Charles Marsh, 1849 - 1933

Charles Francis Marsh was born in 1849 in Hull, Yorkshire, the son of butcher Daniel Marsh and his wife Maria. There is no trace of a birth certificate for Charles but he was baptised in All Saints Hull in January 1849. Charles was the second of five children. By the time Charles was 12 the family had moved to St Mary's Nottingham and were living in the notoriously poor Narrow Marsh area in Martins Yard. Although only 12, Charles was already employed in the local lace trade as a circular threader.

At the age of 18 Charles began a brief spell in the army and enlisted into 2/6th Foot (Royal Warwickshire Regiment) on 1st March 1867. At the time of enlistment he was described as a labourer. His service number was 1694 and he served as a Private in E Company of the Regiment. By the time of the 1871 census we find Charles posted to the School of Musketry at St Leonard, Hythe. Charles Marsh was still attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Regiment. After 10 years of service he is discharged as 'time served' in Dover on 1 March 1877.

School of Musketry, Hythe

On his discharge Charles returned to Nottingham and found employment as a lace maker. By 1880 he was living in Sneinton Elements. Within three years of leaving the army he had married Henrietta Marshall, at St Matthias in Sneinton on 28 November 1880. Henrietta was the daughter of George and Jane Marshall and she was a cotton winder from Oldham Street, Nottingham. Charles and Henrietta were, by 1891, living in Beeston, moving to Crown and Anchor Yard, London Road, before 1901.The 1901 census is however a mystery as Charles appears to change his name to William Stanley for no obvious reason. Charles and Henrietta had nine children in total, including Edith Marsh in 1899.

In October 1908 Henrietta dies at home in Newark Street, Nottingham. Charles is present at the death. From this point on we know little of Charles until his own death in January 1933. He was buried in a family grave in the Church Cemetery, Mansfield Road, together with three other members of the family including his wife, daughter and grand daughter, out living them all.

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December 28, 2006