Charles John Andrews was born on 22 September 1869 in Brighton, Sussex, the eldest of the four children of John Andrews (1852-1919) and Jane Anne Andrews née Giles (1842-1922). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1869 in the Brighton registration district. On 14 November 1869 he was baptised in St Nicholas Church, Brighton, where the baptismal register shows the family were living at Terminus Street, Brighton and that his father was a painter.
The 1871 census shows him with his mother at 18 Railway Street, Brighton, the home of his maternal uncle and aunt, Benjamin Giles (1808-1895) and Anna Marie Giles née Johnson (1807-1879). Having attended Pelham Street School, Brighton, on 17 September 1877 he was admitted into Canterbury Road School, Lewisham. In the 1881 census he is described as a scholar living at 33 Briant Street, Hatcham, Deptford, with his parents and his three siblings: Jessie Annie Marie Andrews (1872-1923), Benjamin Giles Andrews (1878-1940) and Eva Sarah Andrews (1880-1881).
He was described as a fitter in the 1891 census, living at 47 Reaston Street, Hatcham, Deptford, with his parents, his two surviving siblings and his grand uncle, Benjamin Giles.
On 21 March 1895 he married Alice Maud Mary Eastman (1871-1918) at All Saints Church, Hatcham Park, Lewisham, where the marriage register shows both their addresses as 47 Reaston Street, and his occupation as an engine fitter.
When the 1901 census was undertaken, he was shown as boarding at 85 Waterway Street, Nottingham, whilst his wife and their two children: Amy Andrews (aged 10 years) & William C. Andrews (aged 4 years) were living at 235 Hollydale Road, Camberwell.
In the 1911 census he and his wife are shown to have had nine children of which three had died. He described himself as an engineer's fitter employed by London County Council Tramways, living in a five roomed property at 9 Dennetts Road, Queens Road, New Cross, Peckham, with his wife and their six surviving children: William Charles Andrews (b.1897), Benjamin James Andrews (1902-1964), Violet Annie Andrews (b.1903), Edward Henry Andrews (1906-1981), Arthur James Andrews (b1908) and Henry Richard Andrews (1910-1981).
Their daughter, Annie Sarah Andrews, was born on 1 August 1912 and by the time she was baptised at St Mary Magdalene Church, Southwark, on 23 May 1915 he had enlisted as a Rifleman in the 1st/6th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (City of London Rifles) and his service number was 99. The baptismal register shows their address to have been 51 Selsdon Road, Southwark, and his occupation was recorded as a soldier.
He died, aged 46 years, on 3 April 1916 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, having suffered from peritonitis and was buried on 10 April 1916 in Plot K, Grave 786 in Brockley Cemetery, 347 Brockley Road, London, SE4 2QY. As he has no headstone on his grave his name is listed on the screen wall by the pillar of remembrance.
On 6 September 1916 his army effects totalling £4-9s-2d were sent to his widow and on 27 October 1919 his £5-0s-0d war gratuity was sent to his daughter Mrs Annie Taylor.
He is also commemorated on page 50 of the London County Council's Record of War Service 1914-1918 Memorial Book and on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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