Ormskirk and District Family History Society

Cropper, Heyes, and related families

A collection of family photos kindly donated by Martin Bell, who got in touch to say that he was in the process of cataloguing numerous photos that he received after the death of his mother-in-law Audrey Cropper (nee Coward) a few years ago.

Scroll through, or click on an image to view in full size.

Batch One (18 photos)

1. Mary Ashton
2. Alice Ashton with Mary Ashton, and Bill and Marjorie Prescott
3. Alice Ashton
4. Ashton WW1 photo, different pose (young man, probably about 18 or 19 years old)
5. Ashton WW1 photo (young man, probably about 18 or 19 years old)
6. Postcard/photo of “Spring Cottage” Shop Lane, Maghull
7. Reverse of photo showing “Home of Mrs. [Elizabeth] Ashcroft, great grandmother of Eric Stanley Cropper” at Maghull
8. Sophia Fitton at Stanley Park, 1928 (with small dog)
9. Sophia Fitton (in flowered dress)
10. Sophia Fitton and Audrey
11. Sophia Fitton and Madge Fitton (George’s wife)
12. Polly Broster, Sophia Fitton and Lily Jamieson
13. Mary Fitton, holding baby Barney, October 1943
14. Jean and Audrey on Motorbike, with Sophia S. Fitton, 1935
15. Fitton Family Photo, 1943
16. Leslie Fitton with Audrey and Jean (little girls), and dog
17. Ernestine Fitton, October 1943
18. Sophia Fitton with a book, at Stanley Park, 1928 (with small dog)

Batch Two (17 photos)

1. Mabel Cropper, married to William Prescott (with Gibson Girl hairstyle; see 1939 register notes below)
2. Jessie Heyes with Alice Ashton, Marjorie Prescott, Mary Ashton (and a dog, in deckchairs in garden)
3. George Prescott, son of Mabel Cropper
4. House on Prescot Road, Melling
5. Annie Cropper (nee Prescott, wife of Joshua Ball Cropper; they married in 1924 and lived at Fir Tree Farm, Bescar Road, Scarisbrick)
6. Tony and John
7. Marjorie and Bill Prescott (with tabby cat)
8. Mabel Prescott (nee Cropper)
9. John Prescott, who died young
10. Reverse of photo showing “John Prescott, who died young”; stated to be the son of William and Mabel
11. George Prescott (in what looks like WW2 army uniform)
12. George and William Prescott (sons of William Prescott and Mabel nee Cropper)
13. Bill Prescott?
14. Prescott (seated, late Victorian clothing)
15. identical (cropped) image of Mrs. Prescott (seated, late Victorian clothing)
16. reverse of “ Prescott”, stating that she was the grandmother of George and Bill Prescott (see 1939 register notes below)
17. Alice Ashton with Mary Ashton, and Bill and Marjorie Prescott (could be duplicate of the picture in Batch One)

1939 Register - Brookfield Farm, Brookfield Lane, Aughton

• William Prescott           3 Jun 1882       Married            Farm Labourer Heavy Worker
• Mabel E Prescott          22 Apr 1886     Married            Domestic Duties Unpaid
• George Prescott            4 Nov 1919      Single               Poultry Man Heavy Worker
• Marjorie Prescott          24 Nov 1924    Single               Domestic Duties Unpaid
• William Prescott           17 Feb 1927     Single               At School
• Ann Prescott                20 Nov 1856    Widowed         Retired Farmer

Batch Three

1. A class photo from Lydiate County Primary School, 1961 (most pupils are unidentified, but Andrew Cropper is amongst them; two female teachers are also shown)

Batch Four (16 photos)

1. John, James and Jessie Heyes (possibly c.1920, see note below)
2. Richard Heyes (father of John, James, Jessie and Annie)
3. Mary Heyes (1920s/1930s)
4. Wedding of Herbert Alcock and Jessie Heyes at Mossboro Hall; large group photo
5. John Heyes (son of Jessie and Richard); red-tinted image
6. John Heyes
7. “From All at Wood Farm” - Richard, Susan and Irene Heyes
8. John and Mary Heyes
9. Jimmy Heyes
10. Jessie Heyes (nee Cropper); thought to be Jessie Catharine Cropper, the daughter of John Forshaw Cropper (farmer) and Mary of Aughton. Jessie was baptised on 8 February 1891 at St. Michael’s Church, Aughton
11. Jessie Heyes with Alice Ashton, Marjorie Prescott, Mary Ashton (and a dog, in deckchairs in garden) [Duplicate of photo in Batch Two)
12. Jessie Heyes nee Cropper, sister of Sarah; red-tinted image
13. Herbert Alcock and Jessie Heyes’ Wedding; small group
14. Herbert Alcock and Jessie Heyes’ Wedding; date estimated at 1950. GRO suggests that they married in the September quarter of 1937.
15. Annie Heyes with Alice Ashton, Marjorie Prescott and Mary Ashton (deckchairs; eldest girl wears her hair in plaits)
16. Annie Heyes (with hair in plaits, seated on grass)

Note: Lancashire BMD shows the following birth registrations:

• 1912                John HEYES                mother - CROPPER                  Bickerstaffe subdistrict
• 1913                James HEYES              mother - CROPPER                  Bickerstaffe subdistrict
• 1915                Jessie HEYES              mother - CROPPER                  Bickerstaffe subdistrict
• 1917                Annie HEYES              mother - CROPPER                  Bickerstaffe subdistrict

The GRO also shows a marriage between Richard HEYES and Jessie K CROPPER in March qtr 1912, Ormskirk registration district.

Batch Five - Cropper Family Batch 1 (18 photos)

1. Dorothy Cropper in fur coat (c.1920s)
2. Dorothy Cropper, sister of Tony and John; holding toddler and baby
3. Dorothy and Stanley with Lilian and Adreen (Doreen?) Cropper
4. Dorothy Cropper, wife of Stanley (1920s/1930s)
5. Doreen Cropper, daughter of Tony, and wife of Bill Heaton; in uniform (naval/WRENs?)
6. Unnamed male adult Cropper; wearing 3-piece suit, hat and watch-chain
7. Annie Cropper (photo mount reads “Parisian Studios, 27 Church Street, Liverpool”)
   
8. Dorothy Cropper
9. Dorothy Cropper, holding a letter, c.1910s (raised letters on lower right corner read “Watmough Webster, West Kirby”)
10. Audrey and Eric Cropper, Isle of Man, 1949?
    
11. Audrey and Eric with friends (outside a sign reading “Quale”)
12. Anthony Cropper (raised letters on lower right corner “Parisian Studios, Liverpool”)
13. Bowkers Green Farm, Aughton, Sara Cropper (exterior of building)
14. Bradley’s Farm, Maghull; Sara Cropper and her aunt Annie Cropper standing by gate (c.1900)
15. Annie Cropper nee Prescott; wife of Joshia Ball Cropper (duplicate of item in Batch Two)
16. Ada Cartmel Cropper (grandmother of Eric Cropper); late nineteenth century studio portrait; photo mount reads “C.W. Wiggins, Talbot Rd, Blackpool”
17. Audrey Cropper nee Coward
18. Audrey Coward

Batch Six - Cropper Family Batch 2 (13 photos)

Martin has added this note: “Eric Stanley Cropper 1920-1986 was my father in law. I never met him when I married my wife Rachel in 1985.  I believe most of the photos are actually saved by him and his ex wife Audrey Cropper brought back all these photos when he died. He worked on the waterworks in the 50/60’s.”

1. Jack and Sara Cropper (walking along street)
2. Eric S. Cropper, navy photo with crewmates, including three ladies
3. Jackie and Rita Cropper (toddlers)
4. Jackie and Rita Cropper on a step
5. Eric S. Cropper and unknown woman (estimated date 1925)
6. Eric Cropper and Sophia Fitton
7. George Prescott, son of Mabel Cropper (duplicate of picture in Batch Two)
8. Eric Cropper (blurred image, in swimming trunks)
9. Eric and Audrey with Janet, 1950 (includes a baby, one adult man and three adult women)
10. Eric and Sara Cropper c.1920
11. Eric S. Cropper (estimated date 1922-1925)
12. Eric S. Cropper baby photo (estimated date 1921-1922)
13. Eric S. Cropper with navy friend

Batch Seven - Cropper Family Batch 3 (13 photos)

1. John and Sara Cropper with son Eric (c.1935?)
2. John C. Cropper with son Eric on bicycle seat (c.1927)
3. John C. Cropper (outdoors, walking)
4. Lilian and Adreen Cropper (daughters of Stanley and Dorothy); mounted photo with the following handwritten note on the mount: “Taken on August 18th 1930, Lilian 15 ½ months & Adreen 3 months”
5. Les Simmonds (in WW2 Army uniform), married Moira Cropper
6. Lilian and Adreen Cropper; studio photo
7. Joshua Ball Cropper; studio photo (c.1915-1920)
8. John Forshaw Cropper; studio photo by Vandyke, Liverpool. (Probably the John Forshaw Cropper b. 1857 Maghull, who married Catherine Ashcroft on 8 April 1885 at St. Andrew’s Church, Maghull. Father of Jessie Catherine Cropper in Batch Four.)
9. John Cropper, brother of Sara Cropper, with a horse.
10. John Cartmel Cropper with Eric Stanley Cropper (c.1930?)
11. John Cartmel Cropper (b.1888), wearing large flat cap
12. John Cartmel Cropper (b.1888) in retirement
13. John Cartmel Cropper (b.1888) as a teenager/young man (probably c.1900-1905); photo mount gives the name Lauder, of 37a Manchester Street, Liverpool and 4 Preston New Road, Blackburn.

Notes - John C Cropper (1888-1968) married Sarah Cropper in 1918, in Ormskirk registration district. They appear on the 1939 register:

1939 Register - Lyndhurst, Prescot Road, Melling

• John C Cropper 12 Oct 1888     M         M         Public Works Labourer (Heavy)
• Sarah Cropper  6 Aug 1889      F          M         Unpaid Domestic Worker
• Eric S Cropper 26 Oct 1920     M         S          Point Factory Laboratory Assistant
• Christine Finnigan        2 Jul 1934        F          S          At School
• [1 closed entry]

Joshua B Cropper and his wife Annie also appear on the 1939 register:

• 1939 Register - Fir Tree Farm, Bescar Road, Scarisbrick
• Joshua B Cropper         6 Nov 1896      M         M         Farmer
• Annie Cropper             25 Aug 1869    F          M         Unpaid Domestic Duties
• [3 closed entries]

Batch Eight - Cropper Family Batch 4 (25 photos)

1. Sophia Fitton in flowered dress and Eric Cropper in swimming trunks, on the beach
2. Tony Cropper
3. Sara Cropper aged 80 (so, c.1969?); colour photo
4. Stanley Cropper, brother of Sara, in police uniform
5. Sara Cropper in large straw hat (c.1910?)
6. Sara Cropper with others; outdoors, c.1940s/1950s
7. Robert Cropper, brother of Sara, in WW1 uniform
8. Sara Cropper in old age, wearing flowered dress
9. Robert Cropper in WW1 uniform; studio portrait
10. Robert Cropper in WW1 uniform; studio portrait; head and shoulders shot
11. Raymond, Vernon and a baby (apparently in their nursemaid/nanny’s arms?); Christmas 1924; studio portrait; mount reads “Ellis Empson, Waterloo, L’pool”
12. House on Prescot Road, Melling (duplicate from batch 2?)
13. unidentified studio portrait showing three children - girl, boy in sailor suit and younger boy in smock/dress, c.1910-1915
14. Pupil of Sara Cropper (older teenager or young adult woman, in costume for a play?); embossed lettering in corner suggests picture taken in Harrogate
15. Possibly Robert Cropper of Clent Farm. (A couple in their sixties or seventies, c.1900; Census return suggest that the Robert Cropper who lived at Clent Farm, Maghull was born in c.1863, so possibly these are actually his parents?)
16. Navy Cadets with Eric Cropper
17. Old House in Ormskirk? (Looks like a farmhouse, c.1890-1900. Young lady standing in doorway; her sleeves are flat rather than leg o’mutton, and she wears a belt with a large clasp.)
18. Naomi Cropper (c.1940s?)
19. Moira Cropper (c.1940s, floral print dress)
20. Mary Cropper; aged 3 or 4? (photo mount reads “Parisian Studios, 27 Church Street, Liverpool”, c.1910-1920?)
21. Mary Cropper; aged 3 or 4?
22. Mary Cropper; small child, outdoors, with dog
23. Mary and Naomi Cropper, daughters of Joshua and Annie; walking along a street, with adult man and woman
24. Mabel Cropper; head and shoulders shot, Gibson Girl hairstyle. (Looks like the same woman as in Batch Two.)
25. Mabel Cropper; studio portrait in oval mount, c.1900-1910?

Batch 9 - Assorted, poor quality (12 photos)

1. Unidentified House 2
2. Unidentified House 1
3. Tony Cropper in suit
4. Tony Cropper in Cricket pose
5. Three Men with Farming Tools
6. Possibly Tony Cropper
7. Photo Unknown Family
8. Melling Brass Band
9. Ladies by Gazebo
10. John C. Cropper and Eric Cropper
11. John C. Cropper and Eric Cropper back end of photo
12. Family but bad image 

Batch Ten - Books (5 photos)

1. Book of Common Prayer, annotated “S. Cropper”
2. Unidentified religious text, annotated “John C. Cropper”
3. Book of Common Prayer, annotated “S. Cropper, Bowkers Green, Aughton”
4. Unidentified Book, annotated “Miss Amy Fitton”
5. Cover of Book awarded to Amy Fitton as a class prize from St. Crysostom’s Sunday School. The teacher is identified as Miss F. Bird, and the vicar was E. Ernest.

Batch Eleven - Unidentified (15 photos)

1. Young Lady sitting on a bench, c.1900-1910
2. Lady in a pale long-sleeved outfit (possibly a pinafore), c.1900
3. Young man in soldier’s uniform posing on what could be a gazebo or bandstand, c.WW1
4. Melling Brass Band, performing outdoors
5. Reverse of Melling Brass Band photograph
6. Young lady in hat and buttoned bodice; the style of clothing suggests that it was taken c.1875-1885.
7. Unknown man with side-parted hair, wearing a coat, waistcoat, and large knotted cravat; the style of clothing suggests that it was taken c.1850-1860.
8. Unknown group of two adult women, one adult man and a baby (possibly Eric Cropper) sitting on the grass, c.1920
9. Unknown group, including sixteen adults, one older girl (seated) and one young girl (seated) outside a house, c.1900
10. Unknown lady wearing glasses, c.1900. The photographer’s mount includes the name Van Ralty.
11. Unidentified house, possibly a farmhouse. It features two chimneys, two windiws on the ground floor, two windows on the first floor, and some time of trellis or lattice around the front door. Part of another building is visible on the left edge of the photo.
12. Two men and one boy posing in a car; this is likely to be a souvenir photograph taken at a fair or similar event.
13. A man and a woman standing by a gate with two horses, c.1900 (oval-framed)
14. Two boys standing by a tree; one about 12 years old (wearing a watch chain on his waistcoat), the other about 15 years old, c.1900.
15. Two couples standing by a wall, possibly in a garden, c.1900.

Rachel Cropper (and others) at St Michael's School, Aughton, 1971

Peter Wilde, Keith Thompson, Samantha Tyrer, Glyn Roberts, John Burghly (Burghley?), Angela Rathbone, Michael Morgan, Tommy Flynn, Lorraine Evans, David Glyn, Paul (?), Debbie Lewis, Janet Sothern (Southern?), Alison Hopkins, Lynsy Kershaw, Daren (?), Robert Shirley, Diane (?), Elaine Banker, Alison Taylor, Helen Wall, Emma Riding, Heather Yoxon, Rachel Cropper, Peter Ashcroft, Catherine Cooney, Lynsie Ackroyd, Joanne (?), Graeme (?), Stephen (?), Richard Draper, Patrick Evans, Lesley (?), Alan (?)