I'm one of his great-great grand-daughters, so I'm definitely descended from him.
I was born in and have lived in New Zealand all my life (nearly 21 years). Sadly no one can say if he or his wife, Agnes Menase (Maiden name) had any sisters or brothers, as I'm interested in if they had any siblings at all.
I do know, though, that Charles and Agnes had, I think, 13 kids, with two sons (at least) serving in WW1--both came back. The two who served were William John Davies, and Richard Smellie Davies. As far as I know, their other childrens names were: James, Walter Edward (my great-grandfather), Arthur, Margaret, Ethel May, Llewellyn Charles, Laurina Elizabeth, Thomas, Charles, Agnes, Lucy and Ruby.
I also had been given some information on Charles as well, given to me from my mother, and tried to transcribe the hard-to-read page onto Microsoft Word. What I got out of it was the following:
Wife:
Agnes Menase
Children:
James (Jim) 1st child
Walter Edward 2nd child; b. c.1887
Agnes (Aggie)
Richard (Dick)
Lucy
Ruby
Llewellyn Charles b. 1890
William John
Arthur
Margaret
Ethel May (Ettie)
Thomas (Tom) 12th child
Charles (Charlie) 13th child
Transcription:
Charles Arthur Davies was born in Carmarthen, Dyfed, Wales, UK in 1860 in the parish of St Peters. He was the second son of Anne and James. He was 5ft and 7 ½ inches, of fresh complexion with hazel eyes and dark hair. He had the mark of a burn on his left elbow and a cross on his left forearm. He was brought up a Baptist. He was a labourer. Charles joined the 1st Battery, 6th brigade of the Royal Artillery on the 10th May 1877 at Carmarthen aged 17 years.
He was educated in the army and won a medal with a clasp in the Zulu Campaign of 1879, probably sent over in the secondary reinforcement group. The inscription on the medal reads “4447 “Gun” C Davies N/5th B[indecipherable] KA. The number on his paybook was 16591. He served nine years and 267 days service aboard out of a total of 12 years, 56 days.
On 11th October 1882, he married Agnes Menase at [Kamptee, East India-but there is no Kamptee in India, according to Google Maps AND Google Earth. But there IS a place called Kamptee in Britain. Perhaps they meant Britain?] She was the second daughter of Thomas and Mary-Anne. Thomas was a civil servant and they were both half French and half Indian. Agnes was less than 5ft tall and always wore her hair back in a bun. She had servants at home and was educated in a convent.
They moved to Bangalore where Agnes gave birth to James (Jim) and then Walter Edward who was born in c.1887. Charles was discharged from the army on 10th June 1889 at Bangalore and the discharge was confirmed on the 1st July 1889.
Llewellyn Charles was born in Heathcote Valley, Canterbury, NZ on 2nd October 1890.
Wises Directory records Charles Davies in 1901 as being a settler in Otakeho 75 miles from Wanganui. It is supposed that he was a land ballot. Land was very difficult to clear and they would have lived in a small cabin. Agnes was ashamed that her sons had to work like labourers as they had servants in Kamptee. Agnes produced thirteen children. She had at least one child die in her arms of diphtheria.
According to the Wises Directory, they were still in Otakeho in 1908.
1912: They were in Picton and lived in Nelson Square. Charles was a photographer. Arthur, Walter and William were labourers.
1916: Charles was a labourer at Prince Street, Onehunga (Auckland); also a labourer in 1928.
They possibly spent time at Toko, Douglas and Huriria[possibly incorrect spelling].
1932: Charles and Agnes had their Golden Wedding Anniversary at 11 Albert Street, Onehunga.
Charles died in August 1937, aged 77 years.