Henry Croft

Henry Croft (January 15, 1856 — July 28, 1917) was an Australian-born lumber and mining magnate on Vancouver Island from the 1880s to 1900s. Born in Australia, Croft moved to England at a young age and was educated there. He moved to Canada in 1883 and became involved in logging, purchasing the sawmill in Chemainus. Croft rose in prominence through his running of the mill, and further enhanced his standing by marrying a daughter of Robert Dunsmuir, a prominent industrialist on Vancouver Island. Croft was elected to the British Columbia Legislature in 1886, representing Cowichan, serving until 1894. He later became involved in mining on Mount Sicker, and founded the town of Crofton, British Columbia in 1902 as a place to house the smelter for mining.

Henry Croft MLA
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Cowichan
In office 1886–1884 Serving with Theodore Davie
Preceded by	Henry Fry
Succeeded by	Theodore Davie and James Mitchell Mutter
Personal details
Born	January 15, 1856 Darling Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died	July 28, 1917 (aged 61) Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Political party	None
Spouse(s)	Mary Jean Dunsmuir
Profession	Miner

Biography

Croft was born at Darling Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in a place called Mount Adelaide. His mother died when Croft was one, so his family moved to England. Croft attended Rugby School and then the Derby School of Mines.[1] In 1883 he moved to Canada to join his brother Ted, who was then on Vancouver Island. Croft arrived in the town of Chemainus in July 1883 and began negotiating to purchase the sawmill there, seeing potential with the E&N Railroad, agreeing to buy the mill in August for $22,000.[1]

It was here he met Mary Jean Dunsmuir, daughter of Robert Dunsmuir, a prominent coal miner in the region. Croft and Mary Jean were married on June 29, 1885. Though the wedding itself was small, guests included William Smithe, the Premier of British Columbia, and Theodore Davie, the Attorney-General.[2]

In 1890, Croft was elected to the British Columbia Legislature with 146 votes, or 34.27% of the ballots, representing the Cowichan region. He served this post for the next four years.[3]

He had developed the prosperous Lenora mine at Mount Sicker in 1898. By 1902, his mine was producing more ore than railway cars could load and haul away to the Ladysmith and Nanaimo ports. Inspired by significant profits, Croft bought a townsite near Mount Sicker and established the town of Crofton to build a copper smelter and house his workers. The smelter would last until 1908 when world copper prices fell, and while there were plans to build a large sawmill, it was never completed.

On July 28, 1917, Croft died at the age of 61 at his home, Mount Adelaide, in Victoria. Mary died on August 15, 1928.

Association

Henry Croft was a member of many different societies as a result of his mining involvement:

• Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
• Member of the Institute of Mining Engineers
• Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers

References

1. Paterson 2007, p. 43
2. Paterson 2007, p. 44
3. Elections British Columbia 1988, p. 55

Bibliography

• Elections British Columbia (1988), Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871–1986, Victoria, BC: Queen's Printer for British Columbia, ISBN 0-7718-8677-2
• Francis, Daniel, ed. (1999), Encyclopedia of British Columbia, Vancouver: Harbour Publishing, ISBN 1-55017-200-X
• Haley, P.; Killick, D. (1988), Crofton: The Early Years, Duncan, British Columbia: Duncan Print Craft
• Paterson, T.W. (2007), Riches to Ruin: The Boom to Bust Saga of Vancouver Island's Greatest Copper Mine, Duncan, British Columbia: Firgrove Publishing, ISBN 0-921271-21-2