| Charles Driver married Miriam Olive York in 1894. He was born at Chelveston and Miriam at Raunds. Charles came here for work, and was a pressman in the shoetrade. Charles and Miriam had a son George William in 1898, and one called Baden E in 1900, when they were living at 24 Little Street. |
| By 1911 the family had moved to no 11 Roberts Street, (re-numbered in 1953 as 17). A daughter, Dora, was born in March 1918, and was baptised at St Mary's Church on 24th March 1918.
George William Driver served in the Norfolk regiment during WWI, and was wounded in 1918.
| Rushden Echo, 28th June 1918
Casulaty List - Mr. and Mrs. Charles Driver, of 11 Roberts-street, Rushden, received news on Saturday that their son, Pte. G. W. Driver, 40832, A Company, 3rd Platoon, - Norfolk regiment, has been wounded. The following letter was received from the Captain: “I am most sorry to have to inform you that your son, Pte. G. W. Driver, of my Company, was wounded early this morning. The doctor says he will get to England all right, so I hope that this good news will help to alleviate any undue anxiety. I shall be very glad to hear how he gets on.” Pte. Driver spent twelve months in France, and was then sent to Italy, being subsequently transferred again to the Western front.
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| Rushden Echo, 5th July 1918
Pte. G. W. Driver, Norfolk Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Driver, who, as reported in our last issue, has been wounded, has now been sent to Lincoln Hospital.
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Rushden Echo, August 30th, 1918
Rushden’s Casualty List - Victims of the War
Pte. George William Driver, son of Mr Driver, of 11, Roberts-street, Rushden, who has been wounded in the left ear, now writes from Lincoln Hospital that he is going on very nicely. |
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Charles Driver outside no.11 hiding the V...- (morse code)
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Re-numbered in 1953 No 17 |
Baden E died in 1923 and was buried in Rushden Cemetery in Grave E 864 on 24th July.
George William Driver married Dorothy Kate Joiner in 1922, and the following year their son Cyril George was born and he was baptised on 30th December 1923 at St Mary’s Church. They had a son Cyril G and a daughter Pamela.
Miriam died and was buried 5th October 1937 Grave DA 281, aged 62.
Charles died aged 86 and was buried on 8th January 1957 Grave DA 282. [There are no memorial inscriptions.]
At the time of the photograph (right), VE Day 1945, Charles and his daughter Dora were still living at 11 Roberts Street, close to where a bomb had fallen in 1940.
The victory sign was painted by Dora Driver, Charles' grand daughter, and is still visible today.
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This V sign and morse code dots remain visible on the wall. 2015.
Painted for 'Victory' in Europe celebrations in 1945 by
Dora Driver (left) to mark
Victory and the end of the war.
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No 11 decorated for the 1953 Coronation.
Possibly Charles with two neighbours.
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l-r: Pamela Driver, George Driver, Dora Driver, Cyril Driver (my uncle), Dorothy Driver (George's wife), Andrew McMorrow (Paddy, Dora’s husband). Front: Charles Driver (father of George & Dora, grandfather to Pam & Cyril), the other chap is perhaps Dorothy’s dad, Mr Joiner (of Newport Pagnell).
Taken in the garden of 11 Roberts Street. c1953
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The row of houses at the lower end of Roberts Street.
The "V" sign (see below) on the wall just above the black car.
There are traces of others being painted on this row.
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Coronation Group, first lady on the left might be Mrs Bird, neighbour to the Drivers, then Miriam Driver (wife of Charles) my great great grandmother.
Dora McMorrow is 3rd from the right front row.
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Mrs Bird lived next door to the bomb site, in the last house left standing. |
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