More details on Charlie

There are few men better known in Worksop and certainly none more popular than Mr Charles Parker, known to all his intimates as Charlie.

In his younger days he was extremely well known as a member of the Worksop Amateur Christy Minstrel Troupe.

Born on 12th September 1861 at Goxhill, Lincolnshire, his father was the was the village blacksmith.

In 1886, he married Cecilia, second daughter of the late Mr T. Warner and sister to Mr Will Warner, Sherwood Road who died in April 1916.

He was good enough to record some of his reminiscences.

“As an entertainer, I was a member of the Old Amateur Minstrels for several seasons but not one of the first few. With the late Mr Hardisty, I was one of the tambo’s. As an athlete, I was fairly successful both on foot and as a cyclist on the old Penny Farthing (ordinary) bicycle, and later on the modern machine as we see it today.

When I look back at the times we had and remember the old fraternity and think how many of them have crossed the border - Frank Levick, Ted Carr, George Vardy, Joe and Jack Williamson (Retford), besides others I’m glad to know there were others in the district who were real good sports and are still with us, George Rawson, Albert Clayton and George Carr.”

As youngsters, his three sons used to ride a special triplet cycle which Mr Parker built himself. Mr Parker has been much sought after as a speaker with an inexhaustible fund of anecdotes at various North Nottinghamshire functions.

Worksop Guardian reader