Lewis Chare was born in the September Qtr of 1890 in Aston, Warwickshire and was baptized on the 31st August 1890 at the Holy Trinity Church, Bordesley, Warwickshire. His father was William Chare and his mother was Mary Ann Chare (nee Parker).   They were living at 195, Cattell Raod and William was an Engraver.

William Chare and Mary Ann Parker were married in June 1878 at Aston, Warwickshire. (Vol. 6d Page 434 )

The 1891 census shows the family still at 195, Cattell Road, Bordesley, William was 34 a Gold Engraver, Mary Anne was 33. Their children were William  2 and Lewis 8 months.  They were all born in Birmingham, Warwickshire.  There was a visitor listed, , Florence Neill who was 12

The 1901 census tells us that Mary Ann 42, had remarried a William Rhodes 51 who was an Ivory Turner (General) who had been born in Birminham Warwickshire. The listed children all had the sirname Chare and were Louis 10, Ernest  7 and  Dora 6, all had been born in Birmingham and all were the step- children of William Rhodes. William Chare who would have been 12 by then was missing. (There is a William P Chare age 12 who had been born in Birmingham listed in the census at The Blue Coat School , Colmore Row Birmingham. It might be him but there is no proof.)

Lewis married Martha Amelia Marshall in the June Qtr 1909 in Nottingham.

On the 1911 census Martha Amelia  23, was living at 132 Vernon Avenue Basford Nottingham with a daughter Edna May Chare 15 months who had been born in Radford Nottinghamshire. There was no sign, however, of Lewis. She stated that she had been married 2 years and had 1 child who was still living.

The following message was  gratefully received from Darren Owen who had his Family History on Ancestry and he replied to my query re Lewis. It helps fill in some of the gaps.

Hi Mavis,
Lewis Chare was my great grandmother’s first husband. Although he was not resident on Deeside for long (arriving late 1915 or 1916), his descendants and those subsequent ones of his widow (including me) are well represented here today.
Lewis was a cake baker and decorator, according to family knowledge, and worked at Ballance’s bakery in Shotton (now Walker’s carpets).
He was a Brummie, from Aston. In 1909 he married a fellow Brummie in Nottingham, Martha Marshall. In the 1911, she is living in Nottingham with their daughter.
For reason(s) unknown, he is enumerated as George Chare, aged 24, in Colwyn Bay.
I am sure this is Lewis, as he and Martha had several children born there between then and 1914, one dying there in 1915. He is listed as a baker and confectioner.
I have the 3 censuses he was enumerated in on my family tree here on Ancestry, if they are not accessible I can send you the references. Lewis left behind 3 children who my mother knew well as her aunties and uncles.
Another name on the memorial, Frank Owen, is a relative on my father’s side of the family, who died on the same day at the same place as Lewis, I often wonder whether they knew each other. On that day, I believe the 13th, 14th and 16th battalions attacked Bouzincourt ridge, with several hundred casualties. There are other men on the memorial who died that day from those battalions.

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms Lewis Chare’s  regimental details as above and tells us that he was born in Birmingham, lived in Sandycroft and enlisted in Shotton. His medal card also accessible on ‘ancestry’ records his regimental and medal details.

There is an indec card for Lewis in The Flintshire Roll of Honour at The county Record office in Hawarden. (Card Sandycroft F2). It  gives a former address of 12, Rose? Terrace – Crossed out and then West Row, Sandycroft added.  it tells us that his period of service was 3 years.  France – Ypres. Killed in Action on the Somme 22nd April 1918.  (Note, Ypres is of course in Belgium). The card was signed by Edith Chare on the 24th September 1919

Martha died in 1962 as is explained in the entry for the ‘England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966’.  Chare, Martha Amelia of Royal Oak Hotel, Alverley near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, Widow, died 29th January 1962 at 6, Harrison Grove, Sandycroft, Flintshire.   Administration, Bangor, 15th October to Edna May Davies (Wife of Thomas Davies) – £136.

Lewis is also remembered on the War Memorial Plaque in St. Francis’s Church, Sandycroft.