John Cracroft-Amcotts

John Cracroft-Amcotts was born on 3 January 1891, the second of two sons of Major Frederick Augustus Cracroft-Amcotts, JP (1853–1897), of Kettlethorpe Hall in Lincolnshire, and his wife, Emily Grace (died 1936), JP, youngest daughter of Anthony Willson, of Rauceby Hall, Lincolnshire; his elder brother was Sir Weston Cracroft-Amcotts, and his father was the son of Weston Cracroft Amcotts, a Member of Parliament for Mid-Lincolnshire.[1]

Cracroft-Amcotts married, on 12 February 1930, May, widow of Frederic Martin Campbell and daughter of H. Redfearn-Shaw, an officer in the Malayan Civil Service; they had three daughters: Barbara Anne (born 1932, married Peter Hugh Davies), Erica Sylvia (born and died 1934) and Gillian Verity (1936-2019).[1]

Following schooling at Aysgarth and Stubbington, Cracroft-Amcotts trained on HMS Britannia.[2] He enrolled as a Midshipman in the Royal Navy on 15 May 1907,[3] and was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 15 September 1910,[4] and Lieutenant on 15 September 1913.[5] Cracroft-Amcotts served in Europe during World War I and, on 1 October 1917, received the Distinguished Service Cross;[6] he was also mentioned in dispatches twice.[7] He was promoted to be emergency Lieutenant-Commander on 15 September 1921.[8]

After being placed on the retired list of the Royal Navy, Cracroft-Amcotts went to Malaya, where he planted rubber. In 1931 he received Rauceby Hall and the connected estate by deed and gift. Three years later, he became a County Councillor for Kesteven and was elected an Alderman in 1950. In 1955, he became vice-chairman of the Council and served till his death. Cracroft-Amcotts also served as a Justice of the Peace (from 1933),[7] High Sheriff of Lincolnshire (in 1937) and a Deputy Lieutenant of the county (from 1951),[2] as well as chairman and then president of the Grantham and Sleaford Divisional Conservative Association.[7]

A keen angler, shooter, carpenter and painter, Cracroft-Amcotts carved and painted the shield of Kesteven County Council and presented it to hang in the authority's chamber. He died on 30 May 1956.[7]