Cruttenden Connections. Including: Crettenden, Crittenden, Crittendon, Crittenton and other spellings

10431

George Samuel Cruttenden

George Samuel Cruttenden was born on the 15th October 1871 at St Leonards, Sussex, the second son and second child of Samuel Cruttenden and Lydia Parsons.

The family lived in Victor Terrace, St Leonards until around 1882, when they moved to 53 Bohemia Road.

At the age of 19 in 1891 George was a Milkman on his own account living with his parents at 53 Bohemia Road, St Leonards.

Samuel Cruttenden had been a Farm Labourer but moved to St Leonards around when he worked as a Carpenter. This was obviously not to his taste and so by 1871 was operating as a grocer in Bohemia Road.

George married Annie Linkham at St Pauls church St Leonards on the 12th October 1896. Still a Milkman living at 53 Bohemia Road. Around this time George set himself up in business as a Dairyman at 241 London Road. Not only was there a shop below but upstairs there was also a flat where he probably brought his new wife.

1899 dawn dawned with great promise, Annie was pregnant with their first child, Arthur George who was born on the last day of January. Unfortunately Annie was to die in childbirth or shortly thereafter Arthur George was passed to his Cruttenden grandparents to look after, with whom he was living in 1901 at 53 Bohemia Road.

In the 1901 census George is still living at 241 London Road with Maud Swann, age 21, described as a Housekeeper.

MR. G. S. CRUTTENDEN, PURVEYOR OF HIGH CLASS DAIRY PRODUCE, 241, LONDON ROAD, AND STONEHOUSE FARM.-The new premises, recently taken by Mr. Cruttenden at 241, London Road, promise to become one of the favourite establishments of the kind in the St. Leonards district. They are conveniently situated close to Tower Road, and comprise a very handsome shop with a most attractive plate glass front, the interior being beautifully fitted up with elegant marble topped counters and high

241 London Road

class modern accessories, the whole place being spotlessly clean. For many years Mr. Cruttenden has been well and favourably known as a leading purveyor of high class dairy produce, all his goods being supplied from his own extensive dairy farms at Hollington, a short distance outside St. Leonards. Stonehouse Farm is a fine pasture ground, and a large number of valuable milch cows are kept here, the stabling and general accommodation being of a superior class, while the sanitary arrangements are exceptionally good, and the most scrupulous cleanliness is maintained in every detail of the work, only thoroughly experienced and reliable assistants being employed. The milk, butter and cream, are of delicious quality, and turned out pure and fresh, excellent arrangements being made for the supply of the goods twice daily to private families. hotels, schools, boarding-houses, etc., throughout the town and suburbs. Ample supplies of pure fresh butter, cream, milk, new laid eggs, cream cheese, and other delicacies are kept at the London Road premises, where Mr. Cruttenden has also provided arrangements for supplying teas and light refreshments of a superior class at very moderate tariff. This branch of the business is much appreciated, and the neat little tables with comfortable seats, and the spotless cleanliness of all the necessaries, combined with the choice character of the refreshments and the good attendance, render this refreshment-saloon one of the favourite resorts of ladies. The business in each department shows a considerable and gratifying increase.

[From Views & Reviews. Hastings – Special Edition. Approx 1898]

In late 1907, or early 1908, Robert Tressell moved to 241 London Road where he wrote part of Britain's most influential working class novel "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist". Robert was associated with an Edward Cruttenden, no relation to George. Robert Tressell lived in the flat above, what had now become, a cycle shop.

George moved his business to 42 Bohemia Road where he remained for a number of years.

In September 1904 Samuel, George's father, died leaving an estate to the value of £1,190. Quite surprisingly all his children, six boys and three girls, all survived to adulthood and married. Thus any inheritance must have been quite small.

Sometime between 1904 and 1910 George began operating out of Beauport Dairy at 90 Bohemia Road.

On the 17th March 1915 George married his one time Housekeeper Maud at St Peter's church..

Lydia moved from the family home a short way to 68 Bohemia Road, where she died on the 15th October 1915, George's birthday.

George continued living and working in St Leonards until he died in late 1948, or early 1949.