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William Walter Hopcroft, a native of England, was born in Old Windsor, Berkshire, England. He lived with his family at Windsor Castle in England where his father worked and eventually re-located to California in the 1870’s, settling down in Bakersfield and Oakland (S.C. Sentinel 11/26/1978 and 1900 Oakland census) . In 1900, William ran a saloon and restaurant at 1300 Fruitvale Ave. in the Cedar Brook Hotel, Oakland (S.C. Sentinel 11/24/1910). Eventually Hopcrft moved to Santa Cruz around 1920 with his first wife, Ada, and became proprietor of the Owl Taxi Company. He lived there for many years after, at his home on Highland Ave. with Ada and later with his second wife Cornelia. William gave tours of scenic views such as Big Basin, Big Trees, and 17-Mile Drive in Monterey with his Taxi service (1920 Santa Cruz Census, S.C. Sentinel 8/4/1927). William Hopcroft was also a member of the Santa Cruz Odd Fellows and received a fifty year membership jewel in honor of his participation (S.C. Evening News 11/23/1932). William Walter passed away in 1936 at the age of seventy-eight. He was survived by three sisters living in San Jose, Detroit, and England, and two brothers in England and Hollister. He was also survived by his second wife Cornelia Hopcroft (S.C. Evening News 7/14/1937). William was interred at I.O.O.F. crematory (S.C. Sentinel 7/171937).
William W. Hopcroft’s second wife Cornelia Hopcroft (1878-1983) was a native of San Bernadino and traveled to Santa Cruz County by horse and buggy. Orphaned at the age of eleven, she would became a foster daughter of the Rodriguez family, living with them at the Santa Cruz Mission Adobe ( S.C. Sentinel 7/8/1983). Cornelia was taken in by the Rodriguez family in 1890, as a companion to Eloise Rodriguez and lived with her and her brothers Roman Rodriguez (Jr.) and Ismael who treated Cornelia like a sister (S.C. Sentinel 11/26/1978). Cornelia was the last member of the family to live in the historic Santa Cruz Mission Adobe which Roman Rodriguez (Sr.) took residence in with his family in 1838. Various members of the family had lived there for approximately one-hundred twenty-five years (S.C. Sentinel 10/27/1963). After marrying William Hopcroft of the Owl Taxi Company around 1929, Cornelia lived with him at a house on Highland Ave. until his death in 1936 (S.C. census and S.C. Sentinel 7/8/1983). After her husband’s death Cornelia eventually took up residence in the adobe. The year 1945 sees Cornelia throwing a birthday party for Ernest Otto, author of the Santa Cruz Sentinel column “Old Santa Cruz” and by 1957, Cornelia was residing at the adobe (S.C. Sentinel 7/10/1945). In 1957 the adobe became a State Monument and Cornelia was awarded the privilege of being a tenant for life. Cornelia resided at the adobe until her death in 1983 at the age of one hundred and five years old. Memorial and services were held at Holy Cross Church and Old Holy Cross Cemetery (S.C. Sentinel 7/8/1983).
Jack (John) Lane, the author of the manuscript book that serves as a “scrapbook” used by the Hopcroft’s in this collection, was proprietor and general manager for the Bijou Theatre of San Francisco in the 1890’s. His play “Never Despair” was produced at the Bijou on May 30th, 1892. The play appears to have centered on a story of Jack, a man estranged from his family due to an unapproved marriage, and must flee murder accusation he may be falsely accused of. Although the play was well-received and appreciated by audiences, the actors’ performances were ill received by critics who stated that the play had some merit, but “the cast was wretched” (San Francisco Call 5/31/1892). The Bijou Theatre was located on Market Street in San Francisco and was formally known as The Casino. Under its new name, The Bijou became a vaudeville and burlesque theatre, yet despite productions the Bijou prided itself on discouraging performances on stage that were “grotesque” or coarse in character, and prided itself on giving performances that were of the “highest character of excellence” and engaging the “best artists” (qtd. From San Francisco Call 5/15/1891). Playbills and the script for Jack Lane’s play “Never Despair” appear in this collection, serving as a scrapbook for postcards belonging to the Hopcrofts of Oakland and Santa Cruz. It is uncertain how they came by Jack Lane’s manuscript.
