John Croft (wine merchant) facts for kids

John Croft (1732–1820) was an English wine merchant who lived in York and Oporto, Portugal. He was also known for his interest in old books and writing. People thought he was a bit unusual, or 'eccentric', because of his unique style.

His Life Story

Early Years and Family

John Croft was born in 1732 in Stillington, North Yorkshire. He was the fifth son of Stephen Croft and Elizabeth Anderson. His mother was the daughter of Sir Edmund Anderson, 4th Baronet.

Working in the Wine Trade

John Croft traveled to Oporto, Portugal, to work in the wine business. His family already had strong connections there. Another John Croft, who was his first cousin, had joined a British wine company in Oporto in 1736. This company was known as Tilden, Thompson & Croft.

After spending some time in Oporto, John Croft returned to York. He became a partner in a wine merchant company called Messrs George Suttrell & Co.

Life in York

In 1770, John Croft gained the freedom of the city of York. This meant he had special rights as a citizen. In 1773, he served as one of York's sheriffs. Sheriffs were important officials who helped manage the city.

John Croft became a well-known person in York. He was famous for his unusual way of dressing. People even gave him the nickname "Scrapeana" after one of his books.

He passed away at his home on November 18, 1820. He was buried in York Minster on November 24, 1820.

His Writings

John Croft published several books and collections of writings. Here are some of his notable works:

• A Treatise on the Wines of Portugal (1787): This book was all about the wines of Portugal. It also included a discussion on wines imported into Great Britain. He dedicated this book to William Constable of Burton Constable Hall. A second edition was published in 1788.
• A Small Collection of the Beauties of Shakspeare (1810): This book contained a collection of famous parts from William Shakespeare's plays. It was followed by Annotations on Plays of Shakespear, which were notes on Shakespeare's plays.
• Scrapeana, Fugitive Miscellany, Sans Souci (1792): This was a collection of jokes and interesting stories. He dedicated it to Józef Boruwłaski.
• Excerpta Antiqua; or a Collection of Original Manuscripts (1797): This book was a collection of old, original handwritten documents.
• Rules at the Game of Chess (1808): This book, published anonymously, provided rules for playing chess.
• Memoirs of Harry Rowe (published after 1799): This book told the story of Harry Rowe, a famous showman who died in 1799. John Croft published this book to raise money for the York Dispensary, a charity that helped sick people.

His book Scrapeana included a story about Elizabeth Sterne, who was the wife of Laurence Sterne. Stephen Croft of Stillington (1713–1798), who was John Croft's brother, was a friend of Laurence Sterne. In 1795, John Croft sent a collection of stories about Laurence Sterne to Caleb Whitefoord. These stories were later published by William Hewins. They were described as a not-so-friendly description of Sterne.

His Family

John Croft married Judith Bacon in 1774. Judith was the daughter of Francis Bacon, who was an alderman (a type of city official) in York. Her mother was Catherine Hildrop. John and Judith had two sons.