EVITT, Charles
Born 25 August 1888; died 28 November 1918; buried 30 November 1918; age 31
Charles EVITT was born in 1888 in the parish of Girlington, Yorkshire, the sixth child of photographic assistant Thomas Evitt and his wife Florence. By the 1901 census, when Charles was 12, his eldest brother Harry had left home to join the navy, and his younger sister Dorothy had died but there were three brothers and three sisters still living at home with their parents in Chertsey, Surrey. At some time over the next ten years Charles travelled to New Zealand. No members of his family came with him. He had enrolled in the Wellington Central electorate for 1911, living at 7 Hopper Street, Mt Cook. By the time of the next roll, in 1914, he was living just around the corner at 51 Webb Street, with Arthur James JACKA a storeman, and his wife, Ellen Elizabeth, and their four children. Charles seems to have been known by the nickname “Chick”.
For his time in New Zealand, Charles seems to have had two occupations. On the electoral rolls, he was described as a waiter, on the Army Reserve Roll for the Wellington 1st Division in 1916–17 he was a storeman.
When Charles became ill with influenza he was sent to the temporary hospital in Sydney Street (in Thorndon). There he died on 28 November, and he was buried in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery two days later. It seems as though the Jacka family may have inserted a death notice for Charles in the Evening Post the day after he died:
EVITT—On the 29th(sic) November, 1918, Charles (Chick) Evitt, beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Evitt, Surrey, England, and much loved friend of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Jacka and family; aged 29 years. To memory ever dear.
On 28 November 1918, the day of his death, Charles signed his will. He left ‘my box of games’ to Frank Saunders, who it seems was living at the same address as Charles; and the residue of his estate – found by the Public Trustee to amount to a little more than £13 – to his mother. The Public Trustee referred to him as ‘storekeeper and steward’, and identified him as ‘Charles Edward John Evitt also known as Charles Evitt.’
The plot was purchased one year later, by his mother, Florence Evitt, c/ Miss E Jacka, 51 Webb Street. This indicates the Jacka family continued to act on behalf of Charles for some time, perhaps facilitating the arrangements for the purchase of the plot and for commissioning the plaque on the headstone which reads:
In Loving Memory Of
Chick Evitt
Died November 1918
“Until the Day Break”
Researched and written by Max Kerr
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 157 E
Born 25 August 1888; died 28 November 1918; buried 30 November 1918; age 31
Charles EVITT was born in 1888 in the parish of Girlington, Yorkshire, the sixth child of photographic assistant Thomas Evitt and his wife Florence. By the 1901 census, when Charles was 12, his eldest brother Harry had left home to join the navy, and his younger sister Dorothy had died but there were three brothers and three sisters still living at home with their parents in Chertsey, Surrey. At some time over the next ten years Charles travelled to New Zealand. No members of his family came with him. He had enrolled in the Wellington Central electorate for 1911, living at 7 Hopper Street, Mt Cook. By the time of the next roll, in 1914, he was living just around the corner at 51 Webb Street, with Arthur James JACKA a storeman, and his wife, Ellen Elizabeth, and their four children. Charles seems to have been known by the nickname “Chick”.
For his time in New Zealand, Charles seems to have had two occupations. On the electoral rolls, he was described as a waiter, on the Army Reserve Roll for the Wellington 1st Division in 1916–17 he was a storeman.
When Charles became ill with influenza he was sent to the temporary hospital in Sydney Street (in Thorndon). There he died on 28 November, and he was buried in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery two days later. It seems as though the Jacka family may have inserted a death notice for Charles in the Evening Post the day after he died:
EVITT—On the 29th(sic) November, 1918, Charles (Chick) Evitt, beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Evitt, Surrey, England, and much loved friend of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Jacka and family; aged 29 years. To memory ever dear.
On 28 November 1918, the day of his death, Charles signed his will. He left ‘my box of games’ to Frank Saunders, who it seems was living at the same address as Charles; and the residue of his estate – found by the Public Trustee to amount to a little more than £13 – to his mother. The Public Trustee referred to him as ‘storekeeper and steward’, and identified him as ‘Charles Edward John Evitt also known as Charles Evitt.’
The plot was purchased one year later, by his mother, Florence Evitt, c/ Miss E Jacka, 51 Webb Street. This indicates the Jacka family continued to act on behalf of Charles for some time, perhaps facilitating the arrangements for the purchase of the plot and for commissioning the plaque on the headstone which reads:
In Loving Memory Of
Chick Evitt
Died November 1918
“Until the Day Break”
Researched and written by Max Kerr
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 157 E