Care home's historic link to Gladiator star's family is revealed

A WELSH care home once belonged to the family of film star Russell Crowe.

- STEVE BAGNALL Reporter [e-mail]

Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, who run the Pendine Park care organisation, were researching the history of Hillbury House, in Wrexham, when they uncovered its surprise link to the Gladiator star.

They have now launched a search to find any long-lost relatives of the Crowe family to help them mark two important milestones.

It's Pendine’s 40th anniversary this year, while Hillbury is celebrating its 60th anniversary as a care home that was originally opened by the Catholic Order of the Sisters of Nazareth. It became part of the Pendine organisation in 2003.

The house itself, a redbrick Victorian villa, was originally built in 1864 for a wealthy local businessman, John Bury.

Fast forward nearly a century and it was bought by Russell Crowe's greatuncle, Frank Crowe, who ran a successful fruit and veg company called Crofruit.

Mario and Gill found the link with the Crowe family when they were studying the deeds for Hillbury while researching the history of the property for their anniversary celebrations.

The document, signed by Frank Crowe on May 31, 1954, reveals he paid £6,000 for the property.