16345 Private Charles James Elston
8th(Service) Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Islington London in 1881.
His parents were Charles Elston(1850-1930) and Isabella Purnell(1857-1922). They married in 1878.
He had 4 brothers;George H(born in 1880),Albert(born in 1896),Alfred(born in 1890)and Sidney Arthur(1898-1930).
He also had 3 sisters;Isabella(born in 1882),Rose(born in 1884) and Annie Florence(born in 1887).
In the 1891 census,the family were recorded as living in
2 rooms at 79 Kingsdown Road Islington London. His father was employed as a bristle sorter.
By the time the family were recorded in the 1901 census,they had moved and were now living in 4 rooms at 49 Alsen Road Islington. Charles was now employed and working as a bread baker,whilst his father was a brush manufacturer.
On 19/05/1907 Charles married Florence Ellen Koen(born in 1879) and at the time of their wedding they were living at
109 Cottenham Road Islington.
In 1909 their son Charles Edwin was born.
In the 1911 census Charles and his family were living at
8 Stanley Terrace,Upper Holloway, London.Charles was now working for a window cleaning company as a window cleaner.
He enlisted in London and his date of disembarkation into France was on 01/10/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded 3 medals;The 1914-1915 Star,The British War Medal 1914-1918 and The Allied Victory Medal.