Little Alice Croucher, orphan

Alice Frances Croucher Head

Of Grandmother's lineage we know very little. She was born in Dorset, England. The family name was Croucher, her father was a railway engineer who fell on the tracks in an accident and was crushed to death at a young age {Alice was only one}.

Her mother remarried and died shortly after (most likely of cancer), leaving Grandmother at the age of 12 and her sister Amelia, age 16. Family friends thought it was improper for the girls to remain living with a stepfather at their ages so plans were made for them to go to Scotland 'in service' to a wealthy family who resided in what had been the summer estate of Mary Queen of Scots.

The girls were quite young so their main duties were that of nannies to the children and simple seamstresses. They were full of mischief and one story told by Grandmama was that of the time that Amelia, now engaged to a rather high-strung young man, dressed a dressmaker's mannequin in a long black dress, high white collar (as worn in Queen Mary's time) and powered it with sulfur Of course the mannequin had no head.

They lead the unsuspecting young man into the wine cellar on the pretext of being sent for some vintage wine. When they approached where the mannequin had been hidden Amelia blew out the candle and made moaning noises. There in plain sight was the headless 'ghost' of Mary Queen of Scots giving out an eerie light. The poor man had to be helped to bed where he remained all the next day and evening.

As the girls gained skills enough to become full-fledged seamstresses and could qualify as governesses, they were sent for by the de Summary family on the island of Guernsey. As was the custom they spent their days in the upstairs children's wing where they had their quarters and were served meals with the children.

Their 'place' was not downstairs, but as they grew older they frequently snuck down the servants back spiral staircase in the evenings to visit with the adult servants who gathered in the kitchen to discuss current events or gossip around the estate. No doubt this was the only way they became aquatinted with the ways of the world.