MITCHENALL FAMILY HISTORY
Charles Robert 1861 to 1943
Charles Robert was the first child of George and Mary Kidman, born 22/10/1861, 4 months after their wedding and 18 months after the death of his father's first wife. He was born in Lewisham, presumably at the address for the family in the 1861 census. By the time his sister Jane arrived in 1864, however, the family had moved to Norwood, where his father had an ironmonngers; it is not clear when he took over this business at 246 Gipsy Road, but it was to be connected with the family until his brother George died in 1910.
He had 4 half brothers and a half sister when he was born; he was the oldest of three brothers and six sisters born to George and Mary.
In 1881 he had left home and was lodging locally at 10 Oak Terrace, next door to his aunts Ann (Austin) at no 12 and Rebecca (Kempshaw) at no 9.
By 1891 he is living independently away from most of the family, in Natal Road Streatham. Shortly after, he was married (aged 30), on Christmas day 1891, to Mary Willsmore, at All Saints, Upper Norwood, stating he is resident in Norwood. Mary and Charles were both 30 when they married.
By 1906 Mary had had 8 children, 4 of whom died very young. Of the 8 children, 2 were boys, and neither boy survived infancy.
The family also seem to move often, with Maud (1892) and Lena (1894) born in Eastbourne. Lena dies in Lambeth district (possibly in Clapham) in 1895, at a little over one year old. Florence Rose is born in Lambeth in 1896, but we know this is Clapham or Brixton. The family then moved to Southend on Sea, where Edith (1898) is born. Frederick (1900) is born in Rochford, as is Robert (1903). Clara (1905) and Margaret (1906) are then born in Southend.
The 1911 Census records the family ay 42 Farringdon Place, Southend,
The 1939 Census records him at 78 years living at 26 Harcourt Avenue, Southend, with daughter Florence, herself in her early 40's. She is a Boot and Shoe sales lady, he a retired plumber; he died before the end of the second world war, in 1943.
The family, however, obviously retained links with Charles sisters, as his daughter Clara was the beneficiary to his sister Lily's estate in 1954.
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