I am delighted to share some wonderful news with our readers: the new memorial is now in place in Croft.
 
This project has been a true community achievement. When official support was not forthcoming, residents, friends, and supporters came together to make sure our village had a fitting tribute to remember and reflect. Through countless donations and sheer determination, the dream of a memorial has become a reality.
 
The memorial now stands proudly at Croft Unitarian Chapel, providing a place where we can come together as a community to remember, reflect, and honour ALL those who served.

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed — whether you donated or simply helped spread the word. Every act of kindness and generosity played a part in bringing this lasting tribute to life.
A huge thank you goes to Mark Goddard who supplied and built the stand for the memorial.
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Already, the memorial has become a place of quiet significance, and we hope it will continue to serve generations to come as a reminder of both our history and the strength of our community spirit.
If you haven’t yet seen the memorial, we encourage you to visit, reflect, and take pride in what we have achieved together.

Hamlet Holcroft was born in Croft, the son of John Collier and Ellen Holcroft. He was baptised at Newchurch Parish Church on 18th June 1826.

The 1841 census has the family living at Mill Houses, Croft (now Mill House Lane). Hamlet is the eldest of six children.

He was arrested on 27th April 1846 and charged with ‘Having, at Southworth-with-Croft, feloniously assaulted and carnally known Sarah Green, a child 9 years of age.’
On 15th August 1846 the case was proved and evidence given to show that there had been penetration. He was found guilty of rape at Liverpool Assizes and sentenced to Transportation for Life. He remained in Liverpool Gaol until 10th September 1846, when he was prepared for transportation.

On 12th September 1846 a petition was made to free Hamlet by 34 inhabitants of Croft, pleading previous good character, first offence and youth. This was refused.

He departed the country along with 199 other convicts on 8th October 1846 aboard the Pestonjee Bomanjee and arrived at Van Diemen’s Land (later called Tasmania) on 17th February 1847.

His probation records state that he can neither read nor write. He seems to have continued with a life of crime, having various offences recorded with many visits to Port Arthur, a penal settlement for reconvicted persons. In 1858 he was found guilty of stealing a horse and sentenced to 4 years hard labour. The last comment on the paper record says,
‘Conditional Pardon 30th June 1863’.

Hamlet Holdcroft-Collier married Elizabeth Knowles on 12 February 1866 and went on to have 5 daughters and a son. They lived together in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia until Elizabeth died in 1901.
​Hamlet died on 19th January 1908.
 
Some 73,000 convicts were transported to Van Diemen’s Land mainly from the British Isles and Ireland, between 1803 and 1853, and convicts and their descendants formed the large majority of the population of the island colony throughout this time.