Charles was the second son of William and Clara Gidlow nee Titterson.
William was born in Melbourne, Derbyshire, and Clara in Nottingham on 20 January 1860. They were married in 1884 (A/M/J Nottingham) and had three children who were all born in Lenton: Arthur born February 1885 (1885 J/F/M Nottingham) bap. 10 November 1886 Lenton St Anthony, Charles b. 8 July 1886 (J/A/S Nottingham) bap. 10 November 1886 Lenton St Anthony and Annie b. 1888 (J/A/S Nottingham).
In 1891 William, a lace maker, and Clara (31) were living on Clapham Street, Radford, with their three children Arthur (6), Charles (4) and Annie (2). Also in the household was a boarder, Adeline Bull (20) a hosiery knitter.
By 1901 the family was living at 27 Pine Street, Radford, Nottingham. William was now a shopkeeper and smallware dealer, Clara a slip winder, Arthur (16) a grocer's asistant, Charles (14) a wrapper at a manufacturing chemist and Annie (12) who was still at school.
The family was still at the same address in 1911 but only William and two of his children, Charles (24) and Annie (22) who were both in the lace trade, were in the home on the night of the census. Clara was a patient at a convalescent home in Castle Donington, Derbyshire, while Arthur had married in 1908 and was living independently.
William and Clara were still living at 27 Pine Street when the CWGC record was compiled.
Charles married Beatrice Charlotte Smithdale in 1912 (J/A/S Nottingham). Beatrice was born in Yorkshire on 28 July 1892, the daughter of William Smithdale, an iron moulder, and his wife Ellen. She was baptised at Hunslet St Jude on 7 September 1892 along with three siblings, Ellen (b. 24 November 1882), Gertrude (b. 14 October 1886) and William Alfred (b. 7 January 1890). However, by 1901 the family was living in Nottingham at 31 Massey St Ann's; Beatrice (18) was a machinist.
Charles and Beatrice had one child, Beatrice Ena b. 5 April 1914 (A/M/J Nottingham). At the time of Charles' death in 1917 they were living at 1 Heldey Villas, New Basford.
Charles' widow married James Cockcroft in 1920 (O/N/D Nottingham). The Banns of Marriage had been read at St George, Leeds in August and September; James Cockcroft, bachelor of the parish of St George, and Beatrice Charlotte Gidlow widow of the parish of St Augustine New Basford. The CWGC record gave her address as 4 Oxford Row, Park Lane, Leeds. However, by 1939 James (b. 3 March 1895) a retired 'police fireman' and Beatrice were living at 'Craigmore', Alfreton Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, with Beatrice's married daughter Beatrice Ena Robinson (m. John G Robinson 1938 O/N/D Leeds), a cashier bookkeeper at a department store. Beatrice Ena married secondly Joseph H Beech in 1953 (J/A/S Basford); she died on 7 June 1991 (probate record, 88 Russley Road Bramcote). James Cockcroft died in 1957 (A/M/J Nottingham) and Beatrice Charlotte probably died on 17 January 1982 (probate record Beatrice Charlotte Cockcroft of 2A Claremount Road, Sherwood Rise, Nottingham.
Arthur Gidlow married Gertrude Tomlinson (b. 20 October 1884) in 1908 (J/A/S Nottingham). In 1911 they were living at 136 Denman street, Nottingham, with their daughter Edith Annie (2); Arthur (26) was a grocer's asistant while Gertrude (26) was a beer off-licence manageress (at home). In 1939 they were at 38 Miall Street, Nottingham; Arthur was an elctric marine labourer. Also in the household was their son, Charles H [Harold]. (b. 6 February 1917) a munitions driller. They also had had a daughter, Gertrude Irene (Irene Gertrude) b. 1917 (J/F/M Nottingham) presumably the twin of Charles. Charles served in the Second World War. Arthur died in 1979 (A/M/J Nottingham).
Annie married William Campion in 1922 (J/A/S Nottingham). In 1939 the now widowed Annie was living at 137 Kennington Road, Nottingham with her daughter Joan (later Abbot) b. 5 January 1923 a hosiery machinist, son Charles William T [Terrance] b. 30 April 1925 a hosiery assembler (d. 1985 J/F/M Nottingham), and her widowed mother, Clara. Charles served in the Second World War. Annie married Samuel T Radford in 1939 (O/N/D Nottingham).
Charles' mother, Clara, died in 1946 (J/F/M Nottingham).