Pte 16085 Charles Henry Hivey

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 3rd July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Charles Henry was born on 04/01/1891 at Toxteth Park the son of William Henry Hivey a sack and paper stock merchant and his wife Jane Frances (nee Osborn) who were married in St Chrysostom’s Church, Everton on 30^th December 1879 and were living at 75 Berkley Street, Toxteth, with Jane’s father and his two sons, who were both employed in the stationery or paper business, presumably with William Henry. They had seven children, six of whom lived to adulthood; Wiliam, Isabel, Gladys, Agnes, Charles and Doris.

The 1891 Census shows the family are living at 75 Berkley Street, Toxteth Park. As well as the children the family are extended by Jane's father Joseph Osborn a retired master mariner and her two brothers Wilson and Ernest.

In 1895, Charles was enrolled at Granby Street Council School but left in 1896, when the family moved to Seaforth.

By the time of the 1901 Census the family have moved to 65 Sandy Road, Seaforth  and William Henry has a warehouse at 15 Ford Street, off Vauxhall Road, and there are six children – William, 20 years, a merchant’s clerk; (Jane) Isabel, 18 years, a pupil teacher; Gladys, 14 years; Agnes, 12 years; Charles Henry, 10 years; and Doris, 7 years. Jane’s widowed father and her brother Richard are also living with them and the family employ a servant. 

Charles attended Merchant Taylor's school Crosby from 1903 - 1906. In April 1906, Charles takes his place in Liverpool Collegiate School, aged 15 years and 4 months, having left Merchant Taylor's because the family had moved again. 

In 1911 the family, minus their eldest son, William, live at “Laurel Bank”, 28 Childwall Priory Road, a 12 roomed house, and they still employ a servant. Isabel and Agnes are both elementary school teachers while Charles is a shipping clerk.  

The Liverpool Directory for 1911 shows that William Henry lives at Laurel Bank and is the CEO and manager of Automatic Disinfectors Ltd and W. H. Hivey & Co, sack and bag merchants, with premises at 56 Old Hall Street. His son, William, married in 1910 and is living with his wife at 36 Ramillies Road off Smithdown Road when he is described as manager of a sack merchant’s.

Charles enlisted at St. George's Hall on 31^st August 1914 joining the 17^th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16085. He served in France from 07th November 1915. He survived the opening day of the Battle of the Somme but was killed in action on 03/07/1916, aged 25, probably as a resut of heavy enemy shelling. His body was not recovered and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He was awarded all three medals. His effects and medals were sent to his father, who was still at 28 Childwall Priory Road when probate was granted in respect of Charles on 24^th October 1916. 
 
Charles is also commemorated on  the following memorials;

All Saints Church, Childwall 

Merchant Taylor School

Liverpool Collegiate.

His mother died in 1923 and his father in 1950.

We currently have no further information on Charles Henry Hivey. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.