Crompton Crompton, the grocer from Farrington

 
Here is a photograph of my great grandfather; his name was Crompton Crompton. It shows him standing outside his grocery business in Farrington, a few miles from Preston. The family connection is thus: he was the father of Lazarus Crompton who was my grandfather, and Lazarus was the father of my father, Fred Crompton. (I write about my great grandfather again in the poem on this blogsite: 'My great grandfather'.)
Crompton Crompton was born in 1834 in Over Darwen, near Blackburn. Apparently there is a Lower Darwen and an Over Darwen as well as just Darwen, and I believe a railway line or a river caused these divisions.

In 1856 on the 5 July Crompton Crompton married Mary Morris who was born one year after him. He lived a very long life (for those times): he lived until the age of 86, and died in July 1867. An uncle, Frank Crompton showed me Crompton Crompton's grave once. It’s in a corner of church graveyard, under a big tree.

So, Crompton Crompton had these children:

Julia, born 1858;

Louisa, born 1860;

Crompton Crompton, who died young at the age of 7;

Mary Elizabeth, born 1864;

Lazarus (my grandfather) born 1865;

Crompton Crompton (the second child to be named as such), born 1868;

Albert Edward, born 1870 died 1879;

and Benjamin, born 1874.

So there’s a small snippet about my great grandfather and a great photo of him, whiskers and all. It’s not a great picture but it’s the best I have, and I guess I’m lucky to have it.

Dennis Crompton © 2013
(first published www.denniscrompton.wordpress.com 2013)