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Charles Chambers &Â Alice Bateman
Charles Chambers and Alice Bateman were married on 2nd June, 1879 at St Mary The Virgin Church in Plaistow, Essex. They lived their married life together in London bringing up seven children (see the mini family tree below).
Charles & Alice: Welcome
Charles & Alice: Image
Charles Chambers was born in 1853 in Suffolk, in the borough of Ipswich, but soon after his birth the family moved to West Ham, which at the time was a small village on the outskirts of London, in the parish of Plaistow, Essex. His father, also Charles Chambers, was working as an engine driver at the local manure works.
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Alice Bateman was born in Lambeth in 1857, but her family similarly moved to West Ham when she was young. After their marriage in 1879, the couple moved back across London to set up home together in Chelsea and their first child, Amelia Ellen, was born at 43, Seaton Street in 1880. The family were at this address at the time of the 1881 census when Charles’ occupation was recorded as a steam engine driver (seemingly taking after his own father).
Charles & Alice: About
Over the next ten years the family moved several times in the Wandsworth area of London before eventually settling in south London. Their second child, Esther Sarah, was born at Birdhurst Road in Wandsworth in August 1882 whilst her brothers Charles Alfred and William John were born at Kelling Terrace, in February 1884 and August 1885 respectively.
In the late 1880s, with a growing family, Charles and Alice moved once more within the Wandsworth area to 58, Linda Street where their third son, Sidney Walter was born in 1890. The same address appears on the 1891 census when Charles & Alice are recorded with their five children: Amelia (aged 11), Esther (9), Charles (7), William (6) and Sidney (1); and Charles’ occupation is now recorded as an ‘engine driver - steam crane’.
Charles & Alice: Text
Charles & Alice: Image
In the early 1890s the family moved to their ‘final’ house in Charlton, south London where they had two more children: Evelyn Primrose in 1894 and Ivy Alice in 1898. In the 1901 census the family is recorded at that property - 35, North Street, Charlton; with Charles (aged 17), William (15), Sidney (11), Evelyn (6) and Ivy (2). Here their father, Charles (senior), is listed as a ‘steam crane driver’ whilst his eldest son is now in employment as a ‘crane stoker’.
The two eldest children, Amelia and Esther, are not recorded with the family in the 1901 census - presumably already living and working away from home.
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Charles & Alice’s seven children all went on to marry and lead full lives of their own. You can read more about their lives, accompanied by photos and stories of their children (Charles & Alice’s grandchildren) via the link at the foot of the page.
Charles & Alice: About
Charles & Alice: Image
Charles Chambers (senior) and his wife Alice, continued to live at 35 North Street in Charlton after the children had left home. Charles died in 1930 aged 77, but Alice lived another ten years and in her later years would often meet up with her daughters and her grandchildren (see photo below). In the 1939 Register, she was recorded as living with her daughter and son-in-law (Evelyn & James), at 4, Montcalm Road in Greenwich, London. She died just a year later in 1940, aged 83.
Charles Chambers & Alice Chambers (née Bateman) are both buried in Charlton Cemetery in south London.
Charles & Alice: Text
Charles & Alice: Image
Charles & Alice: Text
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