Rushden Research Group: Charlie Fathers

Charlie Fathers

With his grandmother c1909

In scout uniform 1915

In Military Uniform

Charles John Fathers was born on the 10th April 1899, at Willesden, and lived his first few years there. His mother, Maria Fathers married Charles Inyon Fairy in 1900. At Willseden they had five more children.

The family moved to Brackley about 1910. At some time soon after the 1911 census Charles was in Rushden, perhaps in Gordon Street, Rushden, with a relative.


Guild of Goodwill certificate for readers of the Children's Corner in the Rushden Argus	Boys' Social League The Boy of Today is the Citizen of Tomorrow

c1920s

In 1912 he joined 'The Guild of Goodwill' run by The Rushden Argus newspaper.

Charles joined the Boy Scouts and played in the Bugle Band. He read 'The Boys Journal' and was a member of The Boys Social League.

He was in the army at 16 as a bugle boy, and at 18 he served with the 7th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps in France where he was injured, and he convalesced for a short time at the VAD Hospital in the Parish Rooms, Higham Ferrers. [he signed Nurse Trusler's autograph book whilst there]

In 1919 he was back at Eaton's boot factory, but he could not settle. He joined the RAF in 1920 but was invalided out after a short time. He then joined the Bedfordshire Yeomanry in 1922 and stayed until 1927. He secured work at Marriott's Farm, and was presented with a Clean Milk Certificate in 1927 whilst working there.

Clean Milk Certificate

In Marriott's Farm yard with one of the horses

On the 7^th June 1930, at St Barnabas Church, Wellingborough, Charles married Phyllis Watkiss, a 21 year old spinster, of Raunds. Charles was now working as a fishmonger.

Charles and Phyllis had two sons, Ronald and Kenneth. Charles went on to work in the shoetrade at John White's Lime Street factory, and also as a gardener in Hayway.

During WWII he serverd in the NFS and Home Guard. A keen member of the Working Men's club, his hobbies were fishing and rabbit keeping, as well as tending his allotment. He always entered into the competitions run by the club.

Certifcate of NFS service

In his NFS uniform
Service No. 426105

Grooming a rabbit

1971 with cups presented for Best Allotment in Rushden
and County

His Blue Beveren won the Best in England in 1955 - with some cups

Irchester Fishing Club at Little Thetford in the mid 1950s
The lady seated is Mrs Flowers, with Charlie behind and son Ron to his left

Phyllis died in 1996 aged 88 and Charles died in 1998 aged 98. They are buried in Rushden Cemetery.

His War Recalled