Charles was born in Heaton Mersey, the youngest child of James and Elizabeth (nee Crompton). When the national census was taken in 1901, the family was living at 26 Poplar Street. James, then 52, worked as a cotton spinner. The older children all worked in the local cotton industry – Edith (20), Eliza (26), Hannah (15), Martha (23) and Thomas (25).

In the late summer of 1910, Charles married Edith Kewley. No doubt, he also worked in a local cotton mill. His army service number is consistent with him enlisting into the army in the early part of 1916 and he will have gone overseas a few months later, after training.

Throughout the summer and autumn of 1916, the South Lancashires took part in the fighting at the Battle of the Somme. At some point, Charles was wounded. After treatment at a field hospital near to where he was injured, he was transferred to an Army “Stationery Hospital” at Rouen, where he died. It is not known when he was injured or under what circumstances.

After the War, Ethel had remarried and was then Ethel Cruise. She was living at 103 Higher Hillgate.