Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Saturday 12 August 2023

Charles Walter Street and Margaret Robertson

Former Devonport Market House, Duke Street
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/5191618
Duke Street, Devonport, ran from the junction with Catherine Street and James Street to George Street and the bottom of Ker Street. Devonport Market was on the northern side.

Charles Walter Street (29) Fireman RN, married Margaret Robertson (29), daughter of Archibald Robertson and Mary Ann Thomas Butters, at the church of St James the Great, Devonport on 12 Aug 1894. Unlike her two older siblings, who were brought up by their step-grandfather, Daniel Pellew, Margaret, whose mother had died just 10 days after her birth, was brought up by Margaret Street, as her Foster Daughter. What was the connection that would motivate her to take in the orphaned child, I have yet to discover. 

Born Walter Charles Street in 1865 M Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 338, mother's maiden name COLLINGS, on his marriage certificate, Charles Walter lists his father as John Street (deceased), Sailor RN. Although I've not yet traced his parents, Margaret Street was reputedly his aunt.

Charles and Margaret had two children:
  1. Hilda Margaret Alice Street b. 1896 J Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 291, bap 1897 at Devonport, St Mary.
  2. Walter James Alfred Street b. 1901 J Quarter in DEVONPORT Volume 05B Page 283, bap. 1901 at Devonport, St John.
In 1901, Charles Street (36) Leading Stoker Royal Navy; Margaret (35), Hilda (5) and Margaret Street (62) Widow, Aunt lived in Duke Street, Devonport. 

In 1911, Margaret Street (45) Tailoress was living in Devonport with daughter Hilda (15) and son Walter (9). Charles will have been away, because on 25 Aug 1910, he was loaned to the Canadian Naval Service for 2 years.

Charles Walter Street, giving his date of birth as 21 Jan 1863 (gaining two years), enlisted in the Royal Navy on 16 Mar 1881. His previous trade listed as Waterman. He served for 21 years, until he was pensioned on 6 May 1902. He then joined the Royal Fleet Reserve on 7 May 1902, from which he was discharged on 24 Aug 1910 in order to do his Canadian stint. He was redeployed, as a Stoker Petty Officer, from 2 Aug 1914 to 19 Oct 1914 at Vivid II, the Stokers and Engine Room Artificers School in Devonport.

Charles Walter Street died, at 52, in 1917 D Quarter in DEVONPORT.

Hilda Margaret Alice Street married Ernest Harold Harding, Engine Room Artificer RN, on 5 Mar 1923 at Devonport, St John.

Margaret Street died at 72, in 1937 S Quarter in PLYMOUTH.

Walter James Alfred Street died, at 36, in  1938 J Quarter in PLYMOUTH.

Who was Margaret Street? Born Margaret Organ in 1838 D Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 09 Page 428, there was no mother's maiden name on her birth registration. By the time of her baptism on 13 Jan 1839, her mother was listed as Sarah Organ, 'Widow'. Margaret Ann Organ (24) married Frederick William Street (28) Seaman RN on 21 Aug 1862. Frederick listed his father as William Street, Waterman. Margaret, meanwhile, listed her father as James Organ, Shipwright. I can find no record of the existence of this person. The assumption, therefore, would be that Charles Walter Street's father was Frederick's brother, but I cannot find any records to prove this. There is still no explanation to suggest why Margaret Street took in and perhaps even named, the orphaned Margaret Robertson.