.............T .....................................TTHE CROOK FAMILY

There are several variations of the spelling of the family surname records show the name as Croke, Croake and finally Crook.
Rupert Musgrove's wife Alice's family can trace their origins to Ireland. Her Grandfather Micheal Croke was born in Ireland in 1813 and by 1851 was a journeyman tailor with his family living in Rupert Street St James Westminster. Two of his children, Thomas and Charles born 1855 and 1863 followed their father's occupation as tailors but by 1891 had married and both became professional musical vocalists.
Charles Crook (pictured left) had married in 1888 Alice Connor. Between then and 1901 they had eight children all being girls except Charles Frederick (who died aged three) and John Charles (who died aged 28 in 1930).
The eldest daughter was Alice born in July 1889 (see birth certificate below). She was in a couple of panto's, and was a good pianist, but she spent her life as a nurse. She mainly worked in old peoples homes/nursing homes. She continued in this on arrival in Australia. She was 'living in' and still doing 1 or 2 night shifts a week, when she had a stroke, at 89. She had been working in a home (near Melbourne,) for around 20 yrs. When Jack was in the Navy, He would leave home by bus, Sunday afternoon, stay in Alice's room that night. (She was always on duty Sunday nights) She would bring him a lovely breakfast in bed at about 5am Monday morning, and pay for a taxi to take him to a Railway station (about 15 mins) where he would catch the Naval leave train, to return to base. Alice never re-married. Her children and grandchildren often wondered if Rupert ever tried to find his "kids" especially in latter Years. We'll never know..
The census at the bottom of the page shows the Crook family in April 1901, Head of the family Charles Crook, 38 his wife Alice 36, and children Alice 11, Katie 10, Winnie 5, Nellie 4, Agnes 3, John Charles 1. Two other children had been born during this period but unfortunately died. Charles Frederick (died 1895) and Francis James (died 1896). The picture top right shows Charles and his wife Alice with their youngest child John Charles taken around 1908.
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