Charles William Drew 1881 – 1972
Charles was born on 21st January 1881 in West Langdon, near Dover, to parents George Thomas and Caroline (née Cornwall).
The 1891 Census gave George’s job as a farm labourer whilst Caroline was named as a publican, with the family living in the pub. By 1901, the family was living at the Bell Inn on the village green in Shepherdswell, with George now listed as the publican.
The family were still there in 1911 Census, by which time Charles was employed as a domestic gardener. He married Margaret Elizabeth Edwards on 8th June 1914 at St Andrew’s. They both gave Shepherdswell as their parish and Charles was working as a “borer”.
There are no War records that can be attributed to Charles with any certainty; there are many possible names but not enough information held in the records to be able to be sure which one was him.
Records following the War are also sparse. In 1939, he was recorded as living with Margaret at 60 Hamilton Road, Dover and was employed as a groundsman at a boys school.
That same year, their only daughter married at River, and Charles’ Silver Wedding Anniversary was recorded in the Dover Express.
In 1943, he was a witness at a trial, when he was still at the same address. He gave his job as caretaker of a school since it had been evacuated in 1940. He died in the 3rd quarter of 1972 in the Dover district