CROSSLEY, Frank William
Frank William Crossley was baptised at St Clement's church, Ipswich on 31 December 1865, eldest son of William Platt Crossley (1839-8 May 1895), who came to Ipswich in 1857 as second master of Christ's Hospital Day School in Foundation Street, and married at St Clement's Church, Ipswich on 24 September 1862, Martha Harvey Bennett (1837-7 January 1927), eldest daughter of builder the late John Bennett. In 1881, Frank was a 15-year-old apprentice to an architect, living at School House, School Street, Shire Hall Yard, Ipswich with his parents, William 41, now a headmaster, and Martha 44, and siblings Kate Martha 14, John Bennett 12, Charles Pratt 11, Arthur Barker 9, Hartley Holgate 7, and Lavinia 3, all born at Ipswich. Frank studied at Ipswich School of Science & Art and in 1880, obtained his certificate in freehand drawing and his pass certificate in 1884 and from where he exhibited 'set of architectural drawings' at South Kensington School of Art. Crossley became a prolific designer of houses for local builders and in 1905 had an office at St Mildred's Chambers, Cornhill, Ipswich. In 1911, an unmarried 44-year-old architect, living at 17 Philip Road, Ipswich with his widowed mother Martha and they were still living there in 1921. Frank William Crossley died at Looms Farm, Burgh, Woodbridge, Suffolk on 16 December 1932.