Second son of William Church Buss, born June
20th, 1806. Married Mary Emma Abel on August
17th, 1829 at St. Pancras New Church. Sadly, his
wife died 10 years later on July 26th. 1839, aged
only 28 years. Had three daughters:
- Mary Caroline Buss, born December 7th,
1832
- Ellen Abel, born October 22nd, 1834.
(Married Mr. Harry McMahon)
- Maria Emma, born October 27th, 1836.
(Married her cousin, Septimus Buss)
Charles and his wife Mary Emma Abel were first
cousins and the wife never changed here name.
Francis Fleetwood learnt in his later life that
"my grandfather's marriage was a run-a-way
match; a fact which seems to have been carefully
concealed from my Father (Septimus) and his
brothers, no doubt from the fear that the younger
generation might follow the example of their
Uncle Charles." Francis records that
Charles' portrait was painted by RW Buss and that
he much resembled his own brother, Arthur. For a
number of years Charles lived in Edith Villas,
North-end Fulham, then a suburban neighbourhood
and the house was still standing unchanged in
1927. The road abutted on to market gardens and
there was a wide gap between Kensington and
Hammersmith.
After the death of his first wife Charles
married a second time Sarah Maria ..., "a
dear old lady" as she is recalled, "who
quite took the place of a mother and was regarded
in the light of the Mother by her three
step-daughters."
In the summer, on or about his birthday,
Charles would throw parties for his grandchildren
and other members of the family. These parties
continued annually until the year of his death in
1877. Many of them were recorded in the journals
of Septimus Buss with the names of the people
present.
The funeral was attended by Francis Fleetwood
together with the McMahon cousins (children of
his Aunt Ellen). Charles established a somewhat
complicated trust for his children, which was
wound up in 1924.
Sara finally died in 1895 and was buried in
Ealing Cemetery, where also Charles was buried.
