Charles Frederick Hawksley Blackburn
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Charles Frederick Hawksley was the son of Henry Hawksley Blackburn (also Charles Henry Hawksley, later Hawksley-Blackburn) and his wife Jessie (née Tipping). His father was born in Worksop (reg. Henry Hawksley Blackburn), the son of Charles Hawksley and Sarah Lee Blackburn. Charles (25) and Sarah (24) were married three years after their son's birth at St Matthew's parish church, Sheffield. Charles, Sarah and their son moved to Nottinghamshire where in 1881 Charles was a butcher and farmer of 86 acres. He and Sarah were living on Sutton Street, Sutton cum Lound, in 1891. Sarah died in 1893 and Charles probably died in 1900. Their son Charles married Jessie Tipping at Sutton cum Lound St Bartholomew in 1889. The registration of marriage gave his name as Charles Henry Hawksley Blackburn. His wife Jessie was born in Lound, Nottinghamshire, the daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Tipping. The couple had nine children who were all born in Sutton: Ethel, May, Annie, Charles, Frank, Dick Hawksley, Harry, John and Alfred. In 1891 Charles - 'Charles H Hawksley (Blackburn)' - and Jessie were living on Sutton Street, Sutton, with their first child Ethel (1). Charles was a grocer and farmer. He and Jessie employed a general domestic servant. By 1901 Charles (Hawksley) was a butcher and farmer and living at Bailey's Farm, Sutton, with his wife and five of their six children: May (9), Annie (8), Charles (6), Frank (5) and Dick (1). On the night of the census their eldest child, Ethel, was with her widowed maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Tipping, on Sutton Street, Sutton. Charles and Jessie were still living in Sutton in 1911 but he was now employed as a hotel garage man and caretaker. Only their four youngest children were in the home on the night of the census: Dick, Harry (9), John (7) and Alfred (4). Charles (Hawksley), aged 16, was working in the village of Bothamsall as a farm labourer for Alfred White who was a butcher/farmer. Charles married Mary Jane Moody at East Retford register office in 1916; the marriage registration gave his surname as Blackburn. Their first child, William H. (Blackburn), was born in 1916 but died the following year. Their second child, Charles F H (Blackburn), was born in 1917. The CGWC record gave his widow's name and address as Mary Jane Hawksley, of 21, Bothamsall, Retford, Nottinghamshire. Charles' parents, Henry Hawksley Blackburn (sic) and Jessie, were living in South Leverton, Nottinghamshire, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Henry died in 1949 (Henry Hawksley-Blackburn, O/N/D East Retford) and Jessie in 1953. The probate record gave her address as Sutton. Charles' younger brother Dick also served in the war. He attested in Sheffield on 12 April 1918 aged 18 years 11 days; his occupation was given as motor driver. He was posted to the 52nd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (96476) but transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps (M/411174) in April 1919. He served at home until 1 March 1919 then abroad for one month before returning to the UK on 22 March. He then served with the Army on the Rhine from 1 August to 4 December 1919, returning to the UK on 5 December. He was discharged to the Army Reserve on 2 January 1920.
Charles’ military career started on the 1st September 1914 when he volunteered and attested in the Army on a short service engagement. He joined the 6th Lincolns, number 13083. However, his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with a mental disability (mania) and spent a short time at Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot, before being discharged as no longer fit for war service on the 12th August 1915. This appears not to have deterred him as he rejoined the Forces on August 13th 1917. He joined the Notts and Derby Regiment (number 91892) then transferred to the 167 Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps. He went out to the Western Front where he was seriously wounded and died of these wounds at a casualty clearing station in France. He was buried in Maroeuil British Cemetery, France (grave ref. IV.G.4). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Maroeuil British Cemetery (extract): 'The cemetery was begun by the 51st (Highland) Division when Commonwealth forces took over the Arras front in March 1916 and it retained its association with that division until the summer of 1918. Almost half of the graves are those of Highland territorials and many of those remaining are of London territorials who were at Maroeuil from July to December 1916. The cemetery also contains the graves of 25 officers and men of tunnelling companies of the Royal Engineers who died in mine explosions. The cemetery was protected from observation by the crest of the hill behind it and whenever possible, bodies were brought back to it from the front line by tramway.' (www.cwgc.org)
List of names/alias used :- birth cert. Blackburn – 1901, Hawksley – 1911, Hawksley –1916 marriage cert, Blackburn - Birth cert of son, Blackburn - CWGC, Hawksley - SDGW, Hawksley – MIC, Hawksley/Blackburn – Pension records, Hawksley - Soldiers effects, Hawksley alias Blackburn – CWGC Grave, Hawksley - Sutton cum Lound memorial, Pte C Hawksley Blackburn – Bothamsall Memorial, Charles Blackburn. WMR38768: 'Sutton Served WW1' - D [Dick] Hawksley-Blackburn [brother] CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away' (Job 1:21 KJV) CWGC additional information:- 'Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hawksley, of Sutton, Retford; husband of Mary Jane Hawksley, of 21, Bothamsall, Retford, Notts.' Retford Times 22nd March 1918 - Pte Charles Hawksley 'Bothamsall Soldier Killed - Yet another death on the Western front has this week to be recorded. Mrs Hawksley having lately received the sad news that her husband Pte C Hawksley, has passed away at a Clearing Station in France within a few days of being shot in the abdomen while coming off sentry duty. Kind and feeling letters, full of praise of his fortitude and cheerfulness, reached her from his commanding officer, chaplain and matron, and great sympathy is felt for the widow by his old fellow workers on Coun T L Hollely's Haughton Farm, where he spent four years winning for himself the good opinion of all. He was twice in the Army coming back to the farm after a temporary discharge lasting till August 13th last, when he rejoined the Sherwood Foresters, being afterwards transferred to the Machine Gun Corps.' Original research by Colin Dannatt
