Description
Queen’s South Africa, bar Defence of Kimberley, Private Arthur Bentley Crowther, Kimberley Town Guard.
Officially impressed: “Pte A. B. Crowther. Kimberley. Town Guard.”
Confirmed on the medal roll, medal issued 24th November 1902.
According to David Biggin’s Kimberley Siege Roll, during the siege Mr Crowther served with the No I Section, F Company at Mostert’s Redoubt.
Arthur Bentley Crowther, was born in Passaic County, New Jersey, New York, USA, Circa 1870-72.
Son of Alfred Crowther (1841), a career Joiner and Builder, and Maria Crowther nee Saville, his parents had married in Lancashire during 1865, before moving to America, settling in Passaic County, New Jersey. They had a daughter there as early as 1867, and Arthur was born there too.
The family moved back home to Oldham, Lancashire by the time of the 1881 Census.
By the time of the 1891 Census, the family was notably missing their son Arthur Bentley Crowther who was about 18 years old at the time.
On 25th March 1890, the passenger list of HMS Norham Castle which was on a journey to the Cape to drop off a ship full of Miners in South Africa, included a “Arthur Crowther” who claimed to be 21 years old.
It looks like as he is missing from the 1891 census and ended up in South Africa as of 1899, that he is the same man, a young man on the way in the hope of riches to become a miner, which might explain how he ended up in Kimberley home to the De Beers Diamond Mine.
He next appears on official records having returned to the occupation of Carpenter like his father, just before the war, he was living and working in the town of Kimberley, when he married Emily Elizabeth Hemsley at St Cyprian’s Church, Kimberley during 1899.
The marriage would last through the siege, but his wife died on April 10th 1900, leaving him as a Widower.
With his wife dead, he did not appear to seek further service in another regiment, and must have taken a ship home instead, in time to see his old family and be registered in the 1901 Census.
In 1908 he remarried to Clara.
In 1911 he was a Joiner in the Building Trade living in Blackpool, Lancs.
He was for many years a member of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners Union.
He died in Burnley, Lancashire during June 1939.
