Charles Samuel OLIVER was born in 1875 in Speldhurst, Kent to parents William Edgar OLIVER and Charlotte Jane née CATT. He married Emily MECHEN on 2nd June 1900 in Brighton, Sussex and the following year, the 1901 census shows them living at 14 Grove Street, Brighton, where Charles is aged 25 and working as a Railway Labourer. (Piece 923, folio 108, page 13). They have one child, Edith, who was born in 1900. The 1911 census has Emily, now a widow, living at 58 Hanover Terrace, Brighton, aged 30 and working as a Laundress. By this time, 2 other children have arrived: Louisa Rose in 1902 and Charles Samuel in 1910. Emily and the children emigrated to Canada in 1912 and can be found living in Ontario in the 1921 census. Emily died there in Milton, Ontario on 11th July 1967. However…. What happened to Charles? I have searched high and low but am blowed if I can find his death. So… over to you, super sleuths!
Not going to help much. On FS, someone had added him to their tree back on 5th June 2012. The entry was updated on 10th June 2021 to give date and place of birth. 16 August 1875, Rusthall, Kent, England They don't know any other information about him either. Rusthall is just under 2 miles from Speldhurst.
Interestingly if you look again at the 1921 Canadian census there is another son Leslie, aged 7 born in Ontario. Father James Oliver when you look at his birth registration. Same mother... so, did she marry her brother-in-law or did Charles change his name? When Leslie married his father is Charles Samuel. When the other children married their father is listed as Charles Samuel.
Thanks @Half Hour Charles is not on the ship manifest with the others in 1912 and Emily is recorded as a widow in both 1911 in UK and 1921 in Canada. It would not surprise me if Leslie just named his father as Charles Samuel as that was what he was told - to fit in with the others. No idea where the James came from but maybe that was his father's first name - if he was born illegitimate...
Have you checked the original of the death registration of Charles Oliver Jun 1909 East Grinstead age 44. Could be an error in age. Just a thought.
@Daft Bat I wondered the same! I thought it was still interesting. I had looked at all the marriages of the children to see if any had deceased by their father's name, but none did. I don't think that was indicated very often on Ontario marriages. Started this post and then my internet went off... here it is now.
I looked at that one, and there is a Charles Oliver in East Grinstead on the 1901 census, who was age 36 then, so a likely candidate for the 1909 death. RG13/906/116/15
why on the passenger list for 1912 does it say Emily is a retn Canadian and that she was there in 1907 just curious
It also says she was there between 1907 and 1911 in various places totaling 2 years. So I read that as she was going back and forth between those years. Also found on FS that Charles Samuel Oliver born 7/3/1910 and died 1/3/1984 at Gwillimbury Simcoe Ontario.
Tree on FS has Leslie George COSBY with Oliver in brackets. James COSBY #3 ??? his father. I'm a bit curious as to the 8 year age gap between Louisa and Charles....
Find a grave has the memorial for Charles S Oliver, burial at Mount Pleasant Bradford, Simcoe Ontario. Mentioned parents Charles Samuel Oliver 1875-1911 and Emily Mechen 1879 -1967. Whether that means that he actually died in 1911 or was it the last sighting of him, I have no idea. Emily MECHEN Oliver is buried at Evergreen Cemetery Milton Ontario. Memorial has her husband as SAMUEL Oliver, mother of Edith. Death 11/7/1967
I give up. I think he must have gone over to Canada earlier to set up for his family and gone missing over there. Louisa married Frederick John Jones, 26 when she was 16. Emily and Edith were witnesses. Charles S Oliver is named as father on the marriage certificate, viewable on FS. This could explain the reason for Emily to state that they had gone to Canada on other occasions between 1907 and 1911. It also explains the 8 years between children if he was over in Canada.
Have a look at the manifest of the 'Lake Erie" May 1906 Quebec from England. There is a 30 year old, (1876) Charles Oliver, born Kent, MARRIED, farm labourer? going to Winnipeg. No family with him. If Winnipeg was after farm labourers then that is what he would have stated that he was, just to get there...They did that here to get immigration approval.
This chap hanged himself - there is quite a write-up in the local newspaper - and can be found in East Grinstead in other censuses etc. So sadly not the right chap. But thanks for looking. Side note: apparently, this chap's wife left him at one point because of domestic abuse, came back to him but all the locals banged pots and pans along his funeral procession.
Well! That's interesting! On the outgoing passenger list he is aged 40 and single: He is also recorded as CS Oliver, a labourer On the incoming passenger list, he is aged 30 and married: Note: the ticket numbers match: 80559 So.... If Emily is recorded as a widow, did he die in Canada between 1906 and 1911 or did he just "disappear"? But then, why did Emily go there? Charles' intended destination was Winnipeg, Manitoba, whereas Emily ended up in Ontario. More questions than answers again...
There is a death registered in Dauphin, Manitoba on 22nd December 1909 for a Charles OLIVER aged 35.....
I was thinking that as Emily was in Canada between 1907 and 1911, at various places, maybe she was looking for him. Heaven knows what she could have been doing for a living. Her previous arrivals in Canada haven't shown up as far as I know so maybe she did go to Manitoba initially and then decided she would emigrate in 1912 to Ontario.
There are four Olivers buried at Riverside Cemetery Dauphin, Charles being one but no other info on the memorial.
