Charles Gerald Marsh

Charles Gerald Marsh was a Freemason and member of Lodge Temperance 2557 who served in the 2nd World War. A letter to the Provincial Grand Secretary of Northumberland from WBro John Sowerby, Secretary, and dated 7th November 1947 attached a list of the names and service of forty three Brethren and Brother Charles is shown as serving in the Royal Air Force.

At the Lodge Temperance 2557 meeting held at the Royal Assembly Rooms, Westgate Road, on 20th April 1933 Charles was proposed by WBro Robert Womphrey and seconded by Bro S. W. Winter as a fit and proper person to be made a Freemason.

He was a 24 year old Police Constable residing at 38, Cavendish Road, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne.  A successful ballot was held the following month on 15th May and he was initiated into the mysteries and privileges of Ancient Freemasonry on 19th June 1933. He was passed to the second or Fellowcraft degree on 23rd May 1934 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on 18th March 1935.

Unfortunately, military service records after 1920 are only available to proven next of kin and we have not been able to identify any of William’s military information from records available to the general public.

Charles was born on 25th June 1909 in Backworth, Northumberland to Charles and Rachel Marsh. Father Charles was a coal miner hewer from Wigan, Lancashire. Charles married Rachel Jackson in Tynemouth in 1932. Rachel, was also from Lancashire and they had at least nine children:

  • Thomas b 1891
  • Ann Alice b 1893
  • Eleanora Ainsworth b 1895
  • Joseph b 1897
  • Margaret Jane Ainsworth b 1900
  • Isaac Jackson b 1902
  • William Jackson (1906 – 1907)
  • Charles Gordon (1907 – 1908)
  • Charles Gerald (25/06/1909 –

Charles married Edith Jackson in Tynemouth in 1932. Edith, whose father was also a miner, was born in Shiremoor, Northumberland. She was the widow of Royal Air Force wireless operator Aubrey Richard Livermore who had died in Tunisia in 1931. It’s unclear if they had any children.