Percy was my Grandmother’s half-brother
Percy was born at number 13 Woodchester Street in Paddington on 31st August 1905. He was the illegitimate son of Charlotte Welch, a farmer’s daughter from Purton Stoke, and Reginald Stancliffe Newbold. Reginald, a private in the Coldstream Guards, abandoned the pregnant Charlotte. Charlotte circumvented the rule that the father of an illegitimate child had to be present at registration in order to be named on the birth certificate by calling herself Mrs Newbold. Percy’s birth was registered under the name Percy Reginald Leopold Newbold.
Woodchester Street was in the poorest part of Paddington and there was severe overcrowding in the houses. In 1894/5 there were on average 16 occupants per house. The 1901 census records 15 occupants living in 6 rooms at number 13.
As an unmarried mother Charlotte’s position was desperate and by the end of 1905 she had formed an irregular relationship with Christopher Rock. They were married on 4th July and Percy’s sister Doris was born on 22nd August. Another sister, Catherine, was born in June 1908.
Christopher and Charlotte were divorced in 1914. Christopher was granted custody of their daughters while Charlotte and Percy were left to fend for themselves.
Between 22th June and 18th Sept 1914 Percy attended Amberley Road School as Percy Reginald Welch.
In August 1915 his mother Charlotte married Charles Carson, who had deserted from the Grenadier Guards. Charles returned to duty in November of that year, was immediately arrested and sentenced to 112 days detention. His detention was cut short when he was sent to France in January 1916.
Percy was admitted to Amberley Road School under name Percy Carson on 25th September 1916. On 8th June the following year (1917) Percy was admitted to the Guardians’ Institution at St. John’s Road from Holloway Police Station, 256 Hornsey Road, under the alias of Edward Clarke. He was discharged to the receiving homes at Hornsey Rise where his ‘real’ identity (recorded as Percy Reginald Rock) was discovered and on 22nd June Percy was discharged into the care of a Mrs Bullen for transfer back to Paddington.
Percy’s biological father, Reginald Newbold, had been discharged from the army in December 1911 after serving 7 years with the colours and 5 in the reserve but he re-engaged at the end of May 1915. He was discharged from the army as unfit for service on 2nd October 1918 (Tubercle of left lung) and died on 23rd November. Reginald is buried in a War Grave in Burton on Trent Cemetery. Percy’s stepfather, Charles Carson, also deserted his mother. Charles remained in the army (first volunteering for a further year’s service with the Armies of Occupation and then re-engaging with the Military Foot Police) until his many lies caught up with him and he was discharged in 1925. During the war Charlotte had worked in a munition factory and, after Charles’ return to duty in 1916, in addition to her wages she would also have received a Separation Allowance. Both of these streams of income ceased with the end of the war and Charlotte and Percy were destitute once again. Percy’s childhood was a very tough one.
Percy was sent to the Barnes Home Industrial School, Didsbury Road, Heaton Norris, Stretford by order of the court. This would have been some time between June 1917 and his 14th birthday in August 1919. An earlier date is more likely as his mother moved from a bedsit into lodgings at the beginning of 1918. Section 44 of the Children Act, 1908 states: The expression “industrial school” means a school for the industrial training of children, in which children are lodged, clothed and fed, as well as taught. The Act specifies the conditions under which a child may be sent to an Industrial School. It isn’t comfortable reading. Percy remained at the school until his 16th birthday.
On census night 1921 Percy was staying at the school’s Holiday Camp at Churton by Farndon (south of Chester). The census records that both his parents were still alive and so it would seem that the school records either had not been updated to reflect that Reginald had died or either Christopher or Charles were recorded as his father.
After leaving the school aged 16, Percy remained under the supervision of the managers of the school until he was 18. Percy worked as a labourer in Stockport and, as Percy Reginald Carson, he enlisted into the Royal Tank Corps there on 21st July 1924. Although Percy enlisted into the Tank Corps he served in Royal Scots Greys. The Greys were in India between 1922 and 1927.
Percy married Helen Slater Coull (a fisherman’s daughter from Enzie, Buckie) 2nd Nov 1929 at George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. The Register gives Percy’s parents names as Christopher and Charlotte Carson (maiden surname Rock)! It is curious that he gave his father’s name as Christopher rather than Reginald. It seems that he believed that Christopher was his father.
The Greys were transferred from Scotland to Tidworth, Wiltshire where Percy and Helen’s daughter, Cynthia Margaret Helen Carson, was born on 15th Feb 1930.
Percy died from injuries sustained during a riding accident at Tidworth 20th Mar 1932. The cause of death was Severe Cerebral Concussion. He was buried in North Tidworth on 24 March. On Wed 23 Mar 1932 The Aberdeen Press and Journal reported:
Killed when horse bolted.
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Inquest on Buckie Corporal in Royal Scots Greys
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Corporal Percy Reginald Carson, of the Royal Scots Greys, Tidworth, whose home address was Main Street, Buckie, was riding recently when his horse suddenly bolted and slipped on a tarmac road. Carson died later from head injuries.
At an inquest at Tidworth last night the verdict was “Accidental death”. Carson was a married man.
Helen married another member of the Scots Greys at the end of 1932. Unsurprisingly the marriage was short lived. Cynthia was cared for by her grandmother Charlotte.