Charles Robert Orr

Charles Robert was the son of William and Sarah Elizabeth Orr (née Green). William Orr was born in Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, in 1862, and Sarah Elizabeth Green in Great Ponton, Leicestershire, in 1863. They were married in 1883 and had nine children seven of whom survived infancy. Eight children have been traced: George William b. 1883, Charles Robert b. 1885, Walter b. 1887 d. 1888, Ernest Francis birth registered 1889 (J/F/M) and Susannah b. 1892 who were all born in Waltham and, with the exception of Susannah, baptised at Waltham parish church, Charles on 6 December 1885. Three children were born in Edwalton, Annie Elizabeth b. 1898, Elsie Mary Lucy birth registered 1902 (J/F/M) and Arthur Herbert b. 1905; they and their sister Susannah were baptised at Edwalton Holy Rood. Wiliam, a shepherd, and Elizabeth had moved from Waltham to Edwalton by 1901. In the home on the night of the census were four of their five surviving children, Charles (16), a horseman on a farm, Ernest, Susannah and Annie. The eldest son, George, was living at Edwalton Lodge, Edwalton, where he was groom to Arthur Brewill, an architect who also held the rank of major in the Robin Hood Rifles and was the unit's adjutant. Charles, now a farm labourer, was still living with his father, a farm labourer, and mother in Edwalton in 1911 along with four of his siblings, Ernest a farm horseman, Annie, Elsie and Arthur. Charles married Elizabeth Astill (b. 1881) in 1913 (reg. Bingham, Nottinghamshire). Elizabeth had two children, George Edward Astill b. 1905 (mother's maiden name Astill) and Eveline Jane b. 1911, whose births were registered in Bingham. The WW1 Pension Record included the two children as Charles' dependants. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, George, a farmworker, was living in Plumtree, Nottinghamshire, with his married sister, Eveline Severn (m. 1932, Robert Severn). Their mother has not been traced after Charles' death. Charles' parents were living at North End College, Tollerton, Nottinghamshire, in 1939; William was still working as a farm labourer. Also in the home was their grandson, Edgar Orr (b. 1916), who may have been their daughter Susannah's son. Elizabeth died in 1944 and William in 1947.