| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Charles Needham Kirkham was born 3 Dec 1884 in Beverley and baptized on 2 Jan 1885 at Beverley Minster, the son of Charles Needham Kirkham, inn keeper and Alice Olivia (nee Birch). His father died in Apr 1884 before he was born and his mother married Matthew Gray in 1895. On 1 Feb 1911 Charles married Margaret Loft at Beverley Minster. In 1911 they were living at 51 Holmechurch Lane, Beverley and Charles was working as a tanner’s labourer.
Charles enlisted with the 5th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment and immediately embarked for France. A letter from him published in the Beverley Guardian of 1 Apr 1915 thanked some ladies of Beverley for ‘the smokes received quite safe’. His letter about the death of his friend Herbert Arthur Gill who was killed on 20 Jun 1914 was published in 1915. Charles reached the rank of Lance Corporal and was awarded the 15 Star, the Victory and British medals.
Charles continued to work in the tanning industry. In 1939 he and Margaret, with his father in law William Loft, were living in Grovehill Road, Beverley. Charles died on 17 Aug 1969 in Beverley aged 85
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |