OneGuyFromBarlick

This link will take you straight to Fred's interview on the LTP.

Fred Inman - The Lancashire Textile Project 2013

Small update: the private photo on ancestry of jack is the same as the other public photo. We might also have a photograph of jack's younger sister Betty and we have a photograph of jack's older sister Christina dated 1996.

I want to thank this forum for helping to find a photograph of jack and to bring us in touch with people that knew jack.
When our research project has come to an end i will post another reply to this topic, jack was one of us but especially one of the Earby community and they have the right to know about this brave sergeant who fought for our freedom.

Thank you jack, you will never be forgotten.

Nice post.....

There is a photograph of Arthur Aldersley on Earby People & Places. Then & Now. It is taken in the 1930s outside 12 Spring Terrace.

Moh wrote:There is a photograph of Arthur Aldersley on Earby People & Places. Then & Now. It is taken in the 1930s outside 12 Spring Terrace.

Hi Moh,

Yes we have seen this.

Our research is about Jack Croft because he was one of the crew members on the flight we are researching, Arthur knew Jack and used to "play out" with him.
We are still trying to get in touch with Arthur to ask him about Jack, Arthur left home at an early age so he might not be able to provide us with alot of information regarding our research. Also Arthur unfortunately doesn't have a photograph of jack in his collection.

We have thought of someone else who may remember Jack. Although he was a few years younger he lived in the same terrace and if nothing else he might be able to confirm that the person in the photograph is definitely Jack.

I would imagine Arthur is dead.

Arthur (my dad) is very much alive and in his 99th year. Unfortunately his eyesight is very poor and although I blew up the photo to max, the quality isn't good enough for him to recognise the face. I've passed on any details dad could remember to Marjo Stevelmans.

Welcome to the site Magberry and thanks for letting us know about your father....that's a good age!

He must have led a clean life.....

Sorry Margaret, I did not realise it was your dad - what a good age.

My next target......

Hello this is our first time of posting .
Regarding Jack Millen Croft he was a 2nd cousin to me, his mother Harriet Ann Fenning was a great Aunt, her brother Bertrand was my great Grandfather .I can see that there has been a lot of kind people trying to find information about Jack and we thank everyone concerned.Unfortunately we are in the dark with Jack's side of the family as when my gt Grandfather came to the west country contact was lost or not past on to us.
We went to Holland for a commemoration on 20th August 2015 for Jack and his crew that was lost 3rd August 1940 in the North Sea off the Dutch coast,it was very moving,the RAF were present and also there was a fly pass over the site where the crew were washed up .This has spurred us on to find more about Jack and we intend to come up to Earby in the near future.
Alan Fenning

Welcome to the site, and enjoy your visit to Earby (I was brought up in the next village).

Thankyou Moh,

Do you or anyone else know of a company called or run by Messrs Dodgson & Mr Ellison of Earby,this was where Jack served his apprenticeship(Electrician) before he joined up in the RAF.
We've been Bracewell and Barnoldswick but this was years ago before we knew about Jack,never went to Earby before.Bracewell is were Jacks Grandfather William Fenning worked as a Sub Postmaster until he died in 1906,then his wife carried on as Post mistress until she died ,both of them are buried in St Michaels,Bracewell also with the last child born Constance.
Alan & Kath.

Here's a Photo of William Fenning,his wife Christiana and daughter Constance outside post office in Bracewell.

The name Ellison in connection with electricity rings a bell with me but I can't find anything in my index. Was there an electrical retailer in Barlick in the 1950s by that name?
I've just had a furtle and found this in the Calf Hall Shed Company minute books (on the site) for February 1948.

A letter containing an estimate from Metropolitan Vickers Ltd of £78-2-6 for replacement of the automatic voltage regulator at WH Mill was read and it was agreed that the work should be done. [I'm not sure if the following is the case but I have the evidence of Walter Fisher of Brown and Pickles that the installation of the new alternator at WH was done by Ellison's and that due to a mistake in routing the bus bars carrying current from the alternator, when first started there was a very serious dead short to earth. Walter said it was the only time he had ever seen the ropes on an engine flywheel slip, the overload was so great. It may be that this has resulted in the destruction of the original regulator and that this item is the replacement. Both Walter and Newton Pickles suspected that this sudden overload on the engine may have been the start, or at least, a contributory cause, of the fracture of the engine fly-shaft which occurred on May 22nd 1951.]

Ellisons, not sure but I think I have an inkling they were on Rainhall Road on the corner with York Street.

That's my memory as well Ian. They were there in the 1960s.

I noted an article about Jack Croft in the BET yesterday.

Just an update about the article in the Nelson leader,we have been contacted by a lady who has some photos of Jack which she is kindly sending to us ,once we get them we will post on line.We are up in Earby on the 3rd October and hoping to finding out more about Jack and his family.Thanks again for all the input about Jack.

It was a good article....

Just an update we have a confirmed photo of Jack now also the other photo of the three men on a bench two RAF chaps the one on the left is Jack when he was doing his training this must have been in 1939.We enclose the new photo of Jack.We're coming up in a couple of weeks to meet up with some cousins who have contacted as well.Another ask the other two men on the bench do anyone recognise them .
All the best ,Alan & Kath Fenning

Good result! Nice pic.

Heres a photo of Jack Millen Croft in Blackpool with Marjorie Varley date 1940.Does anyone know who Marjorie was?

Kath and Alan Fenning