William Crane (died 1545) was Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal from 1523 to 1545, under Henry VIII.[1]
The King bestowed several favourable appointments on Crane throughout his life by which he became a wealthy man, apparently through involvement in maritime trade. In 1509, already having been a Gentleman of the Chapel since about 1506,[2] he was appointed Water-Bailiff of Dartmouth. In 1514 he was appointed Comptroller of the Petty Customs in the Port of London. In 1535 he was made Water-Bailiff of Lynn.
Crane married a woman named Margaret and they are known to have had a daughter. He fell ill in June 1545 and died shortly afterwards. He was buried in St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate.