Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Frank Sleath, a carpenter and joiner, born on the 11th January 1849 in Rothley, Leicestershire and baptised on the 10th March 1889 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley (son of John Collins Sleath, 1819-1866 and Sarah Brown, 1821-1903) and his wife Eliza Sleath (nee Mason, married on the 18th November 1873 in All Saint’s Church, Narborough, Leicestershire), born in the January quarter of 1842 in Enderby, Leicestershire and baptised on the 11th March 1842 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Enderby (daughter of James Mason, 1805-1884 and Sarah Richardson, 1806-1887). Charles was born on the 11th October 1877 in Rothley and baptised on the 3rd December 1877 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley, his siblings were, Frank, a schoolboy, born on the 26th February 1876 and baptised on the 17th March 1876 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley and Harry Mason, born on the 16th August 1879 and baptised on the 5th October 1879 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley, both his siblings were born in Rothley, in April 1881 the family home was at 32, South End, Rothley.
In April 1891 Charles was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at Town Green, Rothley, together with his father, a joiner, his mother and siblings, Frank, a joiner’s assistant, Harry, a schoolboy, Fred, a schoolboy, born on the 28th September 1881 and baptised on the 20th November 1881 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley, Richard, a schoolboy, born on the 5th October 1883 and baptised on the 2nd December 1883 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley and Isabel, a schoolgirl, born on the 4th February 1886 and baptised on the 2nd May 1886 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley, the latter three siblings were all born in Rothley.
Charles’ mother died aged 51 years, on the 24th April 1893 in Rothley.
Charles’s father married Ellen Eldin on the 20th December 1893 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley (daughter of John Thomas Eldin).
Charles’s father married Constance Alice Pole on the 7th May 1895 in St. Michael’s Church, Belgrave, Leicester (daughter of John Pole).
In March 1901 Charles was employed as a bricklayer and was residing in the family home at North Street, Rothley, together with his wife Elizabeth Davenport Sleath (nee Stone, married on the 7th August 1900 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley), born on the 25th April 1878 in Hugglescote, Leicestershire and baptised on the 11th August 1878 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Hugglescote (daughter of Harry Stone, 1845 and Emma Eliza Sheffield, 1845).
In April 1911 Charles was employed as a bricklayer and was residing in the family home at Cross Green, Rothley, together with his wife, a grocer, also residing in the family home was a niece Janet Sarah Sheffield Harrison, a schoolgirl, born on the 31st July 1900 in Cropston, Leicestershire and baptised on the 21st October 1900 in All Saint’s Church, Thurcaston with Cropston, Leicestershire.
FAMILY NOTES:
Charles also had the following siblings, George Harry, born on the 6th February 1874 in Enderby and baptised on the 5th July 1874 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley, and who died aged 2 years in July 1876 in Rothley and was interred on the 16th July in Rothley Cemetery, and half-blood siblings, Edward Victor, born on the 22nd June 1897 and baptised on the 15th August 1897 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley, Hubert, born on the 30th August 1899 and baptised on the 19th November 1899 in the Church of St. Mary & St. John, Rothley, Winnie, born in the April quarter of 1901 and Frances Alice, born on the 29th June 1909, all his half-blood siblings were born in Rothley.
Charles’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Loughborough into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At place and date not known.
Posted. To Corps of Royal Engineers. Sapper. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 241815.
Posted. To 508th (Wessex) Field Company. Date not known.
No overseas war service recorded.
Transferred. To Labour Corps. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 459223.
Posted. To 482nd Agricultural Labour Company. Date not known.
Admitted. To 5th Northern General Hospital. Leicester Date not known.
Died. In the 5th Northern General Hospital Leicester. Strangulated Hernia. 5/6/18.
Buried in Rothley Cemetery, Leicester, England. Headstone inscription. “For God King and Country.”
In the event of his death, Charles nominated his wife Elizabeth as his sole legatee.
On the 30th November 1918, Charles’s widow, Elizabeth of Rothley House Lane, Rothley, Leicestershire was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of thirteen shillings and nine pence, commensurate on the 9th December 1918.
On Thursday June 5th, 1919, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 7 under the heading. “BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.” – IN MEMORIAM. - SLEATH. – In loving memory of Pte. C. Sleath, of Rothley, died in Leicester Base Hospital, June 5th, 1918. From his Wife and Niece Janet.
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