Charles was Marj’s Great Grandfather. It is hard to summarise his life; it wasn’t easy but some of his choices made life far worse for his children, particularly his daughters.

He went from child labour in the hat industry in relatively rural St Albans, to a policeman in the emerging Birmingham police force. The death of his first wife turned everything upside down, with Charles turning to drink and violence leading to imprisonment for himself and turmoil for his children and second wife. He seems to have “reformed” in the langauge of the time, making real efforts to help at least his youngest child. He died of hepatitis age 59 in Blackburn, leaving behind a trail of records that read like the script for a Victorian soap opera.

(really needs a gallery with all the press reports etc)

The details:

Birth: Charles was born in 1834 in St Albans. His mother Elizabeth was 27, his father John was 20 and his older brother John William was one. He was baptised in St Peters church on the 28^th November;  his father’s occupation was servant.

His twin sisters, Amelia Elizabeth and Mary Ann were born in 1836 and baptised in St Peter’s on the 13^th November;  Emily was born in May 1838 but buried later that year.  James Manley is born in 1839.

For the 1841 census, his father John (Gentleman Servant) and mother Elizabeth plus John William, Charles, Mary Ann and James Manley were living in Adelaide Street in St Albans.  Amelia Elizabeth was a few doors down with a family called Young.

Another sister, Harriet, was born in 1841 and finally Sarah in 1849.

1851 census: he was with his parents, 2 brothers and 4 surviving sisters at 26 Fishpool St in the parish of St Michaels. (This is near tthe Abbey, was built in 1562, is now a grade 2 listed building and was sold for £850,000 in 2018. It is still only two bedroomed. At the time this was very much a poor working-class area, notorious for child exploitation in even in an era where of child labour was normal.). Nearly all the children were working working;  father John was Servant, John William a Groom, Charles a Footman and Mary Ann a servant (possibly at the Lower Red Lion just up the road at no 32?) Amelia, James and Harriet were hat makers. They feature in a paper reviewing The working Children of St Michaels, which notes that “there were many children under the age of 10 who were working, some as young as 7, and that by age 12, the majority were working.“

Marriage: 21^st June 1851 and aged 17,  Charles married Hannah Marstin in St Peter’s church.  He was then a weaver (probably silk?) and his father was described as a waiter.  Their first child, John William Hodgkins (why Hodgkins?) Blakemore was born a few months later in October, and Emily in 1855.  Marj’s Grandmother Sarah Elizabeth was born in 1857 and baptised in St Peters 30^th August 1857; Charles was listed as a policeman.   By the time of their youngest child, Amelia’s baptism on 29^th January 1860 they are living in Abbey parish; Charles was still a policeman.

The family relocated to Birmingham after that and Charles joined the fledgling Birmingham police force on 2nd January 1861.

1861 census: The family were in Willington Place, Alcester St, Deritend (almost opposite the Old Crown in Digbeth). Charles was a Police Constable, the older 3 children were “scholars” including Sarah Elizabeth who was 3.  Their 9 year and 10 year old neighbours were working so the family must have been relatively secure.

Involvement in a messy case of “parricide“: 28th December 1861 Charles had moment of fame when on the right side of the law when he arrested a son accused of murdering his father. (insert newspaper article)

Death of wife: Hannah died of “phthisis” (tuberculosis) and “haemoptysis” (coughing blood from resiratory tract) on 13th July 1862, leaving four children, the eldest just 9. They were living at 2 2 Court Blucker Street (mispelling of Blucher Street, by the NT Back to backs?); the death was registered by a neighbour who was also “present at the death”.

Second marriage: Emily Dawson aged 21 on 22nd June 1863.  The ceremony was in St Philips – then a parish church, now Birmingham cathedral.  He was still a Police Officer and both he and Emily are listed as living in Lower Essex Street. (insert newspaper notice). It seems fair to conclude that this marriage was not a success from the start. Charles began to drink on duty lost his job just after the birth of Emily’s first child.

Dismissed from Police force: (insert image of charge book)

• 25^th August 1863 drunk on duty
• 26^th September 1863 35 minutes late
• 1^st December 1863 drunk on duty and damaged police lamp
• 1^st July 1864 30 minutes late;
• 25^th August 1864 drunk on duty and dismissed – but “allowed to resign” on the 30^th August.

Birth of son: His first child with Emily, Richard Stephen Dawson was born in Q1 1864

Birth of son: Their second child, James Manley was born in 1866

Birth of daughter: Jane Sophia in 1868 (Baptisms give adresses and occupations)

January 1870 – insinuation of bribery, example of bad practice as a bailiff (insert newspaper article – CB working as Bailiff; Mr Partridge charged CB’s boss the High Bailiff with not doing his job citing CB’s bad behaviour)

1871 census Charles and Emily were living with their 3 children plus Amelia and a lodger, at 207 Gooch Street.  Charles was now a bailiff.   

(His older children by his first wife: John William was 18 had enlisted in army the the previous Summer;ying in Aldershot in 1877.  Emily (16) was a servant for the Solomon family on the Pershore Road.  I have not yet found Sarah Elizabeth (13) in this census – my best guess is that she was in service under a different age and location, and may be missing from the census altogether.)  

Charles and Emily had two more children – Anne Phoebe, born 1872 and Amy Rebekah in 1874.

October 1874 – a disgrace to his profession, a narrow escape (insert newspaper article)

In 1878 the family were living in Mary Ann Street and the local clergyman (possibly Dr W Jenkinson?) was rounding up unbaptised children.  The youngest  4 were all baptised on the 11^th December at Christ Church (now demolished; pretty much where the Floozie is now);  Charles was described as a Labourer.

Prison sentence: He was sentenced to 3 months hard labour for aggravated affray (ie assualting his wife) on 11^th September 1879. (insert newspaper article kicked and assaulted wife in a brutal fashion)

1881 census: Charles, Emily, James Manley, Anne and Amy were living in a  back-to-back Court off Tyndall Street; Charles was an Iron worker and James was a Thimble  maker. 

(The older two children from the second marriage: Richard is possibly a soldier; Jane is a domestic servant with the Soul family on Great Hampton Street.  The four children by his first marriage: John William (write up? There are some Chelsea pensioner records for him – did he serve in India / S Africa?) was a soldier, married.  Daughter Emily had married a widower with 6 children and was living virtually next door;  Sarah Elizabeth was in Lancashire with her husband and Amelia (write up – she has a grim time as a laundress, time in an asylum but ends up married and living by the big tesco in 1939)  was an inmate at the Women’s refuge, Tindall St, Kings Norton.  This was run by the Town Mission to rescue Fallen Women.

16^th January 1882 Charles was discharged after “unlawfully wounding” Emily but told to get a judicial separation.unlawful wounding of wife and a judicial separation

In 1882 Ann Phoebe was admitted to Middlemore Children’s Emigration Homes.  Her mother states that Charles is “brutish, been in prison, cruel to wife & child”. Sent to Canad in xxx a had six settlements in 3 years. She is last recorded in 1886 with John Guest in London Township, Ontario, then marked “Returned to England”.

June 1883 Charles aquitted of larceny and housebreaking

In 1884 Emily took her youngest daughter Amy Rebecca to Middlemore – “only child, father deserted, mother unable to work – ill-health.”  Sent to Canada inxxx.

1887 he was converted and gave up the drink??

Annie Phoebe died back in Birmingham in the workhouse. 18/5/1890.

1891 Amy with Rathburn, Dumbo, Ontario and “Father sending money for bringing Amy home, Rathburn’s will be pleased to get rid of her”. “Her father has written to her that he has been converted and given up the drink for 4 years and has promised to send money to bring her home.”

For the 1891 census Charles was in New Water Street, Blackburn on his own with unoccupied houses either side, working as a Club Steward.  Why? It’s adjacent to Penny Street which is where John Houghton was in 1911, Charles’ father John was about to die in Everton which is close but not that close, daughter Amy had her son in Blackburn the following January. Don’t know where his wife Emily is except she too turns up in Blackburn in 1901.

1892 he went to Canada with Amy (write up) and her illegitimate baby son  born in Blackburn.  They set sail from Liverpool on xx and arrive in Quebec on 10^th July 1892, headed for Drumbo which a small settlement

At some point he must come back to the UK because:

Charles died of hepatitis on the 18^th May 1894 aged 59, at 39 Hazel Street, Blackburn.  He is listed as an Insurance Collector on the death certificate.  His son, James Manley, was present at the death. Presumably on leave as James is described as living at Budbrook Barracks, Warwick.