Charles William Barlow from Reading, Berkshire

[stevenp]

I'm trying to find out more information about Charles William Barlow who married Eva Kate McColm (a widow) in Reading, Berkshire on 2nd Oct 1918. I have a copy of the marriage certificate which tells me that he was a 31 year old bachelor, worked as a Brass Smelter, lived at 29 Caroline Street Reading and his father (deceased) was Charles Barlow, a Cab Proprietor. Strangely, the certificate also records that he was also known by the name Preston. I thought I had found Charles in the census records (born 1880 in Caversham, living in Reading, son of Charles Barlow and Martha Dobson and working as a biscuit factory labourer), but the dates of birth are 7 years apart. The Charles William Barlow born 1880 also appears to have married Sophia Hopkins in 1908 – the two of them were living together in Reading in 1911 at 14 Blenheim Gardens. From the birth certificate of Charles and Eva’s eldest child (born October 1919), Charles’ occupation was recorded as an Army pensioner, but I haven’t yet found any record of his time in the army.
It would be great if someone could help answer the following:
- Why was Charles also known by the name Preston?
- Are the men described above actually the same person?
- If so, did Charles divorce Sophia before marrying Eva?
- Are there any military records for Charles?
- Does anyone have any photos of Charles?

A final interesting fact - one of the witnesses at Charles and Eva’s wedding was Frederick Stanley Brind (real name Lovejoy) who later became Eva’s third husband in 1933!

[Elizabeth Herts]

Steve, I've been trying to investigate this, however no results so far, unfortunately.

This makes me very cautious.

1) Perhaps Charles' parents were not married and he was registered under the name Preston.
2) Perhaps he is being economical with the truth/lying with respect to the other details: his age might be incorrect if his wife's age is different from his.
3) He married after WWI. It is highly possible he did not come from Reading or Berkshire. He might have been born in another part of the UK as people were very mobile because of the war.

I just get the impression that he is being reticent!

I'll add further comments if I discover any information.

[stevenp]

A correction to my earlier posting - the Charles Barlow born in Caversham was born in March 1881, not 1880. Looking again at the marriage certificate, it's unlikely (but not impossible) that his age could be a badly written 37 and not 31. Perhaps I'm just trying to make the facts fit!

[Elizabeth Herts]

:(Interestingly I have found papers on FMP for Charles William Preston from Newbury, Berkshire - only problem is he was born in 1855.

[stevenp]

Thanks for helping me Elizabeth.
According to the England & Wales death index from Jan-Feb-Mar 1929, a Charles W Barlow died in Reading, Berkshire, estimated aged at death 47. This might well be the Charles that married Eva, and the year of death fits with Eva re-marrying in 1933.

[Elizabeth Herts]

For the record, there is a Charles William Barlow born in Henley district in June qr 1881.

[Elizabeth Herts]

Aha!

1891 Census - his father's name was Charles.
RG number: RG12Piece: 1158Folio: 56Page: 12
BARLOW, Charles Head Married M 421 849 Coachman & Gardener Whitchurch Oxfordshire
Martha Wife Married F 40 1851 Domestic Servant Bucklebury Berkshire
George Son Single M 21 1870 Medical Staff Corps Caversham Oxfordshire
Fanny Daughter Single F 16 1875 Domestic Servant Caversham Oxfordshire
Emily Daughter Single F 14 1877 Domestic Servant Caversham Oxfordshire
Charles Son M 10 1881 Scholar Caversham Oxfordshire
Edith Daughter F 71 884 Scholar Caversham Oxfordshire
Alfred John Son M 3 1888 Caversham Oxfordshire
Mabel Ellen Daughter F 1 1890 Caversham Oxfordshire

[Elizabeth Herts]

1901 Census Reading

BARLOW, Charles Head Married M 52 1849 Mail Driver Whitchurch Oxfordshire
BARLOW, Martha Wife Married F 50 1851 Bucklebury Berkshire
BARLOW, Charles W Son Single M 21 1880 Biscuit Factory Labourer Caversham Oxfordshire
BARLOW, Alfred Son Single M 13 1888 Biscuit Factory Labourer Caversham Oxfordshire
BARLOW, Mabel Daughter Single F 11 1890 Caversham Oxfordshire

[Elizabeth Herts]

1911 - Here are Charles and Martha the parents with a granddaughter Vera. Is she Charles junior's daughter??

BARLOW SENIOR, Charles Head Married M 62 1849Groom Gardener Whitchchurch Berks BARLOW, Martha Wife Married 39 years F 60 1851 Bucklebury Berks
BARLOW, Vera Granddaughter F 3 1908 Reading Burton St Bartholomew Berks

[stevenp]

Yes, that's the Charles William Barlow that I found from the same census records (via Ancestry.co.uk). I've also seen the 1911 census record for his parents. I don't know if Vera was Charles' daughter - her father might have been Charles' older brother, George.
The main question is - is this Charles the same Charles that married Eva in 1918?

[Elizabeth Herts]

You will need to compare the marriage certificates for both marriages to see if the information ties up, Steven.

[stevenp]

A death certificate for Charles William Barlow arrived yesterday and it seems that this Charles is not the man that married Eva. The certificate tells us that he died at Royal Berks Hospital on 13 Jan 1929 aged 47 of Acute Pancreates and Toxaemia. His death was informed by S. Barlow, widow of deceased, living at 1 Blagrave Street, Reading.

So it's now a case of returning to the information that I do know (from Charles & Eva's marriage cert and the birth certificate of their eldest child) and trying again to find the elusive Charles William Barlow otherwise known as Charles William Preston.