Charles Cursley

Charles was the second son of Charles and Harriett Cursley (née Wright). Charles' father was born in Middleton, Northamptonshire, in 1851 (O/N/D Kettering) the son of Maria Cursley who was the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Cursley. He was baptised at Cottingham parish church, Northamptonshire, on 24 December 1851. His mother married Edward Neal in 1857 (J/A/S Uppingham) and they had two children, Rosa Maria and James Edward. Edward snr. died in 1860 (buried Hallaton 1 August) and in 1861 Maria (33) a seamstress, was living on Hog Lane, Hallaton, with Rosa (2) and James (1). Charles (9) was living with his maternal grandparents in East Carlton, Northamptonshire. Maria married Joseph Newton in 1868 (A/M/J Uppingham) and in 1871 they were living on High Street, Hallaton, with her three children. Maria died in 1915 (J/A/S Leicester). His mother Harriett was born in Arthingworth, Northamptonshire in 1851, the daughter of William and Keziah Wright. She was baptised at Arthingworth parish church on 14 September 1851. Charles and Harriett were married at Arthingworth parish church on 8 December 1874 (O/N/D Market Harborough Leics), both were 23 years old, Charles was a labourer and Harriett a servant; he lived in Hallaton and she in Arthingworth. They had seven children of whom six survived infancy; all were born in Hallaton, births registered in Uppingham, Rutland: William b. 1875 (O/N/D), Edith b. 24 November 1877, Amy b. 1880 (A/M/J), Kezia b. 14 October 1882 (1883 J/F/M), Vera b. 10 September 1887 and Charles b. 1890 (A/M/J). In 1881 Charles (29) a farm labourer, and Harriett (29) a laundress, were living on East Gate, Hallaton, with their three children, William (5), Edith (3) and Amy (1) and Harriet's widowed mother, Kezia Wright (57) who was also a laundress. They were still at the same address in 1891 but Charles was now working as a gardener's labourer. Five or their six children were in the home on the night of the census: Edith, Amy, Kezia, Vera (3) and Charles (under one year). Kezia Wright was still living with the family. Their eldest child, William, had joined the army on 2 March 1891 shortly before the date of the census. He enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment (2993 Private) on a Short Service Engagement (7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve) giving his age as 18 years 3 months. However, as he was born in 1875 he was probably under 16. (See 'Extra Information') Amy married John Tom [Tom] Fox, the son of William and Sophia Fox, at Leicester St Barnabus on 28 November 1898 (O/N/D Leicester). The marriage register gives her address as 260 St Saviours Road, Leicester, and his as Hallaton; she was 18 years old and he 28. In 1901 they were living in Hallaton; Tom was a domestic gardener. They had two sons, William (2) and Tom (under 1 year) although on the night of the census William was staying with his maternal grandparents. Charles and Harriett were still living in the village with four of their children, Edith, Kezia, Vera and Charles. Charles was now working as a general gardener. Edith married Philip [Joseph Philip] Marlow in 1904 (J/F/M Uppingham) and in 1911 they were living at 230 Benedict Road, Small Heath, Aston, Warwickshire; Philip (34 b. Hallaton) wa a police constable. They had one child, Charles Philip (4 b. Birmingham) who died in 1921 (J/F/M Aston). Kezia married George Sidney Plowright in 1905 (A/M/J Melton Mowbray) and in 1911 they were living at Garthorpe nr. Melton Mowbray. George (27 b. Hallaton) was a shepherd. They had one child, Millicent May (5) but another daughter, Kezia, had died in infancy. Charles snr. now working as a farm labourer, and his wife were still living in Hallaton in 1911 but only their unmarried daughter Vera was still living at home. Amy and her husband Tom Fox were living in Skeffington, Leicester, with their children William Charles and Tom. Charles jnr. had joined the Nottinghamshire Police and in 1911 he and three other police constables were boarders at 16 High Pavement, Nottingham, in the household of George Henry William Bailey, an inspector of the county police, and his wife. However, when Charles enlisted in 1915 he was living at 4 Roden Street, Nottingham. William, who had left the army in 1903, was a domestic gardener and one of three boarders in the home of Harriett Thompson (48), a widow, at Rufford Mill Cottages, Rufford, near Ollerton, Nottinghamshire. Charles' parents were still living in Hallaton at the time of his death in September 1916. His father Charles died in 1929 (O/N/D Uppingham) and his mother Harriett in 1932 (O/N/D Uppingham). Of Charles jnr's siblings: William probably died in 1917 (J/F/M Southwell) aged about 42. Edith and her husband Philip (b. 24 November 1877) were living in Birmingham in 1939; Philip was employed as a general labourer. Their son Charles Philip had died in 1921. Also in the household was James Hopkins (b. 3 February 1913), an assurance assessor, who may have been a boarder. Edith died on 5 November 1975; the probate record gave her address as Lenthall House, Lenthall Square, Market Harborough. Amy and her husband Tom (b. 2 August 1869) were living at Grove Cottages, Somerby, Barrow on Soar, Leicestershire in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled; Tom was a gardener. The record of one member of the household remains closed. Amy died in May 1951 (A/M/J Melton Mowbray) and was buried at Burrough on the Hill on 29 May. Her husband died in 1957 and on 29 February was also buried at Burrough on the Hill. Kezia and her husband George (b. 23 June 1883) were living on Eastgate, Hallaton, in 1939; George was a farmer. The records of two members of the household remain closed. Kezia died in 1952 (J/A/S Market Harborough) Vera was living in Market Harborough in 1939; she was single and employed in laundry work. She died on 5 July 1958 at Goadby Road, Hallaton. The probate record gave her address as Eastgate, Hallaton; administration of her estate was awarded to Tom Fox, laboratory assistant, presumably her sister Amy's son.