John Charles Kirch

  General Notes:

ALSO CHARLES JOHN KIRCH, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CHARLIE SMITH.

HE LOVED HIS DRINK AND THE SONS KICKED HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE FOR BEING DRUNK.
NAN (ELEANOR KEDWARD) CAN REMEMBER BEING QUITE ASHAMED OF HIM. THE FAMILY
WOULD DO A DETOUR AROUND HIM WHEN HE WOULD BE SITTING DRINKING IN THE PARK.

HE DIED IN THE PAYNTERS LODGING HOUSE, PONTYPOOL, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHERE HE
LIVED. ALTHOUGH THE CENSUS RECORD I FOUND SHOWED HIM BEING BORN IN CORNWALL,
I CAN FIND NO TRACE OF HIS BIRTH REGISTERED IN ENGLAND AT ALL. AS HE CHANGED
HIS NAME TO SMITH, BEING HIS WIFE'S MAIDEN NAME, I FEEL THAT HE WANTED TO
DISASSOCIATE HIMSELF FROM THIS NAME. I FEEL THIS WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WAS
POLISH, AS KIRCH APPEARS TO BE A POLISH NAME. POLISH PEOPLE APPEAR TO BE QUITE
UNPOPULAR IN WALES DUE TO THE WAR.

I CANNOT FIND HIS MARRIAGE TO MARY ANN SMITH REGISTERED EITHER AND WONDER IF
THEY DID NOT ACTUALLY MARRY.

HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE SAYS THAT HE WAS FORMERLY AN ENGINE DRIVER AT BALLEST
CRUSHER, SO WORKED IN THE COAL MINES. IT ALSO STATED THAT HIS HALF BROTHER, D.
WOODMAN WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT HIS DEATH. HE LIVED AT 41 WINDSOR ROAD,
ABERTILLERY. IT APPEARS THEREFORE THAT HIS MOTHER REMARRIED A MAN BY THE NAME
OF WOODMAN. I MAY BE ABLE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION FROM HER 2ND. MARRIAGE, BUT
HAVE YET TO CHECK THIS OUT.

John married Mary Ann Smith, daughter of James Smith and Sarah Berry. (Mary Ann Smith was born on 9 Feb 1858 in Monmouth, Gwent, Wales UK, christened on 15 Feb 1858 in Monmouth, Gwent, Wales UK and died in 1921 in Gilfach Bargoed, Glamorgan, South Wales UK.)