Charles Henry Edwards was born in Padstow, Cornwall, in around 1888. One of three children, his parents were Charles and Elizabeth Edwards. Charles Sr was a farm labourer, and his son, who was one of four children, followed suit when he finished his schooling.

Charles Sr passed away in 1903: the next census record found Charles and two of his sisters living with Elizabeth. She was claiming parish relief, while her daughters were doing occasional char work to bring in a little more money.

Charles married a woman called Florence Dunn in the summer of 1911: little information is available for her, other than she was born in Devon, to Joseph and Maria. The couple set up home in Leadwell Street, Padstow, and went on to have four children: Lilian, Charles, Elsie and Alfred.

When war came to Europe, Charles stepped up to play his part. He enlisted 11th December 1915, by which point, he had found work as a cowman. He joined the Devonshire Regiment as a Private and spend the next fourteen months on home soil, moving across to the 5th Labour Company in February 1917.

At this point, Private Edwards was sent to France, and he spent most of that year overseas. He returned to Britain on 8th November, having contracted bronchitis while serving at Etaples. When he had recovered, Charles returned to duties, and was attached to the 650th Labour Coy.

Alfred, Charles and Florence’s youngest child, was born on 1st April 1918, but seemed to be a sickly boy. He passed away on 27th September, aged just six months, from a combination of influenza and bronchitis. Tragically, Charles was also unwell at this point, and he passed away just four days later from pneumonia. He was just 30 years of age.

Charles Henry Edwards was laid to rest in Padstow Cemetery. The report of his funeral does not mention Alfred, but it seems likely that father and son were buried together.

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Florence lived on until 1964. She passed away in Bodmin, at the age of 78, and was laid to rest with her husband, reunited after more than four decades.

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