Charles Joseph Johnson
Charles was born in Coventry, Warwickshire on 25 June 1878 to parents Timothy J Johnson and his wife Marie. He was baptised at St. Mark's in Coventry on 15 July and his father was a warehouseman; the family lived on Stoney Stanton Road. Timothy was a ribbon manufacturer - hence the warehouses - and the family lived in Melton Terrace Coventry, in the heart of the ribbon weaving district, by 1881. Charles attended King Henry VIII school in the city, where he was a useful cricketer. By the time of the 1891 Census the family had moved to Brighton, although Timothy continued in the same business. By 1901 young Charles had become an architect; he and his parents were now living back in Coventry pursuing his father's trade. They lived at
Lynton, Queen Victoria Road.
In October 1908 Charles married
Frances Mabel June Orton in Foleshill, Coventry. They lived in Clara Street Coventry and the 1911 Census described Charles as an architect and surveyor. His wife died aged 57 years on 3 September 1935 while they were living at
Hillside Kenilworth Road Coventry. In September 1938 Charles married again in Woolwich, Kent, his new wife being Alberta Winifred Watson, who had been born in Lincolnshire in 1892. They continued to live on Kenilworth Road, Coventry, which is where they were on the 1939 register. Charles eventually died aged 62 on 22 June 1941 in Clarence Court, Brighton Road, Worthing, Sussex. His funeral was held in Brighton and his cremated remains buried at Stoneleigh.
Frances Mabel June Orton (usually known as Mabel) was born in Bedworth, Warwickshire on 21 June 1873 and baptised there on 22 July. Her parents were Edward William Orton and his wife Frances Eliza. At the time of the 1881 Census the family were living in Church Street where Edward practised as a physician. Mabel now had a younger brother and sister. There was a cook and a nurse also living with them. By 1891 Mabel now had another sister and Edward had an assistant who lived with them. By 1901 the family still lived in Church Street but Edward had become a surgeon. When he died in 1904 he was known to be one of the most well-established surgeon-physicians of the "old school"; his son Lionel was to follow in his footsteps as a significant civic figure.
In 1908 aged 35 Mabel married Charles Joseph Johnson in October 1908, the marriage registered in Foleshill, Warwickshire though it is likely to have taken place in Bedworth. Although Mabel's brother and two sisters continued to live together in Bedworth, where he practised as a doctor, Mabel and Charles lived in Clara Street, Coventry with Charles employed as an architect and surveyor. When Mabel died on 30 September 1935 they were living at Hillside, Kenilworth Road, Coventry.