TOPIC:

He was possibly Charles Bargh, born in the 4th quarter of 1876, in the Chesterfield registration district - Whittington is about a couple of miles north of Chesterfield. Ex-Sherwood Foresters?


Charles Bargh, labourer, aged 30, broke into a house at Whittington, stole £4 10s - sentenced to 12 months, to run concurrently with previous 12 months, so adding an additional four or five months.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 21st October 1909


...."You are a perfect idiot," said the Judge at Derbyshire Assizes to-day to Charles Bargh, 50, a labourer, who, after first securing a witness, threw a brick through a plate-glass window, and then gave himself up to the Chesterfield police.
....Prisoner, who pleaded that he was "properly fed up and down and out," was given another chance, being bound over for 12 months.
Nottingham Evening Post, 24th February 1927


....Charles Bargh, Chesterfield, bound over in February for breaking a plate-glass window, was now charged with breach of recognisance, he having been sentenced to six months' hard labour for theft. He was committed to three months' hard labour, the term to run concurrent with the six months' sentence.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 29th June 1927


....Charles Bargh (51), labourer, committed from Chesterfield on a charge of doing wilful damage by breaking a plate-glass window, the property of Kendrick, Fieldsend, Ltd., had only been out of prison a week when he committed the offence. He called to an officer before he broke the window and told the magistrates that he committed the offence because he was down and out. He was broke and fed up.
....Bargh was sent to prison for five months, the Chairman remarking that no-one had the right to call attention to the fact that he was down and out by breaking windows.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 4th January 1928


...."You committed these offences because you wanted to be sent to prison. I daresay you are more comfortable there than anywhere else. You will go there for nine months."
....The judge thus sentenced Charles Bargh (50), labourer, who had done malicious damage by breaking windows at Long Eaton.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 28th June 1928


...."I do ask for the maximum sentence in this case. This man ha been before the court on several occasions for damaging windows, and states that if he comes out before the bad weather ends he will break another window."
....This statement was made by Det.-Supt. Doubleday at Nottingham Guildhall to-day in prosecuting Charles Bargh (52), a labourer, of no fixed abode, who was sent to prison for three months for maliciously damaging a plate-glass window, value £15, the property of J. and S. Farr, Ltd., 18, Parliament-street, Nottingham, on February 18th.
....P.c. Denyer said that at 11.20 p.m. on February 18th prisoner surrendered at the Guildhall, and stated that he had broken Messrs. Farr's window with the buckle of a belt he produced. He added: "I am down and out."
....Det.-Supt. Doubleday said prisoner was a native of Whittington, a single man, and had done no work since the war. He was tramping the country, and purposely did this act because he had nowhere to go.
Nottingham Evening Post, 26th February 1929



...."Your conduct seems quite senseless to me, and I cannot understand it in a man who has served his country so well," said Sir Edward Le Marchant, the chairman, addressing Charles Bargh, labourer, of no fixed abode, who was charged at Bingham to-day with doing malicious damage to a plate-glass window to the amount of £18.
....According to the evidence, Bargh went up to Sergt. Stannard, in Church-street, Bingham, last Friday night, and said, "I want a night's lodging. I have just smashed a plate-glass window in the Market-place." Bargh took the officer to Messrs. Harwood's premises, and showed him a big hole in the window, which he said he did with the buckle end of a belt he wore.
....In reply to the charge, Bargh said, "I did it because I was down and out."
....Inspector Wilson said the man was a native of Chesterfield, and had a bad record. He seemed to have a mana for breaking plate-glass windows, for he had only been liberated from Bagthorpe on the Monday prior to the offence, where he had served three months for smashing a window in Nottingham. Inspector Wilson proved other convictions dating back to 1907.
....Bargh served in the Boer War, and served four years in France in the great war, and it was stated that his army character was good.
....The Chairman said he would like to be satisfied about the man's mind, and Bargh was accordingly remanded in custody for a medical examination.
Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday 23rd May 1929

Charles Bargh born in 1878 Whittington Chesterfield Derbyshire.
Charlie boy was a seasoned petty criminal and it seems he preferred to live in prison as opposed to rural life. I have enclosed some paper work regarding his crimes. He spent some time in Wakefield prison and Yorkshire was mentioned quite often. The only Charles Bargh I could find with relation to military service was a Private Charles Bargh – Regimental numbers 6279/2292/200402. KOYLI (Mounted Infantry) He served in the Anglo Boer War and WW1. Clasps – OFS/CC/Transvaal & date clasps 1901/1902.
With relation to the Sherwood Foresters connection, I could only find Bray, Bragg, Birch & Barge. ( This is a possible, Barge was a reservist in the Foresters )
Although the newspaper cuttings state he was a loner; I have found a Charles Bargh in the 1911 census who was married to Ellen and had a son called Arthur aged 2. His profession stated he was a Coal loader residing in Old Whittington Chesterfield. The next time a Charles Bargh is mentioned, besides his court appearances is in the 1939 register. This has Charles residing in an institution as an inmate in Chapel-en-le-Frith his job description was public service labourer. I don’t really like the term Institutionalized but perhaps Charles preferred to be in prison or an institution rather than civvy street?
Hope I have the right man? Please feel free to add or correct details as required.
PS. he also went by the alias Charles Barge. As per his court appearance aged 52 in Nottingham for shop breaking.

Thanks, Dave, and I think K.O.Y.L.I. might be right, as I thought about putting that down along with the Sherwood Foresters. Whittington's only about 6 miles from Sheffield centre.

Noticeable that he seemed to have stopped burgling and stealing during and after the Great War Probably found it easier to smash a window to get free food and lodging, and yet his character in the army was said to be good. I think the judge's comment about him being "a perfect idiot" was spot on.