Address: 60 Douglas Road, Welling
Family / Relatives: Son of Arthur and Harriet C. Traveller; husband of Maud Winifred Traveller, of Welling.
Buried: East Wickham (St. Michael’s) Churchyard
Little is known of the life of Charles William Traveller, but his and his family’s story is one of tragedy. Charles was born almost a year before the start of the First World War, on the 14th September 1913, in Custom House, near the Docklands. At the time it was classed as Essex, it is now part of Newham, East London.
Charles’ parents were both born and bred in Essex. His father Arthur was born in Stratford, in 1883, he married Charles’ mother, Harriett Caroline Merritt, in 1904. Arthur was 21 years old, and Harriett, born in 1885, in West Ham, was 20. Harriett was already expecting their first child, Arthur Thomas Henry, and gave birth just four days after their wedding. Tragically, Arthur died aged six months, in March 1905.
Harriet was already pregnant with their second child at the time of Arthur’s death. Dorothy Charlotte was born five months later, in August 1905. Their second daughter, Florence Ada, was born just over two years later, in November 1907. Sadly, there would be more tragedy for Arthur and Harriet; their third daughter, Violet Nellie, was born in July 1910, but only lived for fourteen months, and passed away in December 1911.
The 1911 census records the family living in Stratford. Arthur was employed as a Metal Refiner in a cooperage. By the time Charles was born in September 1913, the family had moved to Canning Town and were residing at 62 Rendel Road, near the Victoria Docks. Charles was baptised at three weeks old in nearby St Luke’s Church, and Arthur’s occupation was listed as a labourer, which suggests that his father may have lost his job and could explain why the family had moved. Charles’ younger brother, Arthur Wilfred, was born almost three years later, in August 1917.
By the time of the 1921 census, Charles was seven years old and was in full time education. Nothing is known of Charles’ life until April 1939, when he married Maud Winifred Hall, in North Woolwich. He was 25 years old, and Maud was 20. She was born in North Woolwich, in May 1918. Her family lived at 57 Claremont Street, very close to the Royal Victoria Gardens. Maud was the youngest of three, her siblings Thomas and Jane, had both been born before the First World War. Her father, Arthur James Hall, served as a Gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery during the war. Sadly, Maud never knew her farther, she was around four months old when he died in September 1918, of wounds received in Belgium or France. Her mother married Peter Watson Mace in 1921, shortly after Maud’s third birthday.
It appears that Charles and Maud were not living together when the in the 1939 Register was taken in September. No entry can be found for Charles, whilst Maud was living in Robert Street, less than a five-minute walk from her family home in Claremont Street, with Arthur and Alice Willis. It is unclear why she was living there and if she had any previous connection to the couple; her occupation is listed as unpaid domestic duties.
Charles’ family were by then living slightly further away, in Dagenham, Essex. His father had died in 1937, aged 56, and his mother Harriett and other siblings were all living together in Dungun Avenue, along with his sister Dorothy’s husband, John, and their son Ronald. It appears that his sister Florence also had a son, Reginald Traveller, born in 1933, although she remained unmarried.
Very little is known of Charles’ service during the war. He served as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery with the 445 AA Company, 2/6th Battalion, The Essex Regiment (65th Searchlight Regiment), Royal Artillery. The regiment defended East Anglia during the Blitz. The 6th Battalion, Essex Regiment, was a volunteer unit of the Territorial Army, first formed in the docks of East London in 1860. The 2/6th Essex Battalion was formed at West Ham in November 1914. It disbanded at the end of the war, but was reformed in 1920, with the reconstitution of the Territorial Army. The HQ for the 2/6th Battalion was based at Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, with the 445 AA Co based at East Ham. On the outbreak of war in September 1939, the unit was in the 41st (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade of 2nd AA Division, and eventually became a searchlight unit of the Royal Artillery. When the Territorial Army was reconstituted on 1st January 1947, the 6th Essex units reformed as heavy anti-aircraft artillery regiments.
Charles and Maud had two daughters. Their first daughter, Joan, was born in July 1941, in Norfolk. It seems likely that Maud would have moved out of London because of the Blitz, and she could have moved to Norfolk because her stepfather Peter was originally from the area, so she may have been living with his relatives. Their second daughter, Gillian, was born just after the end of the Second World War, in October 1945. The family had moved to Welling and were living at 60 Douglas Road.
Charles died 16 months after Gillian was born on the 2nd February 1947, at the age of 33. The details of his death are unknown, it was registered in Chatham, Kent, but the family were still living at 60 Douglas Road. Charles was buried on the 20th February, at St. Michael’s Church. He was buried in the churchyard with a cross headstone marking his grave, the inscription read: “TODAY AND EVERY DAY IN SILENCE WE REMEMBER. LOVING WIFE MAUD, JOAN AND GILLIAN”. He is also commemorated on the St. Michael’s Church memorial panel.
Tragically, Maud died just over a year after Charles, in April 1948, aged 30. It isn’t clear what happened to their orphaned daughters, Joan and Gillian, but the devastating loss of their parents was followed by the deaths of both their grandmothers in less than ten years.
Pictured are ‘the hutments’ (Douglas Road was part of this estate), and St. Michael’s Church.
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Commemorated
This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to Charles William Traveller, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.