Mr Craven carried out a business and building valuation of Baldwin's Casuals in August 1989, a few weeks before Mike Baldwin sold up to Maurice Jones.
Mike had reached a deal with Jones but until he signed on the dotted line, he planned to keep the machinists in the dark and so he told them that Mr Craven was an insurance man, although Vera Duckworth was not convinced of this and tried to engage Mr Craven in conversation as he was passing through the sewing room. Fearing Mr Craven would give the game away (although he'd promised confidentiality), Mike cut Vera off sharply. As part of the valuation, Mr Craven went over the profits and loss accounts for the last five years and details of the current state of trading with wages clerk Emily Bishop, and then left the factory to assess the figures. As Jones needed the factory to complete his new property development, Mike advised Mr Craven to go on the top side if he was in any doubt.