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Apr 10, 20224 min read

MEET THE CROCKERS

Updated: Jul 26, 2023

JOHN ANTHONY CROCKER (1860-1946)

CLARA CROCKER (1886-1976)


Mr John and Mrs Clara Crocker lived at Corio Bay Villa for about a decade from 1929 to 1939, when it was still operating as a small farm. They were married in 1918 and lived on the farm with five of their children: Cyril Vernon (1913-2004), Ivan Reece (1918-1944), Francis Aymer (1920-1977), Beatrix Elizabeth (1922-2005) and Phyllis (b. 1927).


Although named ‘Villa’ by Charles Emberson, the house was more of a cottage, with only four rooms, in which they lived with five children, the eldest being seventeen when they first moved in. While it is difficult to imagine how they all fit in, they were by no means the largest family to have lived in Corio Bay Villa. Twenty years earlier the Henry family had lived in the same house with ten children aged sixteen and younger.


While living at Corio Bay Villa, oldest child Cyril Vernon Crocker married Violet Ellen Strahan (1912-1990) in 1935, when they were both around 21 years old. Violet moved in with the Crocker family and had son called Vernon Crocker (1937-1999). So for a short time there were two additional people living at Corio Bay Villa. Cyril and Violet later moved out on their own and had more children, no doubting needing a space of their own.


Fortunately the property had a very large back yard, which allowed the Crockers to keep at least one dairy cow. Clara and the children ran a smallhold private farm that provided food for the family. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Crockers gave cream and milk to their neighbours to help them during difficult times. In between raising a family and maintaining a small farm, Clara also worked in sales. Perhaps she was her husband's art dealer. John was an artist who preferred to paint rather than get his hands dirty on the property.


The two youngest children Beatrix and Phyllis attended Surrey Hills Primary school which had opened in 1886. Their signatures, along with those of the other students, were collected in a book in 1934, and placed in a time capsule in Box Hill Town Hall which opened the following year. The book was retrieved 50 years later in 1985. According to Phyllis' daughter, Leanne, Phyllis would often share fond stories about her time on the farm, prior to her passing.

Images above: Signatures of children attending school in 1934 for Box Hill time capsule.


John Crocker was a New Zealand and Australian water-colourist, who painted landscapes right up until his later years. He preferred to leave the running of the farm to his wife, Clara, and their children, while he focused on his paintings. He signed his paintings J. Crocker.

Image: Painting, J. Crocker, "Natural Bush" - Watercolour on paper by J. Crocker, (undated), courtesy of Victorian Collections.


John had a very long and interesting life spanning three counties and three wives. Born in Cornwall, England, to Elizabeth Francis and James Anthony Crocker in 1860, John immigrated to New Zealand with his family at three years of age. Twenty years later he married Theresa Wheeler (1864-1950) in New Zealand and they had a daughter together.


At the turn of the century, John, now aged 40, married his second wife Alice Isabella Bryantt, and together they moved to New South Wales Australia and had four children in short succession. By 1914 John had left his second family and moved to Surrey Hills to be with his third and final wife, Clara Whitcombe (1886-1976), who was 26 years his junior. As the saying goes, the third time’s a charm and it certainly applies in John’s case.

Image of John Crocker, undated. Supplied by his granddaughter Leanne.


Around this time John associated with local artist Winifred Miles (1884-1944) who also painted landscapes around the Ringwood area. John‘s painting "Natural Bush" (shown above) is held by the Ringwood and District Historical Society. Unfortunately, after his death, many of his later paintings held by his family were destroyed in Victorian bushfires during the late 1960s.


John’s surviving paintings include references to places in New Zealand, Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria and the Scottish Highlands, suggesting that he visited many locations. His granddaughter Leanne confirmed that he was well travelled and was particularly fond of New Zealand, where he spent his youth.


After leaving Corio Bay Villa, John and Clara remained in Surrey Hills where John died in 1946, aged 87. His notice of death was published in the Age on Friday 24 May 1946.

It says:

CROCKER - On may 23, at his residence 37 Pembroke-street, Surrey Hills, John, dearly beloved husband of Clara, loving father of Cyril, Stanley (deceased), Rees (deceased), Francis, Beatrix and Phyllis, aged 87 years At rest.


Clara went on to live another 30 years, passing away in 1976 at the age of 89. She did not remarry and in her will described herself as an art critic - no doubt with good reason.


Image of Clara Crocker taken later in life. Supplied by her granddaughter Leanne.


If you have any further information on John Crocker's life and artistic career, I'd love to hear from you. Please contact me via my contact page.


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