Charles Crocker, Chichester’s Forgotten Poet

At our September ’23 meeting Alan Green gave us a very interesting introduction to the Chichester poet Charles Crocker (1797-1861) probably previously unknown to most of our audience. Charles came from a poor family, was educated at Grey Coat Charity School in Chichester from age seven. He was then apprenticed to a shoemaker, and composed verses in his head while he worked. In 1839 he started work with the Chichester printer, publisher and bookseller William Hayley Mason in East St. In 1830 Mason published Crocker’s first slim volume of verse. In 1845 Crocker became sexton of the cathedral and remained devoted to the building until his death. He wrote a poem to his wife Mary, which only exists in m/s and is on the flyleaf of a copy of the third edition of his collected poems. The Crockers lived in Somerstown, Little London, Tower St. and 28 South St.  – see blue plaque outside Kim’s Bookshop. He died not long after the collapse of the Cathedral spire in 1861. No doubt the shock of the collapse had some bearing on his death. His funeral was a Chichester Cathedral, followed by a solemn procession to St Paul’s Church in Northgate where he was buried.

       His poetry has a local flavour with one called The River Lavant (18 stanzas) remembering childhood play at the river, flooding and the solace he gained from walking by the peaceful river. Another poem concerns Kingley Vale from various view points. Extracts from the poems were ably read by our members Louise James, Marjorie James and Pat Sparkes.

Crocker also wrote poems commemorating his sons who died in infancy at age six and three.

The Hampshire Advertiser carried an obituary and records him being universally respected for his kindness of character and his talents and being long known as the Chichester Poet.

       An article on him appeared in CLHS Journal in 2013 and Number 10 of the New Chichester Papers is called Charles Crocker Chichester’s Forgotten Poet – see publication details below. Three volumes of his poetry were on display for members to view. The Chichester New Papers Number 10 was on view and available for purchase.

      Out thanks to Alan Green for such an interesting introduction to a local poet from long ago, who celebrated the natural world and our local beauty spots.

Further Reading

Andrew Berriman, Alan HJ Green Ed. , Richard Williamson. Charles Crocker Chichester’s Forgotten Poet. Chichester Local History Society in Association with the University of Chichester, 2019. New Chichester Papers Number 10.   ( 36p. booklet – it should be available from Kim’s Bookshop and the Novium bookshop)

Lois Coulthart