see the dob records including his father George and mother Catherine Isabella on the "Edward Crawcour alias Cartwright" posts. George Arthur Ward son of Robert Ward was 22 when he committed murder and suicide in 1894- his death record appears on Free BMD- George Arthur Ward age 22 March 1894 Islington 1b 237. George Ward the dentist appears in census records and in addition was left a bequest by his step brother John Isaac Crawcour. Unfortunately, I believe you have the wrong family.
Phillip

[phillip]

Sincere apologies Alan- I should have noted the birth of Robert in 1826 on the Edward Crawcour alias Cartwright posts. The error was mine. However, you do now know what happened to Robert. The Belfast News of Thurs March 22 1894 is headed "Islington Murder".

I will look further into what actually happened to Robert. It appears from the newspaper account reference to his suicide that there will be a coroner's report but I have yet to find his death. I will look further tomorrow. If you want me to post further on the death of George Arthur I will do so.
Phillip

[phillip]

Alan
There are several newspaper accounts of the death of George Arthur Ward- see British Newspaper Archives online 1800-1900( many main local libraries have free access to these newspapers. I am going to post some more data from the papers which clearly connects the Ward relatives to my own Edward Crawcour line.
The Liverpool Mercury 22 March 1894 includes reference to the coroner's court where George Ward surgeon dentist 428 Oxford St is called as a witness and refers to himself as the uncle of George Arthur Ward age 22. Lily Kate Allen was 17.
In his letters George Arthur Ward refers to his sister Emmy and brothers and sisters. The murder and suicide occurred at the Swan Tavern Caledonian Road. There is also reference to another uncle ( not named) who commented on the state of George's mind over many years. The address in George Arthur Ward's letters was 125 Caledonian Road.

I am still looking for Robert Ward's death and it maybe that George Arthur was travelling with him prior to the 1894 incident. George in one of his letters refers to himself travelling across the world. It maybe that Robert died overseas.
Phillip

[phillip]

Alan
Here is the newspaper article on the death of Captain Robert Ward by suicide in 1882:
The Morning Post London Sat 28 Jan 1882
"Melancholy Suicide- Captain Robert Ward of Licken Lodge County Westmeath late of the 3rd Dragoon Guards, died yesterday from the effects of self inflicted injuries. He shot himself with a pistol and the bullet passed through his head, carrying away a portion of his skull. He lived for about 40 hours"

I do not have access to the full Irish Newspapers but would suggest that you may want to do further research into the inquest findings.
You have not posted yet on his wife and family and from this latest information it appears that they may have been with him in Westmeath.
Phillip

[phillip]

Ireland Civil Registration Death Index -Robert WARD b abt 1825 Registration Quarter Jan-March 1882 Age 57 -Athlone Ireland Vol 1 Page 3

Phillip