| Topic: | Re:Charles James Cross (18271910) | |
| Posted by: | Guy Lambert | |
| Date/Time: | 01/12/25 12:12:00 |
| I received this message from our redoubtable local historian, Janet McNamara "In my years of researching all the Councillors from the start of the Brentford Local Board in the 1870s to the amalgamation with Chiswick about 1927 I find I have some notes about Councillor Charles James Cross (1827-1910). His obituary says he was in Brentford by the time he was 5 and was married and a teacher in Bristol by his early 20s. He worked with his father who had some connection with the soap works management and became secretary of the British School that was where the St Paul's extension is now. It was known about the town as the Rothschild School as that family from Gunnersbury helped support it. I found his name on the Evalina Plaque in the Museum years ago and have noted he was a JP by 1895 and must have been a Councillor shortly after then as his name is on the foundation stones at the Swimming Baths and the Fire Station. (circa 1897?) He appears to have been on the Library Committee as he's on that plaque in 1903. He and his wife had 10 children and he was survived by 8 of them. One of his sons who died in 1935 was reported in the local paper as being the inventor of a process for making silk stockings!! CJ was a very distinguished looking gentleman with a bushy white moustache and a flower in his lapel." I can't see him on the Library plaque so I conclude Janet was looking at another one - will enquire because she is meticulous. Janet also observed "There's more in the Local Studies Library I think. localstudies@hounslow.gov.uk" |