Life story retold by Pamela Moss, family descendant, with contributions from family members, and research from Reading Museum website.
Charles CHILDS, my maternal great-grandfather, was born iin 1877 in Wootton St Lawrence, Hants, the son of Charles CHILDS, a farm labourer/carter from South Warnborough, Hants, and Ellen IZZARD, from Worting, near Basingstoke. Young Charles worked as a telegraph boy, delivering messages, but by 1901 he had left home and moved to Reading. He was working as a labourer at a tin works (most probably Huntley, Boorne & Stevens) and living in lodgings in Claremont Place, off Southampton Street.
By 1908 he was working as a labourer at Huntley and Palmer’s, where he spent the rest of his working life. In that year he married Ellen MAYERS who was born in 1881 at Beech Hill, near Spencer’s Wood, the daughter of Charles MAYERS, a coal carter/carman originally from Bramley, Hants., and Ellen KEEP, from Stratfield Saye. The family had moved to Milman Road in Reading sometime in the 1880s, but Charles had died in 1896, aged 50, of heart disease. He was buried in Division 42 of Reading Old cemetery, in a common grave with 3 other men.
The 1911 census shows the Childs family living at 7 Barnstaple Street, off Pell Street. Ellen’s mother was living with them but she died in March 1916, aged 69, and was buried in Division 50 of the cemetery. Two months later Charles enlisted for military service – he was now living at 1, Foundry Street. From June 1917 to April 1918 he was deployed to labour companies around the south of England, but was then posted to the Labour Corps base depot in France, leaving Ellen at home with 5 children. In January 1919 Charles contracted influenza. This was during the Spanish Flu pandemic, and he spent over 6 weeks in hospital, first in France and then in Whipps Cross War Hospital, Leytonstone, London. He was also suffering from inflammation in his right hand. When he was discharged from military service in July 1919 his condition was described as ‘good’. He received two WW! campaign medals – the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
Charles then went back to Huntley & Palmer’s as a travelling oven operator. According to the Reading Museum website biscuits were loaded on trays and then passed slowly through the oven to come out baked the other side. It would have been hot and sometimes difficult work, given that the old 19th century ovens were still in use until 1925, despite being outdated and in poor condition.
Sadly, in 1923, Charles and Ellen’s daughter Edith Emily (‘Edie’) Childs died at home of heart disease, aged just 14. She was buried with her grandmother in Division 50, and the following year Charles purchased a grant and it became a family grave.
Charles and Ellen continued to live at Foundry Street, and outside work Charles was a keen gardener. He grew flowers at home but also had an allotment at Coley where he grew vegetables. He regularly won prizes at horticultural competitions held at St Saviour’s Hall in Berkeley Avenue. Meanwhile Ellen had a lucky escape during World War Two. She and her granddaughter met for tea every Wednesday afternoon at the People’s Pantry in Market Arcade, off Friar St. One week they didn’t go for some reason, and on that day (10/2/1943) a German bomb fell right by the building causing 41 people to lose their lives, with many more injured.
Charles and Ellen eventually died within a year of each other.. Ellen died at home in 1960 of bronchopneumonia, aged 79, and Charles died in 1961, aged 83, at Townlands Hospital, Henley, of ‘old age’. Their funeral services were held at Reading St Giles and they were both buried in the family grave in Division 50.
Division 42 (11522) Charles Mayers
Division 50 (10365) Charles and Ellen Childs, Ellen Mayers and Edith Emily Childs