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Southend History
CHARLES HENRY RUST
Civilian
Summary
Charles Henry Rust was a hard working, family man during the war.
Place and date of birth
1908
Lived in the Southend-on-Sea area
Connection to Southend
CHARLES HENRY RUST
Story
It was love at first sight for Charlie Rust when he met May Marven. After marrying her in 1935 they had two daughters, Valarie and Pamela. Tragically May and Pamela were killed when bombs landed in London in 1940. Charlie never got over this loss and when he died thirty-three years later he was buried with his wife and baby daughter.
Charles Rust was born in Poplar in 1908. His childhood was spent in Bow, Mile End and Canning Town with two younger brothers Alfred and George. His wife Vera May Marven is also buried here and was born in 1910 in Rochford. Known by her middle name of May, she was the sixth of eight children. Her family ran a removal company based in North Road. May is second from right and Charlie is next to her. It was said that when they met it was love at first sight
They married in 1935 in West Ham. They had two children Valarie Irene in 1935 and Pamela Dawn in 1938. On the 23rd September 1940 bombs landed in London and killed May and the baby. The eldest daughter Valarie was only 5. He has his wedding ring on over twenty years after May died. Towards the end of his life he lived in North Road and then the Palace Hotel in Southend. As he retired he had a stroke and was then diagnosed with leukaemia, he died ten months later in Barts Hospital. He was buried next to his wife and baby daughter who had died 33 years before. He never remarried.
Given to us by Julie Rust
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