EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
HOLMES, Charles
1884 - 1917 (33 years) Has 24 ancestors and 2 descendants in this family tree.
1857 - 1915 (58 years)-
Name HOLMES, Charles Birth 2 Jun 1884 Thornton, Yorkshire, England 
Gender Male Death 20 Nov 1917 Active Service In World War 1 Person ID I4230 Edgoose Last Modified 4 Feb 2026
Father HOLMES, James Headgoose, b. 19 Mar 1861, Kirton In Holland, Lincolnshire d. 1 Oct 1934, Brentham, Ealing, Middlesex, England (Age 73 years) Mother BREWSTER, Elizabeth Ann, b. 1857, Sutterton, Lincolnshire, England d. 13 Mar 1915, Doncaster, Yorkshire, England (Age 58 years) Marriage 14 Oct 1880 Sutterton, Lincolnshire, England Family ID F1881 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family RATCLIFFE, Florence May, b. 1888, Chorley, Lancashirel, England d. 1980, Beverley Registration District, Yorkshire (Age 92 years) Marriage 13 Feb 1915 Chorley, Lancashirel, England Children 1. HOLMES, Hilda, b. 11 Apr 1916, Blackburn, Lancashire, England d. 2000, Chichester Registration District, Sussex (Age 83 years)Family ID F1887 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
-
Notes
CHARLES HOLMES 1884-1917
Charles, son of James Headgoose HOLMES and Eliza Ann née BREWSTER, was born at Ripping Place, Thornton, Yorkshire, on 2 June 1884. James Headgoose HOLMES was described as a signalman on the railway.
(GRO September Q 1884 Bradford 9b 187)
The 1891 census of Station Road, West Ardsley, Yorkshire:
James HOLMES, head, aged 30, signalman, born at Kirton, Lincolnshire;
Eliza Ann HOLMES, wife, aged 33, born at Sutterton, Lincolnshire;
Mary Elizabeth HOLMES, daughter, aged 10, scholar, born at Fosdyke, Lincolnshire;
John Thomas HOLMES, son, aged 9, scholar, born at Spalding, Lincolnshire;
*Charles HOLMES, son, aged 6, scholar, born at Thornton, Yorkshire;
William HOLMES, son, aged 3, born at Corby, Lincolnshire.
(RG12/3754/56/1)
The 1901 census of 31 Jarratt Street, Doncaster, Yorkshire:
Eliza HOLMES, wife, aged 43, born at Sutterton, Lincolnshire;
*Charles HOLMES, son, aged 16, railway telegraph messenger, born at Thornton, Yorkshire;
William HOLMES, son, aged 13, born at Corby, Lincolnshire;
Harry HOLMES, son, aged 9, born at Retford, Nottinghamshire.
(RG13/4412/45/3)
The 1911 census of 57 Weldbank Lane, Chorley, Lancashire:
Jessie GOLLEEDGE, head, widow, aged 36. boarding house keeper, born at Chorley, Lancashire;
Jessie GOLLEEDGE, daughter, aged 13, steam laundry maid, born at Bolton, Lancashire;
Mary Joyce GOLLEEDGE, daughter, aged 12, school fruit shop assistant, born at Bolton, Lancashire;
Harold Edward GOLLEEDGE, brother-in-law, single, aged 24, commercial traveller, born at Highclere, Hampshire;
Ada THOMAS, boarder, single, aged 47. private means, born at Wrexham, Denbighshire;
*Charles HOLMES, visitor, single, aged 26, commercial traveller gun, born at Thornton, Yorkshire.
(RG14/PN25217/RG78PN1443/RD475/SD4/ED18/SN145)
Charles HOLMES married Florence May RATCLIFFE at St. George's Parish Church, Chorley, Lancashire, on 13 February 1915. He was described as a 30 year old traveller, a bachelor of 59 Moore Road, Chorley, and son of James HOLMES, a traveller. Florence May RATCLIFFE was a 26 year old waitress, a spinster, also living at 59 Moore Road, Chorley, and daughter of Thomas RATCLIFFE, a stoker. Witnesses were John Louis Ratcliffe and Doris Mabel STIRRUP.
(GRO March Q 1915 Chorley 83 780)
The birth of their daughter Hilda was registered in 1916.
(GRO June Q 1916 [RATCLIFFE] Blackburn 8e 499)
Private Charles HOLMES, No. 66946, 98 Coy., Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), was killed In Flanders aged 33 on 20 November 1917, son of James HOLMES of Brunner Road, Ealing, London; husband of Florence May HOLMES of 12B, Westbourne Avenue, South Shore, Blackpool.
(source: www.cwgc.org)
"HOLMES Charles of 75 Moorfield-avenue Ramsgreave Blackburn [which was the address of his step-mother at the time of her marriage to his father in 1916] died 20 November 1917 in France Probate London 31 January to James HOLMES secretary and Elsie Mary HOLMES (wife of the said James HOLMES).
Effects £205 7s. 1d."
(National Probate Calendar 1918)
The Will of Charles HOLMES [surnames capitalised]:
"THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me CHARLES HOLMES of 75 Moorfield Avenue Ramsgreave Blackburn in the County of Lancashire Traveller made this 14th day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred and sixteen I hereby revoke all wills heretofore made by me I appoint my father James HOLMES organising Secretary of Doncaster in the County of Yorkshire and Mrs Elsie Mary HOLMES to be EXECUTORS of this my will I direct that all my debts funeral and testamentary expenses shall be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease I give devise and bequeath unto my wife Florence May HOLMES everything that I possess both money and goods and same to be used judiciously by her to live upon and in the event of her remarrying or in the event of her death everything to go to my daughter Hilda and in the event of there being any other child or children of our marriage everything must be equally devided [sic] amongst them - CHARLES HOLMES - Signed by the said testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses - Name - JAMES DUCKWORTH - Address 77 Moorfield Avenue Ramsgreave - Name - NANCY DUCKWORTH - Address 77 Moorfield Avenue Ramsgreave
On the 31st day of January 1918 Probate of this will was granted to James HOLMES and Elsie Mary [sic] HOLMES the executors"
His name and that of his brother Harry is inscribed on the memorial marking the grave of of their mother Eliza Ann HOLMES in Doncaster's Hyde Park Cemetery.
(www.find-a-grave.com)
Veronica and Mike POWELL wrote in January 2013 that he was known as JAS
(revised 02.01.2013)