Charles Hopewell
He was employed as a gardener/labourer
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Charles was born in 1882 in Arnold and was the son of Charles, a waterman (barge), and Mary Ann (Annie) Hopewell née Bradbury.
His father Charles was born in 1851 in Arnold and his mother Annie Bradbury was also born in 1851 in Arnold. They were married in 1873 (Basford Registration District).
Annie already had a daughter, Ruth Bradbury, who was born before her marriage to Charles (Ruth Bradbury Hopewell b. 1873, married Joseph Orton 1897, Ruth Bradbury Orton d. 1973).
Annie and Charles had eight children, all of whom were born in Arnold: Catherine b. 1875, Lucy b. 1877, Elizabeth b. 1880, Charles b. 1882, Joseph b. 1885, Harold b. 1887, William b. 1890 and John b. 1892.
Charles snr. died at Arnold in 1892 aged 41.
In the 1911 census his widowm a hosiery seamer, was living in Hardstaff Yard, Arnold. Her youngest son John, a bricklayer's labourer was the only child still living at home.
Charles married Annie Elizabeth Alvey (b. 5 May 1883) in 1905 (Basford Registration District).
In 1911 they were living on Smithy Row, Front Street, Arnold, with their three children Charles b. 1905, Harold b. 1909 and Elsie Annie b. 1910. They had a second daughter, Catherine, in 1912.
Lance Corporal Charles Hopewell enlisted at Hucknall and served with the 7th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps.
Charles was wounded at the Battle of Arras and after initial treatment was transferred to a Casualty Clearing Station and then medically evacuated to hospital in England. He died of his wounds at Bevan Military Hospital , Sandgate, Kent, on 21st May 1917 and is buried in Arnold Cemetery, Redhill, Nottingham (grave ref: C.C.1322).
His brother Harold Arnold Hopewell, who enlisted on 31st August 1914, had been discharged from the Royal Garrison Artillery on 30th June 1915, being no longer physically fit for service. He saw no service overseas. His daughter, Edna, two years old, was killed in a tram accident on 16th May 1916.
Another brother, Joseph Hopewell, also served in the Royal Garrison Artillery, enlisting on 29th August 1914. He landed in France on 26th May 1915 but was discharged to Class 'P' Reserve on 7th December 1916.
Above information courtesy of Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
Charles' brother-in-law, George Alvey, served with the 7th Bn Leicester Regiment (12389 Private) and died of wounds on 12 November 1917. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
WW1 Pension Ledgers: dependants, widow Annie Elizabeth Hopewell of Arnold and her children Charles (b. 1905), Elsie Annie (b. 1910) and Catherine (b. 1912); the name Charles is duplicated and as Harold Arthur (b. 1909) appears to have lived into old age, the second entry for Charles is probably a transcription error for Harold.
Charles Hopewell
Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone marking the grave of Charles Hopewell at Arnold Cemetery. Redhill, Nottingham. Photograph Peter Gillings.