Charles Holcroft was born at Bilston, Staffs on 16 July 1831, the younger son of Thomas Holcroft of Brierley Hill, and was well known for over fifty years as a sucessful iron and coal master. He began his career in 1848 at Horseley Engineering Works, Tipton, as a junior in the drawing office. In 1856, and for some years afterwards, he was associated with his brother James and others in the firm of Messrs Hall, Holcroft and Pearson, whose business included laying down of plant and sinking of the first pits of the Conduit Colliery Company at Cannock Chase. This no doubt presented Charles with the opportunity to develop his leisure interest in geology. His brother James also shared the same interest and made a collection of some 500 specimens which included Coal Measure plant fossils. From 1876-1897, Charles Holcroft assembled a major collection of fossils, predominantly from the West Midlands area. The majority of the specimens are of Silurian and Carboniferous age and represent a wide variety of animal and plant groups. Shortly after Charles finished active collecting he began to disperse the collection, making generous donations to Mason College, Sydney Museum, West Bromwich Museum and to various individuals. The scientific and historical value of the Holcroft Collection is enhanced by the existence of Sir Charles Holcroft's manuscript catalogue of his collection. The columns list the catalogue number of each specimen, the name he applied to the fossil, its stratigraphic and geographical location, the person from whom he purchased the specimen, the year of purchase and the price. After Sir Charles Holcroft's death the collection was donated to Mason College by his nephew Sir George Holcroft in 1917. Sir Charles had been a major benefactor of the College.

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