A Tribute from The Religious Society of Friends:

 

TESTIMONY TO THE GRACE OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF CROFTON ENDRES GANE


Crofton Endres Gane died at Bristol on the 15th October 1967 when he was 89 years old. He never grew old. He had a continuous joy in living and his questing, eager, always hopeful spirit sustained him. Even in his last years when his tall figure was bent and his hearing was difficult he used to sing to himself as he walked across the Downs on his way to Meeting for Worship.

He was fascinated by fresh ideas and quick to give the word of encouragement. He was continually writing to people who were undertaking some creative service. To everything that was making a "contribution" (to use his favorite word) he was willing to give his great energy, his thought and his money, At the same time he was a strong individualist, always seeking Christian truth with much reading and eager discussion.

He was a Bristol man. He inherited a fine, if conservative, furnishing business, and he turned it into a centre of forward looking and creative design and craftsmanship.  His shop and factory were destroyed by air raids in 1940, but his main interest and purpose continued and when he later brought the business to an end he established the Gane Trust. This is mainly concerned to promote good design by craft organization and the encouragement of individual craftsmen.   Funds are also made available for educational and social service projects.

Crofton Gane's entry into public life was through the Adult School Movement. He became Secretary of the Bristol Adult School Union, and he was well known in the National movement until the outbreak of the First World War. He joined the Friends Ambulance Unit and served first in a cross-channel ambulance ship and later with a Friends Unit in a motor convoy in France. He received the Croix De Guerre with palms for this work. He met his wife Grace during ambulance work and she fully shared his interests although she became severely handicapped with rheumatism.

After the 1914 War he and Bert Foyle helped to found the Folk House in Bristol — a lively centre of the Arts and of adult education. Paul Sturge became the Warden in 1921 and the Folk House has continued to develop and expand. All these activities, spread over his long life, arose from his faith in man's inherent dignity as a maker. He believed that man would come through because God is in him. He believed, therefore, in tomorrow. Beauty of form and excellence of craftsmanship were his delight. It was the main concern of his life that men should enjoy their work and find fulfillment in it. When he took part in vocal ministry in Redland Meeting, as he often did, this was the heart of his message and his whole life supported it.

Written in 1968

Picture:  Crofton Gane (left) with the Bauhaus architect, Marcel Breuer, c1935