Andrew Crawford started off life on the farm, but his father's interests in North Fod and Mastertoun were sold when he was a boy. He was indentured under Robert Goodall, shoemaker Burgess of Dunfermline, for 4 years from Martinmas 1760. He gave up the apprenticeship on 26 February 1762. He left Scotland at the age of 18 to work in London as a servant in the household of William Gerard Hamilton (28 Jan 1729-16 Jul 1796), the celebrated "Single Speech Hamilton", an undeserved sobriquet as he was an active politician, including Chief Secretary for Ireland 1761-64. Andrew then settled in Brighthelmston (Brighton) in 1784 becoming Postmaster. In 1788 he opened Crawford's Lending Library . His success in life was attributed to the patronage of the Prince of Wales to whom he had been introduced by Mr Hamilton, and this became a lengthy friendship with the Prince who spent much time in Brighton. Andrew Crawford was the writer's g-g-g-grandfather.