A FAITHFUL SERVANT
LONG RECORD OF SERVICE. On October 13, Sergeant George Crooke, who had been doorkeeper at Westminster Catholic Cathedral since the building was opened 36 years ago, retired at the age of 82. In that long period he was absent from duty only for three weeks during illness, apart from his holidays. Sergeant Crooke, who was born in London, came out to Australia as a boy, and on returning to England he joined the army. He fought in many parts of Africa, from the Pyramids to Table Mountain. During the Egyptian campaign, when swimming in the Nile, a crocodile almost got him; it did get one of his comrades. When the cathedral was being built a charge was made to visitors who wanted to inspect it. In this way, Sergeant Crooke took £3500 in sixpences from > visitors before the formal opening of the sacred building. He has served under three cardinals, and the first service at the cathedral was a Requiem Mass for its founder, Cardinal Vaughan.
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Bibliographic details
Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4232, 17 January 1940, Page 3
Word Count
169A FAITHFUL SERVANT Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4232, 17 January 1940, Page 3
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