Clara COY, please help solve a mystery

[..claire..]

1901 census Clara Cox is with a husband Charles, and a son of the same name and a daughter Clara

[guest259648]

There was a Clara Cox that died in 1916, 2nd Qtr. aged 57 registered in the Chichester district

Wonder if that could be her

Now that's a very good idea, thank you :-)
The wording seemed extremely clear and well-carved, but in 100+ years maybe part of the X could have worn away, to look like a Y? - but it would have needed to disappear on BOTH surnames, though, because they appeared identical.   Can you see a Charles COX too, who died in 1917, poss. in Sussex?

[guest259648]

1901 census Clara Cox is with a husband Charles, and a son of the same name and a daughter Clara

Ooh, this is sounding very useful!
I'm wondering if the carving itself was mistaken?

Does it say where the family lives, and what Charles does? (Sorry I don't have access to the census).

[..claire..]

There is indeed a Charles Cox death registration in the 4th Qtr. of  1917 aged 63 in the Chichester district.

[..claire..]

The 1901 census Charles senior is a bricklayer and the family are living at 26 Florance Road Chichester.

[guest259648]

There is indeed a Charles Cox death registration in the 4th Qtr. of  1917 aged 63 in the Chichester district.

Right, well this does sound like the right family, doesn't it. It fits.

So: why does the stone say COY? I am almost certain it isn't a weathered X (and I've looked at a lot of stones.)
That's why I asked about the line of work, and you've seen bricklayer - so maybe they weren't literate, and didn't notice what I feel truly is an error? Is that possible?

Or the stone-carver got it wrong but they accepted the stone anyway?!

It seems very strange. But it ought to be Cox, yes, you're right.
How would you interpret this?
D

[..claire..]

Looking back at Clara it would appear that she was a widow with the surname Morley in the 1891 census with two daughters Clara Annie aged 2 and a Nellie Elizabeth  aged 1. Clara was originally from Croydon, Surrey

[guest259648]

The 1901 census Charles senior is a bricklayer and the family are living at 26 Florance Road Chichester.

Florance/Florence Road is only a stone's throw away from the back of the John Lewis.
So yes, this ought to be the correct family.
But why the lettering?
D

[..claire..]

It certainly seems like the correct family - they were also on Florance Rd in the last a available census.

I can’t find much on Charles Snr. But he was a Cox when he married Clara too (1895) , I can’t find him before this