WILLIAM, doctor of music, was born in 1677, at Nether Ealington, in Warwickshire. He received his musical education in the Chapel Royal, under Dr Blow. He early obtained the place of organist of St Anne's Westminster; and in 1700 was admitted a gentleman extraordinary of the Chapel Royal. In 1707 he was appointed joint organist with Dr Blow; upon whose death, in 1708, Croft became sole organist, and also master of the children and composer of the Chapel Royal, besides being made organist of Westminster Abbey. In 1715 he obtained his degree of doctor of music in the university of Oxford. In 1724 he published an edition of his choral music, in 2 vols. folio, under the name of "Musica Sacra," or "Select Anthems in score, for two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight voices, to which is added the Burial Service, as it is occasionally performed in Westminster Abbey." John Page, in his Harmonia Sacra, published in 1800, in 3 vols. folio, gives seven of Dr Croft's anthems. This handsome work was the first of the kind executed on pewter plates and in score. Of instrumental music, Dr Croft published six sets of airs for two violins and a bass, six sonatas for two flutes, six solos for a flute and bass. These works are not mentioned by Dr Burney. Dr Croft died in August 1727, and was buried in the north aisle of Westminster Abbey, where a monument was erected to his memory by his friend and admirer Humphrey Wyrley Birch, Esq. Dr Charles Burney, in his History of Music, devotes several pages of his third volume (pp. 603–612) to Dr Croft's life, and criticisms upon some of his anthems. He speaks highly of Dr Croft's amiable character and dignified professional conduct.