Lieutenant William CROOKSHANK

Source: Mackenzie, John, 1648, 1696 "A Narrative of the Siege of Londonderry" (1690) p.10 p.14

William Crookshanks was one of the "apprentice boys" that shut the city gates. On 10th December he was nominated Lieutenant of the first of six companies raised for the defence of the city. He was probably related to the Rev John Crookshanks, the Presbyterian minster of Raphoe who was a Derry man and died at the battle of Pentland. William was a member of the five man delegation led by George Philips which agreed to receive a garrison of Lord Mountjoy's men after the closing of the gates to Lord Antrim's troops. Crookshanks also dug deep into his own pocket to buy powder and arms from Scotland alongside other contributors like Kennedy, Long, Mackey, John Harvey, Hunt, Alexander Gordon, Hugh Davey, William Maxwell.

Source: The Siege of Londonderry and Battle of Aughrim, Lyrical Poetry and Biographical notes, Rev. John Graham, M.A., 1841

"Lieutenant Crookshank from our walls
Dismounts the enemy's cannon."
Armagh Poem

William Crookshank was one of the sherriffs of Derry in 1692, and John Crookshank an alderman in 1704. This family is still highly respectable in the city.

Source: www.lynx2ulster.com

"It is to the youthful apprentices of Londonderry that the city owes the foundations of her fame. Thirteen of these youths, \Vitliam Cairns, Henry Campsie, Alexander and John Coningham, Samuel Harvey, Samuel Hunt, William Crookshanks, Alexander Irwin, Robert Morrison, Daniel and Robert Sherrard, James Spike, and James Stewart, who appear, from their names, to have been of Scottish birth or descent, at the critical moment (7th December, 1689) when Antrim's men were already at the gates, having armed themselves and seized the keys of the city, flew to the Ferry Gate, and, closing it in the faces of the King's men, let down the portcullis. They then closed the three other gates of the city, placing guards at each."