Charles Hopewell
Attended Calverton Road Schools, Arnold. He was employed as a gardener/labourer. Described in a newspaper report in 1917 as having been a market gardener's assistant on enlistment.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Charles was the son of Charles and Mary Ann (Annie) Hopewell (née Bradbury). Both his parents were born in Arnold.
Charles (22), a framework knitter, and Annie (21), a lace dresser, both of Church Street, Arnold, were married on 26 September 1873 at Arnold St Mary. Annie signed the marriage register with her mark.
They already had a daughter, Ruth Bradbury, who was born before their marriage (Ruth Bradbury Hopewell b. 1873 JAS) and had nine children following their marriage, all of whom were born in Arnold: Catherine b. 1874 OND, Lucy b. 1876 OND, Elizabeth b. 1879 OND, Charles b. 1881 OND, Joseph b. 1884 AMJ, Harold Arthur b. 1887, William Ambrose b. 1889 JAS, John b. 1891 JAS and Elsie Annie b. 1893 AMJ (mother's maiden name not given on the birth registration).
In 1881 Charles, who was employed by a water company, and his wife were living at 63 High Street, Arnold. In the home on the night of the census were their four daughters, Ruth, Katherine, Lucy and Elizabeth.
The couple had moved to Front Street by 1891. Charles was working as a waterman barge, Ruth was a hosiery runner-on, Catherine a hosiery stitcher and Lucy a laundress, Elizabeth, Charles and Joseph were school age and the two youngest sons, Harold and William were under 5 years old. Their fifth son, John, was born later that year.
Charles snr. died in Arnold in 1892 (reg. JAS) aged 41.
His widow was still living on Front Street in 1901. In the home on the night of the census were Elizabeth a laundress ironer, Charles a general labourer, Harold a beer bottler (brewery), William, John and eight-year old Elsie Annie who was born after her father's death.
Catherine and Lucy, had emigrated to America. Catherine (Kate) Hopewell, single no occupation, was on the passenger list of SS City of Rome (Anchor Line) departing Glasgow for New York on 28 August 1892. She married Frederick Allen Curtis and had at least one child, Charles Arnold. She died on 3 November 1936 in Salt Lake City, Utah, buried Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park (record Catherine Curtis/Kate Hopewell Curtis b. 25 November 1874, Arnold). Lucy, aged 18 (b. 1877), single no occupation, sailed from Glasgow to New York on 1 August 1895 onboard SS Furnessia (Anchor Line). She married Robert J Simpson and had three children, Kenneth, Charles William and Violet. Lucy died in Salt Lake CIty, Utah on 21 March 1922 (record Lucille Simpson/Lucille Hopewell Simpson b. 28 October 1876, Arnold).
Ruth Bradbury Hopewell had married Joseph Orton, a colliery shunter, in July 1897 at Arnold St Mary and they were living in Hucknall with their two sons in 1901. Also in the household was Ruth's brother, Joseph Hopewell, a colliery labourer.
In 1911 Annie, a hosiery seamer, was living in Hardstaff Yard, Arnold. Her youngest son John, a bricklayer's labourer, was the only one of her children still living at home.
Elsie, a laundry maid, was living with Ruth and Samuel Orton and their four children in Hucknall.
Elizabeth married George Herbert Vasey in August 1904 and had one daughter, Helda Annie (b. March 1905). They later lived in Strensall, York.
Joseph had married Kate Osborne in 1904 and they were living in Hucknall where he was employed as a coal miner contractor/stallman; they had three sons and a daughter, Charles, Joseph, Harold and Ruth.
Charles married Annie Elizabeth Alvey (b. 5 May 1883) in 1905 (Basford Registration District) and they were living on Smith Row, Church Street, Arnold with their three children, Charles, Harold and Elsie; a second daughter, Catherine, was born the following year. Charles was working as a gardener/labourer and his wife was employed as a lace hand.
William Ambrose, a miner hewer, and his wife Sarah (Warbrick m. 1910) were living in Hucknall.
Harold Arthur married Jessie Stubbs in February 1910 at Basford St Leodegarius. He enlisted in August 1914 at which time he and his wife were living at 195 Vernon Road, Old Basford. At the time he enlisted he and Jessie had two children, Winifred b. September 1910 and Edna b. November 1913 and later a son, Thomas Arthur (b. 1915 JFM d. 1915 AMJ). Their daughter, Edna, was killed in a tram accident on 16 May 1916 aged 2 years (see 'Extra information'). Only two children were named on the 1921 Census, Winifred (10) and Harold A (3, b. 1918). They may have had two other daughters, Lilian (1922) and Renie (1929).
A local newspaper report of Charles' death in May 1917 gave Charles' address as 4 Calverton Road, Arnold. It also recorded that he left a widow and five children, but the WW1 Pension Record only names four, and other records also indicate that he had four children.
His mother Annie, was living at 9 Hardstofts Yard, Front Street, in 1921. Also in the household was her married daughter Elsie Annie Jones (m. 1918), her husband William and their daughter Gladys.
Annie Hopewell may have died in April 1937.
Lance Corporal Charles Hopewell enlisted at Hucknall in 1915 and served with the 7th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps.
Charles served with the BEF France from 1916. He was wounded on 9 April 1917 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 from his wounds at the Bevan Military Hospital, Sandgate, Kent, on 21 May 1917 and is buried in Arnold Cemetery, Redhill, Nottingham (grave ref: C.C.1322).
The Alfred Bevan Memorial Convalescent Home at Sandgate, near Folkestone, was renovated at the beginning of the War and renamed the Bevan Military Hospital.
Charles qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Beeston Gazette and Echo, 23 June 1917: ‘Arnold & Daybrook. Never Been Photographed. Lance-Corporal Charles Hopewell was regarded as a ‘very handy man’ in civil life whilst living in the Arnold district, and in the Army he quickly obtained steps to promotion. He was a market gardener’s assistant when he joined the King’s Royal Rifles, in February, 1915. On Shrove Tuesday of 1916 (sic) he was in France, and on Easter Monday [1917] he was wounded in an engagement and died in hospital on May 21. His name appears in the official list of casualties published this week. He was 35 years of age, and was a native of Arnold. As a boy Hopewell attended the Calverton Road Schools, and his home was at 4 Calverton Road, where there are five (sic) little children. Private Hopewell had never been photographed, as he had an aversion to facing the camera.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Beeston Gazette and Echo, 15 June 1918: ‘Hopewell. In loving memory of my dear brother, Charles Hopewell, KRR, who died May 21, 1917, from wounds received in the Battle of Arras on April 9, 1917. Dearest brother, though hast left us, And thy loss I deeply feel; But ‘tis God that has bereft us, He can all our sorrow heal. From loving brother Bill [William Ambrose] (in France).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
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.
Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow Annie was his legatee.
It is probable that Charles' four brothers, Joseph, Harold, William and John, also served in the war:
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.
Harold Arthur Hopewell, a miner, enlisted on 31 August 1914 aged 27. He named his wife Jessie, 195 Vernon Road, Old Basford, and his brother Joseph 'serving in RGA', as his next of kin. He also served with the Royal Garrison Artillery (46227 Gunner) but was discharged on 30th June 1915, being no longer physically fit for service. He saw no service overseas.
Above information (Joseph, Harold) courtesy of Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
There is a Medal/Awards Rolls record for William Ambrose Hopewell 20135 Sergeant 5th Bn Shropshire Light Infantry, location Infantry Base Depot. who qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
John Hopewell enlisted on 7 September 1914; he was 23 years old (b. Arnold) and employed as a farm hand. He joined the 12th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (37789) and completed basic military training in Hertfordshire. He was still serving in the UK in February 1915 when he was admitted to hospital for a minor injury, but later served with the BEF France. He was wounded on 2 July 1916 (gunshot wound right arm) and was treated initially at 64 Field Ambulance and then admitted to No. 8 General Hospital; he was discharged from hospital on 10 July. On 18 July 1916 John was attached to 8th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and transferred to the Battalion on 4 September. He was treated at 130 St John Field Ambulance with a sprained/fractured ankle on 25 February 1917 and transferred to No. 10 Stationary Hospital the same day and spent a short time in hospital. In March the same year he was admitted to No. 2 Casualty Clearing Station with a sprained right ankle and was transferred to England for further treatment (Hospital Ship St Denis). On 30 November 1918 he was posted to No. 509 Agricultural Company and then to Class 'Z' Army Reserve on demobilization, 12 February 1919. Home address Front Street, Arnold.
Their sister Elizabeth's husband, George Herbert Vasey, a refreshment room assistant, enlisted in 1915 in the Royal Garrison Artillery (127005 Gunner) but in July 1917 was attached to the Military Foot Police on probation and temporarily transfered to MFP at South Gare, Redcar, in September the same year. He was allowed to remain in the Military Police Service in the rank of Private until he was demobilized on 24 February 1920 when he transfered to Class 'Z' Army Reserve.
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)
Nottingham Evening Post, 17 May 1916: ‘Basford Child Fatally Injured. A distressing accident, which resulted in fatal injury to a two years’ old child, named Edna Hopewell, the daughter of a miner living in Vernon-road, Basford, occurred last night. Shortly before eight o’clock she was crossing the tram track, which passes near her home, when apparently unconscious of the danger she ran into a tramcar which was travelling to Bulwell. She was knocked down, being so badly injured that she died almost immediately.’ [Daughter of Harold and Jessie Hopewell] (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Updated and additional information RF (Sept. 2025)
Charles Hopewell
Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone marking the grave of Charles Hopewell at Arnold Cemetery. Redhill, Nottingham. Photograph Peter Gillings.