Arthur Albert Crane (1881 - 1968)

Born 7 May 1881 in Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Lavinia May Victoria (Beer) Crane — married 24 Feb 1911 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 24 Aug 1968 at age 87 in Moora, Western Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Deborah Talbot [send private message] and JP Crane [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Crane Name Study.

Arthur Albert Crane was born in Lancashire, England.

Arthur Albert Crane migrated from Lancashire, England to Australia.

Captain Arthur Albert Crane was born in Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancashire on 7 May 1881. (Birth registration vol 8B, page 266, line 13) ^[1] His birth certificate shows he was born at 89 Upper Warwick Street, Liverpool. ^[2] He was the son of John Joseph Crane and Florence Hawker. He was named after his uncle Arthur Albert Crane who was living in the same household according to the 1881 census and was 17 years old when his nephew was born. ^[3]

The 1891 census lists Arthur A Crane as a 9 year old scholar living in West Derby Road, West Derby, Lancashire in the ecclesiastical parish of St Margarets, with his publican parents John Joseph and Florence Crane. He is listed as being born in Lancashire about 1882. Also in the household are his siblings; Evelyn (11), George A (7), Florence J (6) and Elvina G (0) and 15 year old servant Georgina Dow. They are living at 207 West Derby Road, West Derby, Lancashire, England. ^[4]

According to his wife and daughter he worked his way up to sea captain on sailing ships between Australia and Liverpool from 1898-1911. ^[5]

He went to sea at the age of 14 starting as a ship's boy and progressing to Master Mariner. He was cabin boy on the Benares. ^[5]

His journies must have taken him to Australia as his return journey from Albany, Western Australia is listed in the Western Australian Crew and Passenger Lists. Arthur was 17 years old and departed from Albany on 23 February 1898 heading to London on his voyage as a crew member aboard the China. ^[6]

He worked for State Ships in Australia as 3rd and 4th Mate travelling between Fremantle, Bunbury, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. It was during this time he met and became engaged on 31 December 1910 and soon after married Lavinia May Victoria Beer on 24 February 1911 in Melbourne. ^[5]

His State Ships journeys included

• On 24 Feb 1899 Arthur Crane arrived in Albany from Adelaide aboard the Gabo ^[7]
• Arthur Crane arrived in Albany from Melbourne on 22 August 1899 aboard the Wollowra. ^[8]
• Arthur Crane arrived in Albany from Adelaide aboard the Paroo on 15 March 1900 on his way to Fremantle. ^[9]
• A Crane arrived in Albany on 7 September 1900 aboard the Rob Roy destined for Mary Ann Harbor. ^[10]
• A Crane was destined for Queensland Ports on 23 April 1901. ^[11]. Mr A Crane departed New South Wales on 23 April 1901 destination Queensland Ports aboard the Burwah. ^[12]
• A Crane arrived on 24 October 1904 in Sydney, New South Wales. ^[13]
• A Crane (3rd Mate) aboard the Kanowna arrived in Albany in December 1906 from Sydney. ^[14]
• A A Crane (3rd Mate) boarded the Kanowna in Sydney as 3rd Mate. They arrived in Albany on 12 March 1907 and left the same day for Fremantle. ^{[15] [16]}
• Still as 3rd Mate he changed ships and 4 days later travelled on the August leaving Albany on the 16 March 1907 and arriving in Adelaide. ^[17]
• On 6 April 1907 he arrived in Albany from Sydney back on the Kanowna having been promoted from 3rd mate to 2nd mate. ^[18]
• On the 4th May 1907 A Crane (3rd Mate) arrived in Albany from Sydney aboard the Kanowna. ^[19]
• On the 9th May 1907, after a 5 day turn around, A Crane (3rd Mate) departed Albany aboard the Kanowna for Sydney. ^[20]
• A A Crane (4th Mate) arrived in Albany on 23 May 1907 from Fremantle on board the Kyarra ^[21]
• A A Crane (4th Mate) arrived Albany on 28 June 1907 from Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide on the Kyarra. He left Albany on the same date. ^[22]
• On the 4th July 1907 4th Mate A A Crane arrived in Albany aboard the Kyarra from Melbourne, Sydney. ^[23]
• On 24 July 1907 AA Crane (4th Mate) arrived in Albany from Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney aboard the Kyarra. ^[24]
• AA Crane (4th Mate) arrived in Albany on 21 August 1907 aboard the Kyarra from Sydney. ^[25]
• A A Crane (3rd Mate) departed Fremantle on 16 October 1907 for Albany aboard the Kanowna and arrived in Albany the same date. ^[26]
• He also arrived in Albany the same date (16 Oct 1907) on the Kanowna as 3rd Mate, so it appears he made two trips to Albany that date, the other trip being on the Kyarra. It may have been that he arrived in Albany in the early morning, went on to Fremantle in the Kanowna and returned to Albany on a different ship the Kyarra the same day. ^[27]
• A A Crane (4th Mate) departed for Albany on 21 October 1907 aboard the Kyarra ^[28]
• AA Crane (3rd mate) arrived in Sydney on 9 April 1908 aboard the Pilbarra from Albany. ^[29]

He met his future wife on board the SS Arawatta between Melbourne and Brisbane. ^[5]

Arthur Albert Crane married Lavinia May Victoria Beer (known as May) on 24 February 1911 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.^[5][30][31]

Further work related journeys included:

• A Crane arrived on 11 August 1911 in Adelaide from Albany aboard the Suevic, getting off in Adelaide. ^[32]
• Between 1911-1916 Arthur was the Chief Officer of the SS Minderoo State Ships on the Fremantle - Singapore run. ^[5]

His daughter Evelyn Crane was born on 11 May 1912. His son Arthur Samuel Crane was born 7 June 1913 in Melbourne. His son Ernest John Crane was born in Fremantle on 25 September 1914. His son George Herbert Crane was born in Fremantle on 25 May 1916. ^[5]

He worked as Harbour Pilot in Colombo, British Ceylon for a few years between 1916 and 1924 before returning to Liverpool for two years prior to moving to Australia. ^[5] It was while in Ceylon that 3 more children were born. Rose Mavis Crane was born in Colombo, 15 March 1918; Jean Margaret Crane was born in Galle, 27 July 1919; and Albert Victor Crane was born in Galle on 27 January 1923. Also while in Colombo he served as Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Ceylon, a role that required him to transport dignitaries from the port to the Governor’s residence and back. One of those dignitaries was the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII.^[5]

Arthur Albert Crane arrived in Sydney from London on the 19 August 1921 aboard the Naldera. He was 40 years old and a British national. ^[33]

He spent 2 years in Liverpool recovering from sunstroke on sick leave after leaving Ceylon. He and his family moved in with his parents in their public house. ^[5]

Arthur and his family emigrated to Australia from England arriving in Adelaide on 19 July 1926 on the Morton Bay. ^[34] He had decided he wanted to own a farm so purchased virgin land at Bindi Bindi in Western Australia's wheatbelt to start a farm which he called Brooklands . He purchased a kit house from Whittakers which was delivered by train, as the trainline ran past the property. The family lived in a tent for a couple of years while they erected the house and cleared the land for farming. This was mainly left to the older boys as Arthur returned to the sea to provide an income while the farm was being established.^[5][35]

Between 1927-1935 Arthur was a harbour pilot in Wyndham.^[5] The electoral roll shows him living there in 1931. ^[36]

Rescue of German Aviators Hans Bertram and Adolph Klaussman
In 1932 two German aviators became lost in outback Western Australia. Arthur was asked to determine the search area due to his naval skills in relation to understanding wind direction and use of theodolites. He led the team from Wyndham that eventually located the two aviators (pilot Hans Bertram and mechanic Adolph Klausmann) who had been looked after by a local aboriginal community who had come across them earlier. After 39 days near death in a cave, they were discovered by an Aboriginal man, thought to be Minnijinnimurrie from the Drysdale River Mission.^[37][38] He was awarded the German White Cross Award by the German Government for his services to rescuing these aviators.

Arthur had visited his family in England arriving on 8 March 1953 (aged 71) ^[39] and departed from London on 4 June 1953 aboard the Mooltan, aged 72, retired. He was travelling alone and gave his UK address as 32 Brookland Rd, Old Swan, Liverpool, which was his parents’ address.

There are a number of newspaper articles about his arrest and acquittal in Geraldton in 1938.^{[40][41][42][43]}

In 1968 the Australian Electoral Rolls show him living in the electorate of Moore, Western Australia. ^[44]

Arthur died on 24 August 1968 in Moora, Western Australia. ^[45] He is buried at the Moora Cemetery. ^[46]

Notes

To see full family tree go to Crane family of Lancashire

To see the more about Capt Crane and his family in Australia see Bindi Bindi, Western Australia, Crane Name Study

Sources

1. ↑ England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008 database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XVX-QHY : 1 October 2014), Arthur Albert Crane, 1881; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Toxteth Park, Lancashire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
2. ↑ Original copy of birth certificate
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD6M-VN4 : 12 December 2017), Arthur A Crane in entry for William Crane, 1871
4. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7QN5-R6Z : 11 December 2017), Arthur A Crane in household of John Joseph Crane, West Derby, Lancashire, England; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Lancashire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11} First hand source as remembered by his wife LMV Crane and daughter (Rose Mavis) as told to profile manager D Talbot, in the 1980s.
6. ↑ Western Australia, Australia, Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930 Name: Mr A Crane Arrival Port: London Departure Date: 23 Feb 1898 Departure Port: Albany Destination Port: King Georges Sound Vessel Name: China
7. ↑ Western Australia Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930.
   Name: A Crane
   Nationality or Origin: British
   Arrival Date: 24 Feb 1899
   Arrival Port: Albany
   Departure Port: Adelaide
   Vessel Name: Gabo
8. ↑ WA Crew & Passenger Lists, 1852-1930
   Name: A Crane
   Departed Port: Melbourne
   Arrival Date: 22 Aug 1899
   Arrival Port: Albany
   Vessel Name: Wollowra
9. ↑ Western Australia Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930
   Name: A Crane
   Arrival Date: 15 Mar 1900
   Arrival Port: Albany
   Departure Port: Adelaide
   Destination Port: Fremantle
   Vessel Name: Paroo
10. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passengers Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A Crane
    Arrival Date: 7 Sep 1900
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Destination Port: Mary Ann Harbor
    Vessel Name: Rob Roy
11. ↑ UK Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960
12. ↑ New South Wales Departing Crew and Passenger Lists, 1816-1825, 1898-1911.
    Name: Mr A Crane
    Departure Date: 23 Apr 1901
    Destination Port: Queensland Ports
    Ship: Burwah
13. ↑ New South Wales Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922
14. ↑ Western Australia Crew and Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A Crane
    Rank: 3rd Mate
    Arrival Date: Dec 1906
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Port: Sydney
    Vessel Name: Kanowna
15. ↑ Arrival Albany Source: Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 3rd Mate
    Arrival Date: 12 Mar 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Vessel Name: Kanowna
    Boarded vessel in Sydney
16. ↑ Departure source: Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 3rd Mate
    Arrival Port: Fremantle
    Departure Date: 12 Mar 1907
    Departure Port: Albany
    Vessel Name: Kanowna
17. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 3rd Mate
    Arrival Port: Adelaide
    Departure Date: 16 Mar 1907
    Departure Port: Albany
    Vessel Name: August
18. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A Crane
    Rank: 3rd 2nd
    Arrival Date: 6 Apr 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Port: Sydney
    Vessel Name: Kanowna
19. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A Crane
    Rank: 3rd
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Date: 1907
    Departure Port: Sydney
    Vessel Name: Kanowna
20. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists, 1852-1930
    Name: A Crane
    Rank: 3rd Mate
    Arrival Port: Sydney
    Departure Date: 9 May 1907
    Departure Port: Albany
    Vessel Name: Kanowna
21. ↑ WA Crew & Passenger Lists
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 4th Mate
    Arrival Date: 23 May 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Port: Fremantle
    Vessel Name: Kyarra
22. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 4th Mate
    Arrival Date: 28 Jun 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Port: Sydney; Melbourne and Adelaide Vessel Name: Kyarra
23. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 4th Mate
    Arrival Date: 4 Jul 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Port: Melbourne; Sydney
    Vessel Name: Kyarra
24. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 4th Mate
    Arrival Date: 24 Jul 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Port: Adelaide; Melbourne; Sydney
    Vessel Name: Kyarra
25. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 4th Mate
    Arrival Date: 21 Aug 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Port: Sydney
    Vessel Name: Kyarra
26. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 3rd Mate
    Arrival Date: 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Date: 16 Oct 1907
    Departure Port: Fremantle
    Vessel Name: Kanowna
27. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 4th Mate
    Arrival Date: 16 Oct 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Vessel Name: Kyarra
28. ↑ Western Australia Crew & Passenger Lists 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 4th Mate
    Arrival Date: 1907
    Arrival Port: Albany
    Departure Date: 21 Oct 1907
    Vessel Name: Kyarra
29. ↑ Western Australia Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930
    Name: A A Crane
    Rank: 3rd Mate
    Arrival Date: 9 Apr 1908
    Arrival Port: Sydney
    Departure Date: 1908
    Departure Port: Albany
    Vessel Name: Pilbarra
30. ↑ Original marriage certificate
31. ↑ Victoria BMD
    Marriage registration number 406
    Registration year 1911
    BEER Lavinia May Vic
    Spouse's CRANE Arth Albt
32. ↑ Western Australia Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930
    Name: A Crane
    Arrival Date: 11 Aug 1911
    Arrival Port: Adelaide
    Departure Port: Albany
    Vessel Name: Suevic
33. ↑ Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923
    Name: Mr A A Crane
    Estimated Birth Year: abt 1881
    Age: 40
    Arrival Date: 19 Aug 1921
    Arrival Port: Sydney, Australia
    Departure Port: London
    Ship: Naldera
    Nationality: British
34. ↑ [http://museum.wa.gov.au/welcomewalls/names/crane-arthur-lavinia | See the Welcome Walls at Fremantle Maritime Museum (Board 6).
35. ↑ Passengers in History database
36. ↑ Australian Electoral Rolls 1903-1980.
37. ↑ Wikipedia
38. ↑ FOUND ALIVE National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW : 1889 - 1954) 5 July 1932: 2. Web. 24 Jan 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article159841258>.
39. ↑ UK Incoming passenger lists 1878-1960. The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and successors: Inwards Passenger Lists.; Class: BT26; Piece: 1296; Item: 119.
40. ↑ HARBOR MASTER ACCUSED OF GIRL (1938, April 19). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950), p. 2 (CITY FINAL). Retrieved September 1, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85031381
41. ↑ LOCAL AND GENERAL Geraldton Guardian and Express (WA : 1929 - 1947) 19 April 1938: 2. Web. 1 Sep 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article67339473>.
42. ↑ ASSAULT CHARGE DISMISSED (1938, April 26). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950), p. 2 (CITY FINAL). Retrieved September 1, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85032574
43. ↑ LOCAL AND GENERAL (1938, April 26). Geraldton Guardian and Express (WA : 1929 - 1947), p. 2. Retrieved September 1, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article67340828
44. ↑ Australian Electoral Rolls.
45. ↑ First hand source as remembered by his granddaughter and profile manager D Talbot, 1968.
46. ↑ Witnessed by profile manager D Talbot who attended the funeral and burial, August 1968.

See Also

• See the Welcome Walls at Fremantle Maritime Museum (Board 6).