Family and Education

bap. 13 June 1660, 1st s. of John Croker of Lyneham by Jane, da. of Sir John Pole, 1st Bt.†, of Shute, Devon.  educ. M. Temple 1680.  m. (1) c.1691, da. and h. of Richard Hillersdon, 1da.; (2) 16 Mar. 1696, Katherine, da. and coh. of John Tucker of Exeter, Devon, s.p.1

Offices Held

Freeman, Plympton Erle 1689, alderman 1692; gov. Dartmouth 1699–?1715.2

Biography

Croker, a Whig from an old Devon family, had supported the Revolution, which he described to his cousin Sir George Treby* in 1690 as ‘our present happy settlement’. He was returned on the Treby interest for Plympton in 1695. Forecast as likely to support the ministry in the division of 31 Jan. 1696 on the proposed council of trade, he signed the Association in February and the following month voted for fixing the price of guineas at 22s. On 25 Nov. he voted for the attainder of Sir John Fenwick†. He was given leave of absence for five weeks on 15 Jan. 1697. In an analysis of the 1698 Parliament he was classified as a Court supporter, though this was subsequently queried. He was listed as a supporter of Treby and Lord Somers (Sir John*) in early 1700. On 23 May 1701 he was granted leave of absence for the recovery of his health, and Robert Harley* listed him as a Whig in December. He told on 28 Apr. 1702 in favour of bringing in a private bill relating to Irish forfeitures, and on 13 May to grant a drawback on the duty on salt exported to Scotland, but did not stand at the 1702 election. Croker died in 1740.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Author: Eveline Cruickshanks

Notes

• 1. Her. and Gen. viii. 380; Burke, LG (1952), 305; IGI, Devon.
• 2. J. B. Rowe, Hist. Plympton, 139, 184, 186; CSP Dom. 1699–1700, p. 161; Boyer, Pol. State, i. 389; iv. 65.
• 3. HMC 13th Rep. VI, 27; Rowe, 186.