Rifleman 22814 Charles Reginald Pollington

Charles Reginald (Charlie) Pollington was born in late 1888 in Bardney, Lincolnshire, the son of Lowther Pollington and his wife Louisa (née Blake).  His father was born in Norfolk and his mother in Jamaica of British parentage.  They married in Lincoln in 1882 and had six children. Charles had older siblings Jessie, Ernest, Edwin, and Richard, and a younger brother Robert, all born in the Lincoln area  

 

In 1891 the family is living in Station House, Bardney, with five children.  His father is a railway signalman, Charles is 2.

 

In 1901 they are in Ferry Road, Bardney, with five children at home. His father 48, is a railway signalman, Charles is 12.

 

The 1911 census finds Charles, his mother Louisa, 53, and brother Robert, living with married brother Richard and his wife in Market Place, Epworth, Doncaster, Yorkshire.  Richard, 23, is a self-employed baker, Charles, 22 is a grocer, Robert is 20, a baker’s assistant. His father Lowther, 60, a railway signalman, is living with daughter Jessie, 27, a dressmaker, in High Street, Bardney.

 

It is not known when or why Charlie came to Liverpool or when he met Adeline, who was born in Kirkdale. (Her brother William was killed in Flanders in 1915 serving with the 8th Bn K.L.R.).  Adeline Mabel Ward married Thomas H. Farrington in 1902.  In 1911 she is living in Anfield with her husband and two children, Francis and Isabel.  Two further children, Edythe and Margaret Farrington, were born in 1913.

 

Charlie enlisted in Liverpool on 09th November 1914, as Private 22814, 20th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. Charlie disembarked with his battalion at Boulogne on 7th November 1915.

Charlie was transferred to the 1/6th Bn K.L.R, as Rifleman 22814 on 15th July 1918. 

An online family tree holds a postcard written from France, “To My Dear Addie, with Love and Kisses, from Charlie.”

Twins Charles and Jean Farrington were born in January 1918.  Although registered as Farrington, it is likely that Charlie was the father. Baby Charles lived 22 days, and was buried in a public grave as Farrington. 

 

In December 1919 Adeline, 34, emigrated to South Africa with children Francis 15, Isabel 12, Edythe 6, and Jean, 1, all listed as Pollington, on the Edinburgh Castle, from Southampton, destination Natal.  Edythe’s twin, Margaret does not appear on the ship manifest.

 

(Adeline’s husband did not die until 1940, and no divorce record is found, most likely because of the cost involved.)

 

His older brother Edwin served in France 1914-1919 with the Royal Engineers.

 

Younger brother Robert James enlisted in Lincoln in April 1917 as WR 26200, 341st Railway Construction Company, Royal Engineers. Whilst home on leave, on 1st April 1919, Robert died of bronchopneumonia and influenza, aged 28.  Robert and Charlie lie side by side in Bardney Cemetery.

 

His mother died in 1931 aged 77 and his father in 1934 at the age of 84.

Adeline died in Bulawayo, Rhodesia, in 1949. His (assumed) daughter Jean married, settled in Durban, and died in 2003.

 

Charlie and Robert are both commemorated on the Bardney Cross Memorial.