James Nias Croke

Commander James Nias Croke R.N. (1 February 1837 – 1879) was the fourth harbourmaster at the Port of Fremantle (1868–1874).

Croke was born in Falmouth, Cornwall on 1 February 1837,[1] the youngest son of Commander Wentworth Parsons Croke R. N. and Mary née Smith.

On 25 November 1858 he was appointed a lieutenant in the Royal Navy.[2] In 1863 he took command of HMS Investigator.[3]

Croke married Ida Frances Dickson (1838 – ?) in 1865. They had a one daughter, Ida Clara Mary.

On 28 April 1868 he was formally appointed the Fremantle Harbourmaster.[4][5]

In 1873 he was promoted to commander on the navy's retired list.[6] In the same year Dalgety Street was renamed Croke Street after him.[7]

In January 1874 Croke took a leave of absence and returned to England with his wife and daughter.[8] He failed to return, and his position was filled in November by George Forsyth.[9]

  1. ^ Admiralty (United Kingdom) (15 August 1856), Service record of James Nias Croke (PDF)
  2. ^ The Navy List. London: John Murray. 1873. p. 16.
  3. ^ "Mid-Victorian RN vessel HMS Investigator". Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Government Gazette". The Herald. Vol. 2, no. 14. Western Australia. 2 May 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 21 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Local and General News". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Vol. XXXI, no. 1, 535. Western Australia. 29 April 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 21 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Heads of Intelligence". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Vol. XXXIII, no. 2, 447. Western Australia. 23 April 1873. p. 3. Retrieved 21 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "City of Fremantle and Town of East Fremantle Street Names Index" (PDF). City of Fremantle. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Heads of Intelligence". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Vol. XXXIV, no. 2, 486. Western Australia. 28 January 1874. p. 2. Retrieved 22 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Mr. John Forrest". The Herald. Vol. VIII, no. 43. Western Australia. 28 November 1874. p. 3. Retrieved 22 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.