Person

Charles Miles Spencer was born in Stockton on 16 December 1899. His father was George Spencer, a street paver from Manchester. His mother was Edith Mary Spencer who was originally from Stockton. She is listed on the 1911 census as deaf. It is uncertain where the family was living in 1901 but in 1911 they were living at 1 Stoker’s Yard, Stockton. The 1911 census shows George and Edith had had five children, though three of the children died young. Charles had one younger sister.

On 1 March 1913, Charles was admitted to Earl’s House Industrial School for the offense of larceny. He was given the admission number 1058. Earl’s House Industrial school was one of a number of schools where boys were committed by a magistrate for offences such as larceny, vagrancy or truancy. The schools also took boys who were showing behaviour which was beyond their parents’ control. The boys were taught skills including tailoring, gardening and agricultural skills to give them a trade when they left the school.

Charles was at the school for nearly three years, working in the garden at the school, with his conduct at the school described as ‘very good’. He was discharged on 15 December 1915 aged 16. Following discharge, Charles had various jobs and reports from the school reported him as ‘doing well’. Charles was off work during August 1916 following an accident leaving him with a crush injury to his legs.

By August 1917, he was working at Stockton’s forge as a plater’s helper, earning 17/- per week. In November of that year records show he was working at a Malleable Iron Works driving the steam hammer, with an increased wage of 25/- per week, and was doing well. He continued in this work until the beginning of 1918 and was reported to be ‘going on steadily’.

Charles enlisted into the army on 25 January 1918 in Richmond. He was working as a labourer at this time. He went to Rugeley Camp in Staffordshire in February 1918. He arrived in Etaples on 20 July 1918 and was posted to the 2/4th battalion Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment. Charles served as a private in B Company of the 8th Platoon of this regiment as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France with the service number 57548.

Charles’ military records show he was absent from a 2pm parade on 21 April 1919, for which he was deprived of three days pay. Exact details are unclear from records, but they suggest that Charles was examined at Etaples by a medical officer on 3 November 1919 and then discharged from the army the following day. He was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal for his service.

By 1939 Charles was living at 45 Sydney Street in Stockton and was working as a processer worker with chemicals. He was married to Mary Jane Spencer with records suggesting they had four children.

Civil Parish: Broom

Birth date: 16-Dec-1899

Death date: 1956

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 1 Stoker’s Yard, Stockton (1911 census)
Earl’s House Industrial School (1913)
14 Carlton Street, Stockton (Address on discharge from school/1918 enlistment address)
45 Sydney Street, Stockton (1939 register)

Education: Earl’s House Industrial School (1913-1915)

Religion: Roman Catholic

Employment: August 1917: Plater’s helper (School Records)
November 1917: Steam Hammer Driver -Malleable Iron Works (School Records)

Family: Parents: George Spencer, Edith Mary Spencer
Siblings: Catherine Elizabeth Spencer
Spouse: Mary Jane Spencer
Children: Kathleen Spencer, Robert Spencer, Frank Spencer

Military service:

Enlisted 25 January 1918
2/4th battalion Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment
B Company, 8th Platoon
Private
Service Number 57548
Discharged 4 November 1919

Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham