Sergeant Major Charles Edward Nesbitt-Clarke

[Bellas girl]

Hi There.
I am really at a brick wall with this gentleman. I just cannot find him before his marriage in 1908. The statements he gave at that time, come to nothing, so I am appealing to you guys ( and gals) for help.

This is what I have.
Charles Edward , committed suicide , whilst serving with The Army Service Corp, in 1915, at Weston-Super-Mare. From his grave, he is noted as Sgt Major, MS/1220

He married in 1908, stating his father was Ralph Clark , of independent means.
I want to find his birth, supposedly born 1884. December? Mother is supposedly Lily Nesbitt

I would really love to solve this. I am doing this for my grandson. I have been trying for months, so would appreciate any help at all. Would his service records state his parents, birth date ? I got all my information from Ancestry.

Thank, in desperation.
JeannieR

[ShaunJ]

Army service records https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1219/images/31240_210368-00579

[ShaunJ]

Interesting that he initially gave his next of kin as Nellie Eastham, 7 Leamington Terrace, Acton rather than his wife. Was that his mother or a sister perhaps? At that address in the 1891 census  there is a Charles R Eastham aged 7.

[softly softly]

Info only, birth of son

Births Sep 1912   
Clarke            Edward S    Gould    Islington    1b   339    
Nesbitt-Clarke    Edward S    Gould    Islington    1b   339    

SS

[jonwarrn]

Is this him?
I don't have access
Weston super Mare Gazette, 14 August 1915
Soldier's Tragic Suicide. Died in Weston Hospital after Shooting Himself at Burnham...
An inquest was held at the local Hospital on Tuesday afternoon by Dr. Craddock, Coroner for North Somerset, concerning the death of Charles Clark, a sergeant-major in the Army Service Corps, at present stationed in Burnham...

[jonwarrn]

Long thread here, very recent
Topic: Marriage certificates
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=891049.0

[ALAMO2008]

 Great Research ShaunJ
I find Researching Soldiers that I can't find at First their Bith Details it is usually because they were born under another name and not the name they later grew up under and served and Died under.
They often adopt their Step Father's Surname
I think ShaunJ's theory that Eastham is possibly his Mother's
Elizabeth Ann King married Charles Eastham in Brentford June 1881
They had a Son Charles in 1884 albeit Charles R
Charles Edward had been in the Army pre 1914 before rejoining in Seaforth Liverpool in August 1914 and  wounded  Home in March 1915









 

[Andy J2022]

His service record on FindMyPast runs to several dozen pages. Details of his marriage to Elizabeth Bertha Gould are given as Islington Register Office on 29 Nov 1908 and birth of their son Edward Stephen in Islington on 3 Aug 1912. His suicide was by gunshot. He didn't die immediately, at first being listed as critically ill. There was a flurry of telegrams and other correspondence trying to inform his wife (later widow) but the addresses on file were out of date. Initially she was thought to be at 100 Rochester Street, Chatham, then 346 King's Street Hammersmith, and the address of 24 Five Bells Lane, Rochester also appears later on. At one point his widow is being referred to as Bertha Hayward. His paperwork contains the record of the inquest, although the statements of witnesses are virtually illegible. The verdict was suicide whilst temporarily insane. Someone mentions that he was very depressed prior to the suicide and was having marital difficulties. His widow was awarded a pension of 15 shillings per week, starting from Feb 1916. Some wonderful insights into the War Office bureaucracy, with correspondence about paying a guinea for the Coroner's report, and where and when his promotion to acting mechanist sergeant major was authorised. Incidentally, throughout his documentation he is referred to as Clarke, and Nesbitt is just one of his forenames. 

[Bellas girl]

Hello all

Thank you so much for your responses. I don’t know where to start to reply ,

AndyJ2022

This is definitely my guy. His widow, Bertha, married Mr Hayward, very shortly after his death. Perhaps he committed suicide, because she was “carrying on “
I have met his son, Edward Stephen, who was born and baptised in The Workhouse in 1912. A delightful man. Long since deceased.

I am doing this because my grandson is confused. His father is the great grandson of Charles Edward, but he was adopted by his stepfather, so brought up with another name.

Thank you every one. Please bear with me, until I have perused all this info. I am 80 , so have to study every thing. The info about his sister is very interesting too. I never thought that my guy may also have been adopted/brought up under another name. I will be back!,