Person:Charles Davis (152)

Charles Davis was baptised on 28th November 1819 at Tangmere in Sussex, son of an agricultural labourer named George Davis and his wife Catherine. Charles appears in the 1841 census living with his parents in Tangmere. By this time he too was working as an agricultural labourer.

In 1842, aged about 23, Charles married Charlotte Horton, who was from the nearby village of Merston. They stayed in Tangmere, having several children there. Charles's mother Catherine died in 1847 and the 1851 census finds Charles's father living with him and Charlotte and their children. Charles's father died in 1864.

The 1861 and 1871 censuses also find Charles and Charlotte living in Tangmere, with their address given variously as "Chichester & Arundel" and Arundel Road - presumably they lived on the turnpike road from Chichester to Arundel (later the A27) which skirts the northern edge of the parish.

In 1871 Charles is mentioned as the prosecutor in a case of theft, where a John Davis stole a shirt worth three shillings from Charles whilst it was drying.

Charles's wife Charlotte died in 1877, aged 58. After her death the 1881 census finds Charles living at Decoy Farm, to the south-east of Tangmere, with his daughter Harriet. He later moved to Selsey on the coast to live with his son Richard, appearing there in the 1891 census. By 1901 Charles was a patient at Easebourne Workhouse, a few miles inland.

Charles died in 1903, aged 83. He had outlived Charlotte by 25 years.

1. ↑ Sussex Family History Group. Sussex Baptismal Index.

   ch. 28 Nov 1819, Tangmere, Sussex: Charles son of George & Catherine Davis, labourer of Tangmere

   This baptism has been linked to the Charles Davis who married Charlotte Horton on the basis of the various censuses after their marriage in which he consistently claimed to have been born at Tangmere around 1819, plus in the 1851 census Charles and Charlotte had Charles's father George living with them. No evidence has been found to suggest that the Charles baptised in 1819 died young or married anyone other than Charlotte Horton.

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1099; Book 6; Folio 5; Page 5, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Tangmere Street, Tangmere, Sussex
   George Davis, male, 55 [1781-6], Ag lab, born in county
   Catherine Davis, female 50 [1786-91], born [illegible - could be I or S indicating Ireland or Scotland]
   Charles Davis, male, 20 [1816-21], Ag lab, born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1652; Folio 365; Page 24, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Tangmere, Sussex
   Cha[rle]s Davis, head, married, male, 30 [1820/1], Agricultural Labourer, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Charlotte Davis, wife, married, female, 32 [1818/19], b. Merston, Sussex
   Fanny Davis, daughter, female, 8 [1842/3], b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Thomas Davis, son, male, 6 [1844/5], b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Edward Davis, son, male, 4 [1846/7], b. Tangmere, Sussex
   George Davis, son, male, 2 [1848/9], b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Richard Davis, son, male, 4m [1850], b. Tangmere, Sussex
   George Davis, father, widower, male, 65 [1785/6], Parish relief, b. Boxgrove, Sussex

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 620; Folio 49; Page 8, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Chichester & Arundel, Tangmere, Sussex
   Charles Davis, head, married, 41 [1819/20], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Charlotte Davis, wife, married, female, 42 [1818/19], Ag Lab Wife, b. Merston, Sussex
   Fanny Davis, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1842/3], Serv. out of situation, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Thomas Davis, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1844/5], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Edward Davis, son, male, 14 [1846/7], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   George Davis, son, male, 12 [1848/9], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Richard Davis, son, male, 10 [1850/1], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Elizabeth Davis, daughter, female, 8 [1852/3], Scholar, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Mary A. Davis, daughter, female, 6 [1854/5], Scholar, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Charles Davis, son, male, 4 [1856/7], Scholar, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Ellen Davis, daughter, female, 2 [1858/9], b. Tangmere, Sussex
   George Davis, father, widower, male, 72 [1788/9], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1115; Folio 56; Page 14, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Arundel Road, Tangmere, Sussex
   Charles Davis, head, married, male, 51 [1819/20], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Charlotte Davis, wife, married, female, 51 [1819/20], b. Merston, Sussex
   Edward Davis, son, unmarried, male, 24 [1846/7], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Richard Davis, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1850/1], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Charles Davis, son, male, 14 [1856/7], Ag Lab, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Ellen Davis, daughter, female, 12 [1858/9], Scholar, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Harriett Davis, daughter, female, 9 [1861/2], Scholar, b. Tangmere, Sussex

6.   Hampshire Telegraph (Portsmouth, Hampshire, England)
   29 Nov 1871.

   CHICHESTER
   COUNTY BENCH. - On Saturday, before John James Johnson, Q.C. (chairman), and Robert Dendy, Esq. - John Davis was charged with stealing a shirt, value 3s., the property of Charles Davis, at Tangmere, on the 16th inst. - It appeared from the evidence of the prosecutor's wife that the shirt was hanging out in the garden to dry, and on going to take her clothes in she missed it. She gave information to the police. - P.C. Hatcher said he went in pursuit of the prisoner, and he found him at some beerhouse and the shirt in his possession. - The prisoner pleaded guilty, and he was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.

7. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1126; Folio 49; Page 7, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Decoy Farm, Tangmere, Sussex
   Charles Davis, head, widower, male, 61 [1819/20], Agr Labr, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Harriett Davis, daughter, unmarried, female, 19 [1861/2], Housekeeper, b. Tangmere, Sussex

8. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 840; Folio 70; Page 2, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: High Street, Selsey, Sussex
   Three rooms occupied
   Richard Davis, head, married, male, 40 [1850/1], Bricklayer, employed, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Mary Davis, wife, married, female, 32 [1858/9], b. Westerton, Sussex
   Charles Davis, brother, single, male, 34 [1856/7], Bricklayers Labourer, employed, b. Tangmere, Sussex
   Charles Davis, father, widower, male, 72 [1818/19], b. Tangmere, Sussex

9. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 972; Folio 34; Page 5, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Easebourne Workhouse, Easebourne, Sussex
   [many patients, including:]
   Charles Davis, patient, widower, male, 81 [1819/20], Ordinary Agricultural Labourer, b. Tangmere, Sussex

10. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    d. Charles DAVIS, June Quarter 1903, Midhurst Registration District, Volume 2b, page 236, aged 84 [1818/19]