21st May 1915

27-year-old former Lieutenant Charles Russell Venables died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 21st May 1915. He died at home, Brougham House, Old Warwick Road, Olton, and was buried at Baddesley Clinton.

Charles Russell Venables was born on 15th October 1887 in Droylsden, Lancashire and was baptised on 18th December 1887 at Bradford Wesleyan Chapel, Manchester. He was the second of five children (three boys, two girls) born to parents William Henry Venables (1861-1925) and Lydia Alice Russell (1861-1919) who had married at the Wesleyan Chapel, Grosvenor Street, Chorley, Lancashire on 2nd August 1884.

By 1890, the family had moved to Smethwick, where William Venables was working as an insurance manager. The three younger children were all born in Smethwick between 1890-1895.

The Venables family moved to Warwickshire around 1909 and were living at Farringford, 41 Old Warwick Road, Olton at the time of the 1911 census.

Charles Russell Venables followed his father’s career, being described as an insurance broker on the 1911 census. He had also joined the Army, being gazetted Second Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, on 15th March 1909. The 8th Battalion was a unit of the Territorial Force, headquartered in Aston, Birmingham. The unit had just departed for its annual summer camp in August 1914 when war broke out and they were recalled and mobilised to commence training. They embarked for France in March 1915.

Second Lieutenant Charles Russell Venables does not appear to have seen any active service overseas, as there is no Medal Index Card for him, indicating he was not entitled to receive any medals. Before his death he had resigned his commission owing to ill health and so is not included as an official war casualty, nor does he have a military pattern gravestone. He is not included on Olton war memorial, despite the family still living in the area, so it seems that he wasn’t considered to be a local war casualty.

Both of his brothers also served in the First World War. Alexander Lones Venables (1890-1922) served with the Officer Training Corps at Birmingham University in 1911 and then joined the 28th London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles) from the Class B Reserves in November 1915. He was mobilised in October 1916 and, having been Lance Sergeant with the 8th Battalion London Regiment TF, was appointed to a permanent commission as Second Lieutenant with the same unit in September 1918. He was also an insurance broker. His eldest son, Hugh Drummond Venables DFC (1915-1943), served in the Second World War as a Squadron Leader with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and died in Normandy in April 1943. John had four children and he named his second son – John Charles Russell Venables (1916-1996) after his late brother.

The youngest of Charles Russell Venables’ brothers, Edgar Kingsley Venables (1891-1940) served in both World Wars – a Second Lieutenant in the First World War and a Driver in the Second World War. He was mentioned in the Evening Despatch, 9th April 1918, as being in hospital, following an accident. In the Second World War he served as a Driver with 149 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Service Corps (RASC). He died on 17th February 1940 whilst on active service and is buried at Evreux Communal Cemetery, France.

If you have any further information about the family, please let us know.

Tracey
Heritage & Local Studies Librarian

email: heritage@solihull.gov.uk