Charles Risley was born in April 1854, in Haggerston, a district of Shoreditch in the county of Middlesex. He was the son of Joseph and Mary Risley. Joseph was a printer by trade.
Charles was baptised at St Mary, Haggerston, on June 11th, 1854, by the curate, David Craig.
In early 1861 he was aged 6 and living in the St Leonards parish of Shoreditch with his parents (both aged 41), his brothers Joseph (12), Thomas (10), and John (5) and his sister Elizabeth (9). His father was now a general warehouseman.
Ten years later, the family were now living at 9 Albert St, St Leonard, Shoreditch. His father, Joseph, was now a foreman at an oil refinery. Brothers Joseph and John no longer lived in the family home, but Charles' youngest sister, Clara, had been born two years earlier. Charles was now an apprentice silver engraver.
On 28th September, 1878, Charles married Anna Eliza Paton at the same church he had been baptised at: St Mary, Haggerston.
The couple's son, John Charles Risley, was born in January 1880 in Islington, Middlesex.
In the census of 1881, Charles, Anna and John are recorded as living at 229 New North Rd in St Mary parish, Islington, the home of Anna's widowed mother, Martha Paten. Charles was now a silver engraver.
The birth of their second son, Frederick Augustus Risley, came in July 1881, followed by their daughters, Ethel Anna Risley (1883) and Ada Emmeline Risley (1890).
In July 1890, Charles' father, Joseph, died.
In the 1891 census, the family are still all together at Anna's mother's home in New North Road. Charles is registered as being a silver engraver but marked as "Neither employer nor employed."
The 1890s must have been tough for Charles. On 4th January, 1892, his wife, Anna, died at the age of just 38. She left Charles effects valued at £61 10s.
Then in April 1899, his daughter Ethel Anna Risley died aged just 15.
By the 1901 census, Charles, his son, Frederick, and daughter, Ada, were living at 42 Ratcliff Rd, East Ham, London. Also living there was Charles' niece, Clara (aged 30), who was most likely there to care for the 11 year-old Ada. Charles is listed as working as a metal engraver, working on his "own account."
Charles' mother, Mary, died in October 1902.
The last census available, in 1911, shows Charles and his daughter Ada, now 21, living in the same house in Ratcliff Rd, East Ham, together with Charles' sister Elizabeth (aged 59), who had never married. Charles was listed as a brass engraver. Ada was doing "housework at home."
On March 14th, 1932, Charles' son, John (my mother's grandfather), died in Stepney, London. He was only 52 years old.
Charles himself died nine months later, in December 1932 at the age of 78, five months after the birth of his great-granddaughter, Joan Evelyn Farman - my mother.
