Charles Dunlop   SQUIRES

INTRODUCTION

Charles Dunlop was born in 1867, the only child of Edwin and Elizabeth SQUIRES and he is our direct ancestor.

Sadly his mother died in 1874 when Charles was only 6 years old, and his father remarried the following year to Emma PIPE (nee BALDOCK).

Charles left England when only in his late teens and, when we think about how he journeyed around the world at such a young age and in the era when global travel wasn't the 'norm', we can only imagine what an adventure he must have had.

If we could meet one
of our ancestors then

Charles

is the one we
would most love
to talk to.


THE STORIES

There are many 'stories' that we've heard from around the family, maybe you have heard them too or, indeed, have more that you could share with us?

Here are some we have collected:

  • It is said that Charles did not get on with his stepmother Emma, and that in his late teens, around the mid 1880s, he was taken to Southampton docks and put on a ship. Apparently he had gold sovereigns sewn into the hem of his coat.

    It is also said that he went with a cousin who didn't return but settled in New Zealand.
    [There is a record of a C Squires leaving Liverpool on the "City of Richmond" and arriving in New York on 28 October 1887]

  • Charles was at Bristol University.

  • He travelled throughout America, on the Wild West Stagecoaches, and was even saved from a flood in Canada by a China man.

  • He went gold prospecting in South Africa and Australia.

  • He was an Army cook in New Zealand.

  • Another rumour was that money left to Charles and his father Edwin was put in a bank which went bust and they only received back 1s for every £1.

  • When Charles had come to the end of his service in South Africa's Boer War his senior officer asked him to go back to Australia and work for him on a sheep station.

    We have heard one story that after the Boer War Charles, Jane and the family went to live in Wales but returned as Jane didn't like living there.

    Another story is that it wasn't Wales, but New South Wales in Australia!

    However, it is also said that Jane didn't go at all!

  • Around 1897 Charles went to work in a factory (we believe it to be a cycle factory) in Paris, taking his wife Jane and young daughters, Ethel, Kitty (and Mabel?) with him.

    It is said that the family they stayed with wanted to adopt Ethel his eldest daughter.

    Again Jane didn't like Paris so they came home.


THE MEMORIES

Can you, or other family members, recall any memories of Charles?

  • Marjorie (granddaughter) as a young girl recalls memories of Charles being a hawker and having a van laden with goods.

  • Audrey (granddaughter) remembers going to Chandos Street where Charles lived with his son, and he would be listening to an Indian News Programme on the radio.


BIRTH & BAPTISM

Charles was born in Rugby Road, Milverton on 7 July 1867, and was baptised on the 18 September at Leamington Priors, Warwick.


Transcription

SCHOOL LIFE

Between 1875 and 1881 Charles attended Portland House School in Leamington as a weekly border. This seemed to coincide with Charles' father, Edwin, marrying Emma PIPE in 1875, a year after the death of his mother Elizabeth.

From the original school receipts we can see that Charles was taught in music and the piano as well as art, French and Latin. He also played cricket and interestingly one invoice itemises a 'pane of glass'; maybe the two are connected!

School Receipts


MARRIAGE & FAMILY

Charles married Jane TAYLOR of Coventry at the Holy Trinity Parish Church on 2 February, 1891.


Transcription

Charles and Jane had 10 children, 8 daughters and 2 sons:

  • 1891-1963      Ethel
  • 1894-1965      Katherine Amy
  • 1896-1968      Mabel
  • 1898-1983      Charlotte
  • 1902-1982      Vera
  • 1904-1955      Maud Mona
  • 1906-1984      Jane (Jean) Elizabeth
  • 1908-1940      Hilda May
  • 1914-2011      Percy Dunlop
  • 1912-1994      Charles Dunlop Foden



WORKING LIFE
Described as Dairyman on marriage to Jane TAYLOR Feb
1891
age
23
Cycle felloe* roller, lodging at 3 Brunswick Villa, Lower Ford Street, Coventry

*The wooden wheel rim onto which spokes were fitted and a metal tyre moulded.
April
1891
age
23
Cycle machinist living at 3 Court, 5 Far Gosford Street, Coventry Jan
1894
age
26
Machinist living at 6 Court, 3 Far Gosford Street, Coventry Aug
1894
age
26
Living in France with his family, working, we believe, in a cycle factory in Paris.

Significantly a Paris manufacturing firm producing cycles that were undercutting the British trade was purchased in 1896 by an English syndicate headed up by Henry John Lawson, a prominent cycle person in Coventry. Is it beyond the bounds of possibility that Charles was sent over to be a representative of the new owners?
1897 age
30
Millwright living at 97 Chandos Street, Coventry 1911age
44
Millwright working for Daimler and living at Chandos Street 1916 age
49
Millwright still working for Daimler 1920 age
53
General Hawker living at Chandos Street 1929 age
62

ARMY LIFE

Charles joined the Warwickshire Imperial Yeomanry Volunteer Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 17 January 1900.




Charles served in the Left Half Company - County Contingent as

Private C SQUIRES #8254

and was discharged on
30 April 1901.

His record shows an entitlement to the South Africa Medal and Clasps for:

Johannesburg,
Diamond Hill,
Belfast,
Cape Colony,
Orange Free State.


Alongside Charles and the Battalion was 'Private Jack' a Manchester terrier, who transferred his allegiance to the Volunteer Company from the Boers in Victoria West, Cape Colony.

He marched with the company throughout the campaign and despite dogs not being allowed on the transport going home, he somehow managed to arrive at Southampton with the Battalion on the "Tagus".

He did however have to serve 3 months quarantine. It is said that he was smuggled on board underneath an army uniform.



Jack was presented with a miniature medal with five clasps for the actions for which he had borne his part.


Charles Dunlop Squires 1921

Charles Dunlop Squires 1937


Charles and Jane    c1920s   (Portrait)

The Squires Family    c1924
The Squires Sisters    Late 1950s
NEWSPAPER REPORTS

Coventry Herald and Free Press, 15 April 1892.

VOLUNTEER SHOOTING MATCH
The match between A and D companies took place on Saturday afternoon at the Range, Radford, and ended in a win for D company by 67 points.

The report continues by giving the individual results and Pvte. C. D. Squires is listed as having scored only 23, the lowest of the 20 participants.



DEATH & BURIAL

Jane died in 1929 aged 58 years, and was buried on 2 May at London Road Cemetery, Coventry.



Undertaker's Invoice

French Polished Elm Coffin
with Brass Furniture

Three coaches (singles)

Cemetery Fees

£15
Charles died in 1953 and was buried, alongside his wife Jane, on 18 February 1953.



REFERENCES
  • UK, Military and Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949.
  • National Record Office - Official birth, marriage and death certificates
  • UK Census Records (Ancestry.co.uk & Findmypast.co.uk)
  • Warwickshire Parish Records
  • The National Archives
  • British Newspaper Archives
  • The History of the 1st Volunteer Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Regiment by Colonel Charles J Hart VD
  • Coventry Herald and Free Press