William John Croot was born in Bedminster Bristol in 1859, the son of William , a tanner labourer and Ann (nee Martin.)

William John Croot 

He was apprenticed as a pupil teacher to the Bedminster Boy’s British School, Bristol in 1873. In 1877 he gained a Queen’s Scholarship, First Division and proceeded in due course to Borough Road Training College, London, where he spent two years, after which he was appointed headmaster of Govilion British School and held this post for five years.

In 1885 he became the headmaster of Goytrey British School and in April the same year married Phoebe Ann Pritchard in Crickhowell.

Their son Benjamin William was born on 14th October 1889, he also became a school teacher and remained living in Goytre.

Benjamin married Margaret Ann Jones in 1916 at St Peter’s Church Goytre.

William Croot retired in 1932 after 43 years of teaching in Monmouthshire. He moved to Llanvihangel, Abergavenny where his wife Phoebe died in March 1932, leaving her estate valued £4,136 to her son Benjamin. William John Croot died in 1945, also leaving his estate of £2505 6s 6d to his son Benjamin.

Benjamin William Croot died in a convalescent home in Redditch in December 1978, his wife Margaret died much earlier in 1941.