Born on the 14th January 1881 in Cobham, Kent to parents John and Hannah, Charles was the second child to the couple and first mentioned aged 3 months old on the 1881 census. The family lived at Garden Row, Shorne and John worked as a stock dealer to support his family.
9 years later, aged just 39, Charles’ father died, leaving Hannah to support her children as a dressmaker, the family then living at The Ridgeway in Strood - Charles was 10 years old.
He can’t be found on the 1901 census, but by then he had joined the Navy, beginning his training as a Stoker 2nd Class at HMS PEMBROKE II on 22nd January 1900. He was recorded as 5’8” tall with brown hair, blue eyes and had several tattoos - one of a chinese lady with a fan on his right forearm, a rose on his left wrist and a snake on his left forearm. He signed up for an initial 12 years service, but continued this for another 5 years after, until his death.
HIs service history follows:
HMS PEMBROKE II - 22/01/1900 - 31/12/1900, rising to Stoker on 21/08/1900
HMS BLENHEIM - 01/01/1901 - 20/07/1904
HMS PEMBROKE - 21/07/1914 - 06/02/1904
HMS JASON - 07/02/1904 - 17/11/1905
HMS DRYAD - 18/11/1905 - 29/01/1906
HMS PEMBROKE II - 30/01/1906 - 04/06/1906
HMS ARGONAUT - 05/06/1906 - 31/07/1906, rising to Stoker 1st Class on 01/07/1906
HMS CADMUS - 01/08/1906 - 23/09/1908
HMS CRESCENT - 24/09/1908 - 11/12/1908, rising to Acting Leading Stoker on 24/09/1908
HMS PEMBROKE II - 12/12/1908 - 19/01/1909
HMS TENEDOS - 20/01/1909 - 21/05/1909
HMS PEMBROKE II - 22/05/1909 - 02/06/1909, rising to Leading Stoker on 22/05/1909
HMS BLENHEIM - 03/06/1909 - 30/06/1910
HMS BLAKE - 01/07/1910 - 17/08/1910
HMS PEMBROKE II - 18/08/1910 - 09/10/1910
HMS BERWICK - 10/10/1910 - 25/03/1913, rising to Stoker Petty Officer on 01/11/1910 and aboard the cruiser anchored in Gibraltar on the night of the 1911 census.
HMS PEMBROKE II - 26/03/1913 - 18/04/1915
HMS ST GEORGE - 19/04/1915 - 05/11/1915, marrying Elizabeth Goddard in the autumn of 1915 in Strood, Kent.
HMS WELLINGTON - 06/11/1915 - 08/01/1917
HMS PEMBROKE II - 09/01/1917 - 20/01/1917
HMS VANGUARD - 21/01/1917 - 09/07/1917
Charles’ pension was awarded to his widow following his death, to support his two young daughters, Hilda and Elsie and was awarded the Star, Victory and British war medals.
#45 - 816/843
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 - Free BMD
1881, 1891 and 1911 England Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 - Free BMD
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 475
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece:
010 (1914 - 1919)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
CWGC Register
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/10; Scan Number: 1050
Photo source - shorneparishchurch.co.uk
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 119