Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1920 & 29

Charles Jones (1881 - 1923)

This is the sad case of Charles Jones, who was injured in WW1, could not continue in his former employment, became very depressed and committed suicide by drowning in the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal near Cock Robin Bridge, Pendleton.

He was born in 1881 in Pendleton, Salford, the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Jones. Frederick was a coachman, born in 1852 in Herefordshire and Elizabeth was born in 1851 in Warwickshire. The 1891 Census shows that the family lived in Scales Street, Pendleton. The children were Annie (b.1878 in Prestwich, Manchester), Thomas (b.1880 in Swinton, Lancashire), Charles (b.1881 in Manchester) and Arthur (b.1884 in Pendleton, Salford).

Charles's mother Elizabeth died in the early 1890s and the 1901 census shows that his father Frederick had married again, to Harriet Bailey (b.1849 in Emneth, Norfolk), at St Thomas's Church, Pendleton on 16th January 1896. The record shows that Frederick was a widower aged 43, Coachman, living at 44 Scales Street, Pendleton. Harriet was aged 44, spinster, also living at 44 Scales Street.

In 1901, the census shows Charles absent, but his sister Annie was aged 23 and an Elementary School Teacher and his brothers Thomas and Arthur were Warehouse Clerks. In 1911, still at 44 Scales Street, 31-year-old Thomas was a Clerk and 29-year-old Charles was an Iron Moulder.

The Salford Reporter of 10th Feb 1923 led "Body of Pendleton man found in the canal." "Nine days after he had been reported to the police as missing from his lodgings in Laundry Street, Pendleton, Charles Jones, a middle-aged, unemployed Iron moulder was found drowned in the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal on Wednesday week near to Cock Robin Bridge, Holland Street, by a man named John Wilson, who was repairing the towing path. The workman recovered the body, which appeared to have been in the water for several days. The deceased had not been seen for 18 days.

The tragic story of how the dead man had been worried through his inability to find employment was told to the Inquest by his brother Thomas Jones of Edmund Street, Pendleton. The deceased was 41 years of age and was discharged from the Army in 1919 with valvular disease of the heart and unfit for work. He received a pension of 24 shillings a week. Thomas last saw his brother on 1st January and the following day he had received a letter from him containing five 10 shilling Treasury notes, but no correspondence. On the previous Wednesday he had identified his body at the mortuary. He said that Charles had been very depressed for the past six months through not being able to find light work, and he could do no other. When he left the Army he was unable to follow his employment, but later he managed to do so for about a year. Since the Moulders' strike, he had done no work.

A verdict of "suicide whilst temporarily insane" was returned.

Charles was buried in the Dissenters portion of Weaste Cemetery on 5th Feb. 1923.