Croaker was born in Kent in 1788 and became principle clerk at the local
bank. For fiddling with the accounts, he got 14 years in Australia. His
arrival coincided with the foundation of the Bank of New South Wales,
and Croaker set up its bookkeeping procedures. Later his interest turned
to brewing, farming and malting. He died after a shipwreck on the coast
of Chile. This biography is dryly humorous and a thoroughly good read.