The Craig Family

 Charles & Louisa Craig, 

Clyde Craig & Cecil Craig

By 1969 the clock on Melbourne Church was in serious need of an overhaul. The mechanism was worn and it required the manual winding up of the heavy weights by the steeple keeper, Mr Fred Turner, twice a week.

It was decided to convert it to an electric system if the money could be found.

Ivy Craig lived in Ilford, Essex and had never been to Melbourne but she knew a lot about the town. Her parents had got married there and she wrote frequently to the Vicar and a friend, Maud Parker, an ex-teacher from Melbourne school with a huge knowledge of Melbourne's history. 

Ivy's mother, Louisa was born in Melbourne and lived on South Street. Her father, Samuel, was a Market Gardener. 

Charles Craig who was born in Bow, East London where his father was a builder's Merchant. Charles was working as a Commercial Traveller when he met Ivy and they got married in Melbourne in 1894. 

They went to live in Ilford in Essex and had 3 children, Ivy, Clyde and Cecil. Charles later became a Decorator & Shop Fitter.

Although Ivy had never visited Melbourne she kept up her mother's connection with the Jackson family and also with Maud Parker.

Her father Charles died in 1941, aged 73 and her mother in 1961, aged 91. Her brother Clyde died in 1959, aged 55 and Cecil died in 1962, aged 60. None of the children married. 

Ivy decided to make a gift of the £650 needed to repair the clock in memory of her parents, Charles and Louisa and her 2 brothers, Clyde Leslie and Cecil Jackson Craig. 

The repairs were completed by Smith's of Derby who supplied the original clock in 1882.