Gunner Charles Flint

221976 or L/46347 Royal Field Artillery

Born 10th November 1899, Township, Patterdale.

Died June 1980, Aged 80 Penrith

Son of John and Jessie (nee Pattinson) Flint, Township and Home Farm Patterdale

Husband of Margaret Anne Wilson from Penrith

Charles Flint was born on the 10th November 1899 in the Township Patterdale, and baptised at St Patricks Church Patterdale on the 26th November of that year. He was the eldest child of John and Jessie (nee Pattinson) Flint. John was born in Penrith around 1874 the son of another Charles Flint, who as a “clogger”. John followed in his father’s footsteps and became a boot and shoemaker. He married Jessie in April 1899 in Patterdale. Jessie was the daughter of Abraham Pattinson, the gamekeeper from Patterdale Hall. She came from a large family including her brothers Glenthorne and Harrison Pattinson who are also remembered on this site.

After Charles was born John and Jessie had three more children, Ella (in July 1901), Mary Rebecca (Aug 1903) and Abram (Abe) Pattinson (Oct 1909). By the time their youngest child Abe was born they had moved out of the Township and into Home Farm in Patterdale.

By 1911 The family were still living at Home Farm which was being run as a boarding house. However 11 year old Charles was by now living with his grandmother, Elizabeth Flint, who ran the Grey Bull Hotel in Penrith, along with John’s sister and her family. Unfortunately we have no idea why young Charles left home so early.

Similarly we have no details of his war record, other than knowing that he served in the Royal Field Artillery - and we have found two ‘Charles Flints” from the RFA who served as gunners - whose Service Numbers are listed above. Given his youth he must have joined up late in the war, probably in late 1917 or early 1918. It is likely that he served in France in the last few months of the war.

After he was demobilised he returned to Penrith, where he married Margaret Anne Wilson on the 28th November 1920. Charles and Margaret remained in Penrith until their deaths, Charles in June 1980 at the age of 80 and Margaret in September 1982 aged 82.

In terms of the rest of Charles’ family, his father John died aged 44 in Patterdale at the end of the First War and was buried at St Patrick’s on 25th April 1918. After his death Jessie and her children moved to Grisedale Bridge where she lived until her death in June 1929 at the age of 51.

Charles is remembered on the Glenridding Village Hall Roll of Honour alongside his Uncles, Glen and Harrison Pattinson.

Charles’ sister Ella married Tom Atkinson, a gardener on the 29th July 1929 in Patterdale. They settled at Grisedale Bridge House and were still there at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

Charles’ other sister Mary Rebecca married Joseph Dickinson on 21st December 1925 in Patterdale. Joseph was a farm worker from Haverthwaite and we assume that they moved there after their marriage.

Charles’ youngest brother Abe married Irene Kitchen in 1935 in Penrith. He returned to the Dale and was the proprietor of a boat hire business along with his son Norman. Norman also ran Flint’s Newsagents in Glenridding until very recently when he retired. He still lives in the village.

If you can add anything to the story of Charles or his family please contact us.

The 1911 Census showing Charles, his grandmother, Uncle, Aunt and cousin at the Grey Bull Hotel, Penrith