Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Private

Army Number : 3621

Unit : 1st Bn

Biography :

Enlisted in the Leicester Military District into the Leicestershire Regiment, 1892. Served in South Africa 1899-1900. Invalided 1.4.1900. Rejoined Battalion.

From the A Boer War site
Charles Edward Winch

Private, 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment – Anglo Boer War
Private, 32nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
Private, 338 Protection Company, Royal Defence Corps – (Home Service) - WWI

Charles Winch was born on 23 September 1870 in Finsbury, London to William George Winch, a Silversmith by trade, and his wife Caroline, born Milner. At the time of the 1871 England census the family lived at 25 Lever Street in the London suburb of Finsbury. Of Charles (1) there was no sign. There were, however, signs of Victorian prosperity with a servant girl, 11 year old Maria Loggett on hand to minister to the family’s needs.

On 9 September 1878 he was admitted to the White Lion St. School in Islington. His mother was recorded as his guardian and the family address was given as 30 Albert Terrace. He left the school on 7 December 1878.

Of Charles and his family there is no sign in the 1881 England census. There was, however, quite a bit of family strife in the 80’s. Charles lost his mother at the age of 44 in December 1882 when he was 12 years old and things got out of hand with some of the family after her death – the Islington Gazette of 5 June 1883 reporting on a spat between siblings which ended up in court. Under the heading “A Singular Family Dispute in Clerkenwell” the article read as follows: -

“On Wednesday at the Clerkenwell County Court, Judge Eddie heard a case in which Alfred Winch, 7 Gee Street, Clerkenwell sued W. Winch, 30 Lloyd’s Road, Clerkenwell for a sum of 10 shillings sixpence, value of a ring pledged by the defendant, with interest. Caroline Winch, sister of the above parties, brought a separate action against the same defendant for the recovery of 12 shillings, value of a watch pledged by the latter, with interest.

Both cases were connected and Mr Popham, solicitor, appeared for the defendant. The evidence of the male plaintiff was that his mother died leaved certain money and property. There were three gold rings, a silver watch and £3.10s. in money in addition to clothing of the deceased. He (plaintiff) assisted in paying the funeral expenses and had taken one of the rings left. Subsequently defendant said that he wished to raise some money for business purposes and asked witness to lend him the ring he had in order to assist him. This he did and the ring was pledged, and on witness making an application for a return of the ring a pawn-slip was given him.

The female plaintiff was next called and deposed that the watch was given her by her mother before she died. The brother had got the watch from her under similar circumstances to those of the ring. Defendant said he was in his mother’s room a few days prior to her death, and she said he was to take the rings, watch and clothing to pay for her funeral expenses. There was only £2.10 in money left, and witness had paid the bill of Mr Lenard, undertaker, which amounted to £6.10s.

Mrs Clark was called on behalf of the defendant to corroborate his statement as to the dying request of his mother, and in the result, the Judge deferred judgement.”

By the time the 1891 England census came round Charles was 21 years old and living with his 30 year old brother Alfred (the aforementioned plaintiff in the case above) and his wife and family in Battersea, London. He was a Coach Painter by trade and the family, after his father had passed away in September 1889, seems to have gone their separate ways.

It wasn’t long before Winch tired of his trade and decided to swap it for a life in uniform instead. On 22 November 1892, at Loughborough, he completed the attestation papers for Short Service with the Colours. Physically 5 feet 8 inches in height he weighed 140 lbs and had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. As his next of kin he provided his brother Alfred, of 1 Dalby Road, Wandsworth, London and brothers William and Henry of Mount View, Southampton. Having been found fit by the Doctor, he was assigned no. 3621 and commenced service with the Leicestershire Regiment. Initially posted to the 2nd battalion, he was transferred to the 1st on 15 May 1895 after having spent 1 year 340 days with the regiment in the West Indies.

His next posting was to be a far more interesting one although, having arrived in the country on 23 December 1895, he had a few years to go before the turn of the century and the events that accompanied it. War-clouds, which had been gathering over the south of Africa for some time, finally erupted into full scale conflict between the Orange Free State and Transvaal Boer Republics and the might of the British Empire on 11 October 1899. Britain already had a military presence on the ground in South Africa but this was limited and insufficient to combat the Boer forces. The Leicester’s were already on the spot so to speak and were part of Sir George White’s forces stationed around Ladysmith when the Boer invasion of Natal came early in October and were in Dundee, with Penn-Symons’ small garrison, when the first real battle of the war took place – that of Talana – named after the hill on Smith’s farm just outside the coal mining town of Dundee.

The Leicester's could justifiably claim that they were one of only a few regiments that had been present at the outbreak of the war and were still serving at the end. Winch, for his efforts, was awarded the Queens medal with the relevant clasps. The Kings Medal also came his way by virtue of having served for longer than 18 months in the cause of the war.

After the peace agreement was signed in May 1902 the British regiments prepared to leave South Africa. The 1st Battalion Leicestershire regiment was due to be deployed to Madras, India but Winch, who had attested for seven years with the colours and another five in reserve, returned to England on 13 September 1902 where, on 13 March 1903, he was transferred to the Reserve.

On 8 May 1904, at St. Matthew’s in Fulham, he wed 26 year old Caroline Alice Bull of 19 Kilkie Road. He was a mature 32 years old and a Porter by occupation, resident at 28 Hugon Road. He was discharged from his military obligations, Time Expired, on 21 November 1908 after serving a total of 16 years. His son, Charles Alfred, was born in the same year, on 2 February whilst the family lives at 30 Albert Terrace – the same address as that provided all those years ago when he went was enrolled for school in 1878.

The 1911 England census revealed that Winch, his wife and three children, lived at 35 Dempster Road, Wandsworth. He was 40 years old and still employed as a Hall Porter.

After a period of global tranquillity the world woke up to a war of epic proportions on 4 August 1914. The might of Imperial Germany was pitted against that of Great Britain and her Allies. Winch was a late bloomer, enlisting for service on 22 July 1918. He was to see all of his 272 days service on home soil with the 32nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment with no. 94707 – later transferring to 339 Protection Company, part of the Royal Defence Corps – a type of Home Guard. 45 years old and not deemed fit enough for overseas service, he was discharged on 19 April 1919 to his home address – 75 Bolingbroke Road, Hammersmith. He did not earn any medals.

The West London Observer of Friday, 25th August 1933 carried his obituary. Under the heading “The Late Mr Charles E. Winch” it read: -

“The funeral of the late Mr Charles Edward Winch, of Bolingbroke Road, West Kensington, took place on Saturday last at Hammersmith Cemetery, Sheen. Mr Winch who was 62 years of age, had resided in the borough for 22 years and leave a widow two sons and a daughter. The many beautiful floral tributes, eloquent testimony of the esteem and regard he was held by his many friends.” These included from The Porters Staff at Oakwood Court (doubtless where he had spent many years as a Hall Porter); The Girls of the Fruit and Almond Room (Lyons) and The Employees of Kensington Builders Ltd.nglo

Date of Birth : 23.9.1870

Place of Birth : St. Lukes & London & Surrey

Date of Death : August 1933

Period of Service : 1890s

Conflicts : Boer War

Places Served : & & South Africa