John Cronkshaw was the son of Leonard Cronkshaw and his wife Ellen (née Hartley) of Pendle in Lancashire.
John was baptized on 23 November 1720, and entered Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1739 at the age of 18. He was awarded the degree of B.A. in 1742 and that of M.A. in 1759. In 1760 he was admitted a Fellow Commoner of St John's College, Cambridge.
John married Anne Bell at St Dunstan, Stepney, on 21 December 1763. Ann must have died, because John subsequently married Mary Williams at St Luke's Old Street in London on 9 April 1779.
John and Mary had a son John who was baptised on 26 February 1780 in Sawbridgeworth, and a daughter Mary who was baptised on 3 March 1781, also in Sawbridgeworth.
John then served as Curate of St James the Great Thorley. Whilst at Thorley, John and Mary had a daughter Sarah who was born on 12 March 1782, a son Thomas Charles who was born on 11 November 1784, a son Thomas who was born on 24 December 1785, and a son Robert who was born on 16 February 1787.
On 8 February 1788 John was instituted as Vicar of Broomfield, near Chelmsford in Essex where he served for only a matter of months prior to his death on 30 August 1788.
John and his infant son Robert are buried in the Churchyard of St James the Great, adjacent to the north wall of the Church.
Philip Hargrave
February 2014