San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Croudace, Lenore ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 31, 2010, 9:55 pm Source: California and Californians, Vol. IV, Published 1932, Pages 117 - 118 Author: The Lewis Publishing Company LENORE CROUDACE, one of the most tireless workers among California's literary artists, has been doing creative as well as routine work ever since she was a student at the University of California. Before speaking of her useful life work something should be said of her father, the late Frederick William Croudace, long an honored citizen of San Francisco. Frederick William Croudace was born at Newcastle on Tyne, England, May 1, 1842. He was a member of a family distinguished for eight centuries in Norman- English political history, a family related to the Earl of Durham and the Duke of Norfolk and other Norman noblemen. His father, Dr. George Croudace, was a distinguished physician, associated in the advancement of scientific theories and a follower and admirer of Spencer and Huxley. While the Victorian age was a victorian regime and was characterized by more or less hostility toward the old Norman families and their descendants in England, Frederick William Croudace as one of these descendants remained thoroughly English in his sympathies, quixotic in his loyalty, though protesting against a system of favoritism which had overlooked the best qualities in the Norman race. At the age of nineteen he left England and after a brief stay in British Columbia came to California. He had been educated at the Christ Hospital for the profession of medicine. On coming to San Francisco he opened one of the early drug stores in the city. From that time until his death he never left the city, and thus his entire adult life was devoted to San Francisco, California, and the country of his adoption. In 1879 he married Irene Alice Hamilton, and their only child is Miss Eleanor (Lenore) M. Croudace. Mrs. Croudace was English by birth but indirectly connected with Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. She was the step-daughter of Col. George W. Holmes, Royal Artillery, who came to California about the same time as Mr. Croudace. An enthusiastic idealist of the first rank, Frederick W. Croudace is remembered with love by every one who knew him. He established himself as a printer and publisher, was for years the publisher of the Breviate of Records and other commercial papers, but his business career represents only a small portion of his activities. He was prominent in the group of early San Franciscans which included James V. Coleman, Theodore Payne, Warren Payne and Daniel O'Connell in originating the Bohemian Club as a gathering of gentlemen who met in a spirit of good fellowship, and lent their encouragement to writers, artists, musicians and talent of all kinds. He always took a great interest in politics, both American and English, and did much to elect many friends to public office, with name and fame, while remaining comparatively unknown himself as a power behind the throne. Toward the end of his life he became deeply engrossed with the subject of Norman world politics, the renown the members of that race had won in all parts of the world and in all fields of activity, not only in America but in the British colonies of England, Australia, Egypt, Canada and South Africa. Mr. Croudace's political method was entirely a pacific one. He never seized an iota of political power, and his friends and relatives who followed his lead in England adhered to his policy. Every political victory was won by conferring a favor or benefit and by making a friend. According to his idea the Norman rule was essentially a Norman service. Mr. Willis Polk, the architect, said at Mr. Croudace's funeral: "Fred Croudace never made an acquaintance who did not become a friend." Another writer recognized his devoted quality of political enthusiasm by saying that all the romance of San Francisco went to the grave with Frederick W. Croudace. He passed away January 28, 1916. Mrs. Croudace ardently cooperated with her husband in all his plans and ideals and carried out his work in the same spirit of self sacrifice. At the time of her death in 1927 she was a valued and loved member of nearly all the prominent clubs, civic and social, in San Francisco. Lenore Croudace was born at San Francisco, was educated in public schools there and was graduated from the University of California in 1893. She was secretary of her class, and "medalist," being the first coed to have this distinction at the university. She had been a contributor to the college paper, and immediately after her graduation entered the newspaper field with the San Francisco Bulletin, as a special writer. During the next three years she contributed over 156 stories for that paper. She was with the Bulletin for a number of years, being dramatic critic eight years and military editor eight years. In addition to her work as editor she was engaged in productive writing, contributing verse, stories and feature articles to the Bulletin and other periodicals and magazines. For a time she was editorial writer for the "Gleason's." Ill health compelled her to desist from her editorial routine, but she went on with her writing. As author she is well known for three books: Opening Vista (plays and verse); Misty Day (lyrics); Burning Gauze (plays and lyrics). She has also written four novels, and more than thirty plays. In 1931 she published Poems of Destiny including two plays, "The Severed Dynasty," and "Liars in Paradise." During her father's lifetime she came to understand his attitude toward life and world problems, and she too has spent much of her time laboring for various causes, such as woman's suffrage, American freedom, religious freedom, international questions and Norman world politics. She is a member and literary critic of the Pacific Coast Woman's Press Club; member of the Golden Gate Improvement Association; member of the Stratford Shakespeare Society; member Cap and Bells Club; member Central Council of Civic Clubs and on its board of directors and a past historian. 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