Dr John Gifford Croker

Although the author of the slim volume A Guide to the Eastern Escarpment of Dartmoor is not given and was compiled by “One ...... who oft has “trod” its hill and dale magnificent”, quoting Carrington´s poem the text is generally attributed to John Gifford Croker, a doctor from Bovey Tracey. Completed in May 1851, Croker’s guide was probably the first attempt at a walking guide to the moor. Unlike other works on the moor such as those by Crossing or Rowe’s Perambulations which kept a historical-geographical scientific approach, this work was designed to aid the tourist or the Explorator of Dartmoor.

The volume also includes a large folding map (in full wash hand-colouring) which, given its rather amateur execution, makes it a reasonable guess that Croker also drew this. Although it does give three geological rock formations in its key, one has the feeling that this was just an added extra. There were four publishers listed on the title page but some of them may merely have been retailers and distributors of the work. Roger Lidstone was listed for Devonport and Plymouth, A Holden in Exeter and Kirkman & Thackray in London as well as J E Searle, who also printed the work, and was probably the main publisher.

Dr John G Croker was born 1788 in Bridgwater in Somerset but lived most of his life in Bovey Tracey on the edge of the eastern part of the moor most f his life. He died in 1859 in Ipplepen, only a few miles away. He was a keen naturalist and geologist and a collection of fossils he accumulated is now held at Epsom College. When his medical notes were discovered in 1822 they revealed that he had experimented with vaccinations for whooping cough and smallpox on his own children (and may have locked them in the attic as a form of quarantine).[1]



Size 438 x 325 mm. Scale of Statute Miles (5 miles = 100 mm).

Eastern Escarpment of Dartmoor centre top in “Handwritten” script. No signatures or imprints. There is a key to geological structure (granite, carbonaceous schist and trap sienite) in three colours bottom right and the map is wash-coloured. Scale at bottom (Be-Ce). There is a small compass point (Ea).

The map area extends from Ashburton (De) and Bovey Tracey (Ed) to Cawson Hill (Aa).

1. 1851 A Guide to the Eastern Escarpment of Dartmoor.
Chudleigh. J E Searle. (1851).[2]              BL[3], KB, [NDL], [DevA][4].




[1] This account of Croker´s life is based on the page of Christopher-Andrew-Meadowcroft at genealogy.conm and genuki.org.uk Bovey Tracey.

[2] See text for information on other publishers. A slim volume of only 26 pages, the last page is dated Bovey-Tracey, May, 1851.

[3] BL RB.23.a.22725 (two copies).

[4] The Local Studies Catalogue is confusing and lists 3 copies: 1851 28pp Kirkman & Thackray; c.1852 Kirkman & Thackray; and 1852 41pp. Roger Lidstone.

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