CHARLES HENRY BAYLISS

Charles Henry Bayliss 1931

Charles Henry Bayliss was born on 3rd October 1909, almost certainly at 149 Fairbridge Road, Upper Holloway.  He appears at that address on the 1911 census as "Chalie" aged one and a half years. Obviously his father, Herbert, who filled out the census form was better at mathematics than he was a spelling his offsprings' names as daughter Ethel appears on the same form as "Heffel".  Pictures of the young Charlie show that he bore a strong resemblance to hisr father. A picture of him as a teenage shows him in fancy dress as a cowboy along with younger brother Arthur (as a Chinaman) and their close friend Mark as a Pearly King.

Arthur Bayliss, friend Mark, Charlie Bayliss

 Mark is worth mentioning here as my mother referred to him as being a sort of "adopted brother" which certainly indicates a certain closeness. He may or not have been the same Mark who was responsible for introducing the young Ernest Harris to Alf Solomons and thus to the Sabini gang as mentioned in previous posts.

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  Marjorie Rose Preston

Charlie grew, like his older and younger brothers, to be a good looking young man with a liking for Greyhound racing which he often attended with his siblings at Harringay (later Haringey) Stadium. In 1931, at the age of twenty-two he married Marjorie Rose Preston.  Known as "Madge", Marjorie was born at 116 Tufnell Park Road on 1 November 1911. Her father, Thomas Preston, was a bricklayer whose father had come to London from Hertfordshire, settling first in Chelsea where Thomas and some of his siblings had been born and then moving to Cottenham Road (now Sussex Way) in Islington (where the family may have first met the Bayliss clan) and briefly to 24 Tavistick Terrace before coming to rest in Tufnell Park Road. His wife Rose Preston (formerly Peppitt)is listed  on the 1911 census as a "cigarette maker". Either Thomas died or possibly separated (as I cannot find a death registration for him) before his daughter's marriage to Charlie as just prior to the wedding we find Rose and her mother living at 12 Tavistock Terrace. It is there that the newly weds had their first home. In 1931 they had their first child, a boy whom they named Donald Charles.  Sadly he would only live for a year - the first of many tragedies to befall Charlie during his life. The funeral took place on 15 November 1933 and baby Donald was buried at Islington Cemetery at Finchley.

Tufnell Park Road about the time of Marjorie Rose Preston's birth.

12 Tavistock Terrace, Charlie and Rose's first home and where their sons
Donald and Derek were born.

On 10 November 1934 a second child was born at 12 Tavistock Terrace, another boy whom the couple named Derek Tony.  All seemed well and the family seemed set for a happy life. With a young child they decided it was time to move away from Tavistock Terrace where they shared with Marjorie's mother, Rose and find a home of their own. Like so many of our relatives over the years they gravitated to Pemberton Gardens and in 1936 we find them living at number 42, one of three adjoining houses that seemed to have a special attraction to our family.  Then tragedy struck a second time.  Marjorie was with child again but all did not go well and in mid-October 1936 Marjorie died from complications caused by the pregnancy.  She was buried at Finchley on 26 October.

Derek Tony Bayliss

Obviously I did not know Marjorie, or Madge as she was always referred to in the family, but as I grew up I often heard members of the family talk about her and how popular she was. My mother always said that she had a great sense of humour and, like Charlie, was a very smart dresser. I really don't know much more about Madge but I have recently written to a member of the Peppitts, Madge's mother's family and, hopefully, if they respond (which is not always the case, sadly) we may learn more. I hope also, that now I have a funeral date I may be able to trace Madge's grave.


Coming soon : Part two of this story plus a photo album of pictures!


If you have personal memories of Charles Henry Bayliss that you would like to have included in this story please get them to me ASAP.