305891 Private 5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt)
Died Friday 18th Jan 1918 (Age 20)
At Rest: Westwood St Mary’s
Grave Ref.: Near South side of North path
Grave of Charles Marriott
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This Sherwood Forester is buried in St Mary’s Churchyard, in a grave marked by a Commonwealth War Graves headstone. He died at home on 18th January 1918, aged 20 years and met a particularly tragic end. A newspaper article from 1918 revealed the following:-
‘Gruesome Selston Discovery - Tragic Sequel to Sweethearts Evening Walk.’ A verdict of ‘accidental death’ was returned by a Selston jury on Monday at an inquest on Charles Marriott (20), a Sherwood Forester, of Newark, who was killed on the railway on Friday night. A young woman was in company with the deceased at the time of the accident, and she was seriously injured, and now lies at the Nottingham General Hospital. Lucy Gothard, whose husband is a prisoner of war in Germany, said that deceased, who was her brother, was a drummer in the Army, and had fought in France. He was keeping company with a young woman named Mary Scothern of Leabrooks. Charles Muxlow, a saddler of Pye Bridge, described how, on leaving work at Pye Hill Colliery on Friday night he heard moaning near the G.N.R. and Midland Railway bridges. Going under the G.N.R bridge he got on to the private line of Messrs. Oakes and Co., and, making a search, found a woman lying in the four foot of the Midland Railway. He removed her to a place of safety and then hearing more groans, continued to search the line. He discovered the woman’s right leg in the four-foot, and nearer the bridge he found deceased, badly injured. Deceased was removed to a cabin, where he died about ten o’clock - an hour after witness found him. The young woman was taken to the Nottingham General Hospital. Witness explained that the G.N.R., Midland, and Messrs. Oakes private lines were only a few yards apart. There was a footpath under the bridges from Pye Bridge to Pye Hill. It was a dark, wet night, said witness and about eight o’clock a light engine passed the spot. On one side of the bridges there was not sufficient room for anyone to stand without being struck by a passing train. The couple were found on that side of the bridges.’
Charles was the son of Charles and Sarah Marriott and they had 11 children in all, 3 of whom had died before the 1911 Census. On the census, Charles’ occupation was ‘errand boy’ and he was born in Sheffield.
Charles Marriott was awarded the British War and Victory Medals.
