Captain John Frissell Crellin
Title: Captain
Epithet: MHK, MLC, CP, JP (1889-1981)
Record type: Biographies
Biography: From ‘New Manx Worthies’ (2006):
Although born in Douglas, John Frissell Crellin was reared at Ballachurry, St Judes, Andreas, where he lived most of his life. He was the eldest of four sons and was educated at St Jude's Church School and King William's College.
His original training was in engineering and he served his apprenticeship at the Coalbrookdale ironworks in Shropshire. He rowed on the Severn in his spare time, his eight winning a number of cups.
He developed an interest in sailing in pre-war years, taking part in a number of Fleetwood to Ramsey races. He was an official of the Ramsey Yacht Club whose burgee was in those days a rumpy cockerel. His own yacht was the small gaff-rigged cutter Bollan Bane, built by Clucas’s whose yard was just upstream of the Ramsey Swing Bridge.
On the outbreak of World War I, John Crellin joined the Middlesex Regiment as a private. In 1916 he was commissioned into the Sherwood Foresters, rising to the rank of captain. He was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel which pierced his leg but missed the bone, enabling him to walk afterwards without hindrance. On another occasion, shrapnel chipped a lump off his revolver, saving him from further injury. He was awarded the MC with bar and wore the 1914-1915 campaign star.
After the Armistice and the death of his father, John Crellin came home to manage his property and make good the havoc of the war years. From this time on he was always known locally as 'The Cap-tin' and he became a founder member and president of the Ramsey Branch of the British Legion. One of his first priorities at Ballachurry was to erect a windmill to provide a continuous water supply; this system lasted until the provision of mains water by the Northern Water Board at the outbreak of World War II.
In 1922 John was elected MHK for Ayre and was also made a JP. Thereafter politics occupied much of his life. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1943 and remained in government until 1962, completing 40 years' continuous service in Tynwald.
His greatest contribution was during his 30 years as chairman of the Local Government Board, responsible for the laying of insular water supplies, sewage facilities and the construction of new estates. Great changes were required to meet the demands of Jurby aerodrome and other wartime facilities. He also wore uniform once again during World War II when he became O/C local troops guarding the aerodrome and various other military installations around the Island.
John Frissell Crellin was a director of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and was chairman during the post-World War II years when the fleet was being rebuilt to replace the wartime losses. He was also vice-chairman of the Isle of Man Bank.
He was Captain of the Parish of Andreas for 42 years, a trustee of King William's College and a president of the Barrovian Society. He was also a warden of St. Jude's Church for many years and was awarded the OBE for his services to the Manx community.
John Frissell Crellin was a large, well-built man who kept himself fit despite a busy life. He never owned a car and would cycle to Sulby Bridge station in fair weather and foul for his Douglas meetings. He was a great supporter of public transport and used the train and bus whenever possible.
The Raven Club in Ramsey, of which he was a founder member, and the Ellan Vannin Club in Douglas were essential facilities for businessmen in those days, both for work and shelter. He used both to the full.
Like most of his wartime colleagues, John enjoyed his pipe. One evening when returning home in the train he felt ill and decided to stop smoking. He never touched tobacco again from that moment!
He loved his home and his family. His knowledge and interest in gardening, trees, the countryside and wildlife proved a welcome diversion from the cares of government and business. He was by nature a conservative man of the establishment; always kind and approachable, he helped people whenever possible and, in turn, received enormous support from his wife who predeceased him. Though gregarious, he hated undue fuss and characteristically chose for himself a private funeral.
Biography written by John Christian Crellin (son).
(With thanks to Culture Vannin as publishers of the book: Kelly, Dollin (general editor), ‘New Manx Worthies’, Manx Heritage Foundation/Culture Vannin, 2006, pp.135-6.)
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Nationality: Manx
Gender: Male
Date of birth: 22 November 1889
Date of death: 26 March 1981