Charles Housley Oates

Charles Housley Oates was born in 1893 at Selston and was the son of Charles a coal miner hewer and his first wife the late Elizabeth Oates née Housley of Church Lane, Bagthorpe. His father Charles was born in 1865 at Selston and his mother Elizabeth Housley was born in 1872 at Underwood, she died in 1902 aged 30 yrs they were married in 1889 their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration district, they went on to have the following children, Herbert Housley b1891 Selston Charles Housley b1895 Selston and Leslie b1903 at Kirkby. His father Charles later re married in 1905 to Mary Ellen Read b1871 Selston, their marriage was recorded in the Belper registration district. In the 1911 census the family lived on Main Street Underwood and were shown as Charles 46 yrs a coal miner hewer, he is living with his second wife Mary Ellen 40 yrs and his children, Herbert Housley 20 yrs a coal miner hewer, Charles Housley 18 yrs a coal miner hewer and Leslie 8 yrs a scholar.

He was a miner (hewer).

Private Charles Housley Oates enlisted at Nottingham whilst residing at Jacksdale and served with the 17th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment he was killed in action, 3rd September 1916, aged 24, during the attack near Beaumont Hamel, France during the Battle of the Somme. He is buried at Knightsbridge Cemetery, Mesnil-Martinsart, France. grave reference Row F, Grave 16.

His older brother Herbert Housley Oates also served during the 'Great War' he served with the Sherwood Foresters Regiment enlisting on 17th July 1915, he served abroad but was discharged due to wounds on 13th July 1917 and issued with a Silver war badge number 217745.