Charles Leese Gittins was born at Penkhull, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire on the 28th June 1896 and was christened at Penkhull on the 13th January 1897.

Born to Alfred Gittins and Emily née Leese, his parents Alfred Gittins born 1858 in Madeley, Shropshire and Emily Leese born 1860 in Penkhull, Staffordshire married at St Peters ad Vincula Anglican church,  Stoke on Trent on August 7th 1883, the wedding banns state Samuel Gittins as Alfred's father and place of residence Selwyn Street, Penkhull,Staffordshire. 

The 1891 census sees Alfred (32) born Madeley, Shropshire, Emily (30) born 1860 Penkhull, Staffordshire, living at 21 East Street, Penkhull, Staffordshire. Alfred working as a Blacksmiths Striker and Emily working as a Potters Burnisher, living with them their son Samuel aged 5. 

The 1901 census sees Alfred (41) working as a Stationary Engine Driver, Emily (40) , Samuel (15) Carter Farmwoker, Dorothy (9) Joseph (7) Charles (4) and Ernest ( 2) living at 15 Newcastle Street, Penkhull.  

Tragically Charles' older brother Samuel Gittins was admitted on 4 Nov 1907 to the county asylum, Cheddleton, Staffordshire. His Death certificate reads: Twenty First November 1907 The Asylum Cheddleton.  Samuel Gittins, Male, Years 22, Assistant Colliery Fireman, of 15, Newcastle Street, Stoke-on-Trent. Chronic Traumatic meningitis. Duration Unknown: said to be over 3 years. P.M. certified by Menzies, M.D. W. F. Menzies Medical Superintendent County Asylum Cheddleton. Twenty fifth November 1907. 

Probate Date 3 Apr 1909

Gittins Samuel of 15 Newcastle-street Penkhull,  Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire died 21 November 1907 at the County Asylum Cheddleton , Staffordshire Probate Lichfield 3 April to Alfred Gittins Engineman and Charles Mills Tedstone Postman. Effects £135 4s. Principal Probate Registry; London, England; Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. 

The 1911 census sees Alfred (52) still working as a Stationary Engine Driver, Emily (50) housewife, Dorothy (19) Potters Painter Transferer , Joseph (17) NSR Goods Wagon Invoicer, Charles (14) Potters Turner, Ernest (12 ) at school, Nellie (9) at school, John (7) at school and Annie (4). The census shows us that Emily and Alfred Gittins had been Married for 13 years  and had 13 live births 7 of which were still  living and  6 had died, the full list of children as follows: 

Bertaud born 1883 died aged 4 months 1884 

Annie died 18 days (no birth  records, death records 1884 ) 

Samuel born 1885 died 1907  aged 22

Raymond born 1887 died  1888. 

Dorothy born 1891 

Joseph born 1893 

Alfred Edward (Edwin) 1895 died  1896 

Charles born 1896

Ernest born 1898 

Nellie (1st) born 13 October 1899 died aged 7 weeks 1899. 

Nellie (2nd) born 1901 

John born 1903 

Annie born 1907 

Tragically in November 1914 Alfred Gittins, Charles father died, his Death certificate reads: 26th  November 1914 North Stafford Canal , near Clayton Lane Trent Vale. Of 15 Newcastle street Perkhull Stoke on Trent,  Stationary Engine Driver

Drowning Suicide whilst of unsound mind.

From Hugh Adam Certificate received from the coroner for Staffordshire Inquest held 28th November 1914. 

Staffordshire Sentinel 26 November 1914 - PENKHULL MAN FOUND DROWNED.

About 11.30 this Thursday morning the body was recovered from the canal, near the bridge at Clayton, of Alfred Gittens, of 15, Newcastle-Street, Penkhull. The deceased, who was 56 years of age, was a stationary Engine Driver in the employ of the North Staffordshire Railway Company, and he was last seen alive by his wife on Wednesday night. When she retired, he said he was going to sit up a bit longer, reading, but this (Thursday) morning his son-in-law discovered a letter on the  mantelpiece, in which he threatened to take his life. He indicated where his body would be found in the canal. The Police Sergeant Arthur Longmore dragged the spot this morning, and recovered the body in a few minutes.

Charles Gittins had joined the army as a territorial soldier on the 11th March 1913 as Private 2139 serving with the 1/5th North Staffordshire Regiment. On the 5th August 1914 he was embodied to full service and would eventually enter France on the Western Front on the 3rd March 1915 with ‘C’ Company 1/5th North Staffordshire Regiment.

He was described as of good physical development, 5’5” tall, 33” chest with 2” expansion and good vision.

When he first enlisted in 1913 he was aged 17 Years and 8 months with a home address of 15 Newcastle Street, Penkhull and was working as a Potters Turner at the Kirkham factory, Stoke On Trent.

Having been at the front for only 8 months he was reported as missing on the 13th October 1915 and subsequently presumed dead.

Charles and his regiment were brought up to the front lines on the 12th October 1915 to take part in what would turn out to be a disastrous assault on the Hohenzollern Redoubt at Loos. On the day Charles died his regiment lost 71 killed, 232 wounded and 201 missing. Overall during the 1 week phase of battle over 500 men were lost. Of these approximately 158 were from the potteries, 29 of them from Burslem. 

During his service there is official correspondence between the County Borough Court of Stoke On Trent and the commandant of the North Staffordshire Regiment. On the 26th of July 1915 Charles had appeared at court in person to answer allegations that he had fathered an illegitimate child, born of a Sarah Tedstone of 13 Newcastle Street, Penkhull on the 28th February 1915. Charles accepted he was the father and was ordered to pay 4 shillings per month at a rate of 4 penny per day as well as £1. 17 shillings for incidental costs and expenses relating to the child and also £1. 15 shillings costs towards bringing the case to court.  

Sarah Tryphena Tedstone was the daughter of Charles Mills Tedstone and Amelia nee Docherty. Charles Mills Tedstone born in Birmingham had originally enlisted into the 24th Foot (South Wales Borderers)  in 1884 aged 19 he saw service in the India Punjab campaign, he served for over 14 years before being discharged. His wife Amelia was born in Tyrone, Omargh, Ireland, as was their daughter Sarah. In September 1914 Charles Mills Tedstone enlisted into the North Staffordshire Regiment service number 8951 , he was discharged in 1919. His medals are currently in the Staffordshire Regiment Museum DMS, Whittington, Lichfield and  include the India Medal Punjab Frontier 1897-1898, the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, The Victory Medal, The Defense Medal 1939-45 and the Imperial Service Medal. 

Sadly on the 2nd June 1916 Dorothy Plant Tedstone aged 15 months daughter of Sarah Tedstone and Charles Gittins died of Tuberculous peritonitis. 

Sentinel Newspaper  9th December 1915 reports Charles Gittins as missing in action and some 9 months after Charles was reported missing The Staffordshire Sentinel dated 21st July 1916 reports on the memorial service for Charles Gittins son of E Gittins, 15 Newcastle Street, Penkhull. It informs us that prior to military service Charles was in the employ of Royal Doulton, Burslem. It also informs us that Charles brother J Gittens was also killed serving with the Royal Field Artillery the previous November and E Gittins had been discharged due to ill health

Charles is remembered at the Loos Memorial panel 103 - 105, 

For the 1st anniversary of the Loos Battle 13 October 1916 the Sentinel Newspaper printed a memorial of all the Staffordshire Regiment killed. The Gittins family wrote; 

GITTINS.-In loving memory of Private Charles Leese Gittins, killed in action October 13th, 1915, aged 19 years : "He like a soldier, fell." Also of Driver. Joseph Gittins, who died November. 6th, 1915, aged 22 years. "He nobly did his best." Dearly loved by Mother, Brother, and Sisters.

Charles is also remembered on the Kilngate Royal Doulton Memorial, the Royal Doulton Roll of Men Serving in 1914, and with his brother Joseph on the St Thomas The Apostle Church War Memorial Penkhull. He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Ernest Alfred Gittins enlisted as a driver into the North Staffordshire Regiment service number 458, he was medically discharged. Ernest married Amy Olive Bedson in 1920 and died aged 71 in October 1971. Unfortunately no service records were found to give specific dates. 

Charles' brother Joseph Gittins enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery 3rd September 1914 at Stoke on Trent aged 20 years 257 days. He was described as being 5’ 5 3/4 inches tall, weighing 119 lbs, chest measurement 36 with 2 inch expansion, complexion fair,  eyes blue, brown hair and  being Church of England religion. 

Medical examination considered him fit for the army. He gave his trade as Porter and was given service number 25438 Rank Driver, 58 Bde. R. F .A. 

Between 3rd September 1914 and 1st February 1915 Joseph was attached to the 5A Reserve Brigade R.F.A based in Altholne, Ireland. 

Between 1st February 1915 and 18th May 1915 Joseph was attached to the 58 Brigade R.F.A. initially moving to Leeds then to Whitley. 

On the 25th April 1915 Joseph was admitted to Netley Hospital and discharged on 4th May 1915. 

On 17th May 1915 Joseph was admitted to Cheddleton Asylum. Originally admitted with a diagnosis of Primary Dementia, the cause was suggested 1) Insane Hereditary, 2) Army Training , 3) Adolescence. In modern times his condition may have been diagnosed as schizophrenia, the written history from the asylum notes were based on interviewing both Joseph and his mother Emily, as medical notes they are comprehensive and the documentation of his time there was thorough and paint a picture of the care he received. 

On 18th May 1915 Joseph Gittins was discharged from the army as he had been medically assessed as being permanently unfit for service. His character on discharge was reported as very good. On reading Joseph's asylum medical notes it was reported that during his Army Training he had sustained numerous head and chest  injuries through falling off his horse.  

Joseph Died 6th November 1915 Cheddleton Asylum Bronchopneumonia. Aged 22. Joseph's death was very rapid and unexpected. 

From visiting records we can see his family visited him frequently, his mother Emily visited him once June 6th , his sister Dorothy visited July 7th and again August 4th , his brother Ernest visited August 18th and September 1st and his mother's brother Charles coincidentally visited on the 13th of October the day  Charles Gittins went missing presumed dead. On reading medical notes from the asylum we can see Joseph made a rapid physical decline in October 1915. 

Sentinel Newspaper 9th December 1915 reports Charles Gittins as missing in action not killed so presumably the Gittins family were still waiting for news of Charles when Joseph died. 

By 1915 Emily Gittins had seen her husband and 8 of her children die. Her remaining children Dorothy married John Thomas Malkin in 1912 , Nellie married Edward Coxon in 1928, John married Annie Archer in 1930 and Annie married Joseph Teece in 1931.

Emily herself died aged 74 in 1935 buried at Hartshill Cemetery Stoke on Trent. 

Joseph was buried at Harthill cemetery, Stoke on Trent with his father Alfred, brother Samuel and his other brother Ernest's baby daughter Olwyn , currently the grave is unmarked. 

The commonwealth war graves commission at the time of his death did not recognise Joseph's service as meeting the criteria for a war grave. Joseph Gittins is remembered on the Stoke on Trent Railway station memorial and with his brother Charles on the St Thomas The Apostle Church War Memorial Penkhull.

Sources 

Marriage: Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England.

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2177; Folio: 55; Page: 1; GSU roll: 6097287

1901 census Class: RG13; Piece: 2610; Folio: 98; Page: 32

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911

Staffordshire County Council; Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, England; Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths for the County of Staffordshire; Reference Number: Ci/18/66. 

S Gittins:The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Commissioners in Lunacy, 1845–1913. Lunacy Patients Admission Registers, Series MH 94; Piece: 42

S Gittins death: Staffordshire County Council; Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, England; Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths for the County of Staffordshire; Reference Number: Ci/15/68

S Gittins probate: England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995

C Gittins christening: Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England &Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.

C Gittins service record: The National Archives; London, England, UK; War Office: Soldiers' Documents, First World War Wo363

C Gittins pension card: Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 029/0166/Gil-Gla

J Gittins service records: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; War Office: Soldiers' Documents from Pension Claims, First World War (Microfilm Copies and Medical Cards); Reference: WO364; Piece: 1358

J Gittins pension card: Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 079/0362/Gil-Gla

E. Gittins pension card: Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 079/0362/Gil-Gla

Emily Gittins death: General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 6b; Page: 232

Alfred Gittins death:FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

Alfred Gittins: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000347/19141126/048/0003 

C Gittins:https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000347/19151221/084/0004 

C Gittins https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000347/19160721/078/0003

C Gittins https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000347/19161013/030/0002

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1763780/charles-gittins/