OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

CHARLES WILLIAM BRACKEN (1868-1950)

Charles William Bracken was born on June 30th 1868 to Mr Charles Bracken, sailmaker, and his wife, the former Miss Fanny Mastin.  They were married at the Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity on October 23rd 1859.

It is not known eher young Charles received his early education in Plymouth but he did his teacher training at Saint Mark's College, Fulham Road, Chelsea, the forerunner of the MarJon University now based at Plymouth.  Upon returning home to Plymouth, he started his teaching career at Mount Street Board School.  In 1891 he was appointed as second master at the Union Street Board School. 

Mr Charles William Bracken married Miss Annie Louise Portch on July 15th 1896 at the Anglican Church of Saint Jude the Apostle.  They had four boys: Hubert Charles Edwin Bracken, born 1899; Reginald Frank Bracken, born 1900 but who died shortly afterwards; Cyril Edgar Bracken, born 1902; and finally Eric Gordon Bracken, born 1907.

In 1897, he returned to Mount Street Board School as head master.  In 1900 the Plymouth Pupil Teachers Centre was opened in Regent Street and Mr Bracken became its first principal, later moving with it to Salisbury Road.

The Plymouth Local Education Authority was formed in 1903 and in 1909 it took over responsibility for the Corporation Grammar School and they appointed Mr Bracken as its head master.  He retired in 1929.

Mr Bracken was an entomologist and very interested in archaeology.  He was a keen member of the Devonshire Association, of which he became President, and the Plymouth Athenaeum sat on the committee of the Plymouth Museum.  In 1927 he published "A History of the Plymouth Public School".  This was followed in 1931 by the first edition of his "A History of Plymouth and her Neighbours", of which he issued a second, revised edition in 1934.  He wrote a Plymouth guidebook in 1937 and "The Story of Saint Barnabas Parish Church" in 1947.

In 1939 he was invited to become vice-president of the Plymouth Athenaeum but resigned at the end of the year because of ill health.

Mrs Annie Louise Bracken died on July 10th 1945 and was buried at the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Cemetery.

On November 6th 1950 Mr Charles William Bracken passed away at his home, number 16 De-la-Hay Villas, Devonport.  Although he was a member of the congregation at the Anglican Church of Saint Barnabas the Apostle, that Church was close d at the time so his funeral service took place at the Anglican Church of All Saints, Harwell Street, Plymouth.  A private service for family and friends was conducted by the Reverend J C Houghton, priest in charge of All Saints, before a more general service was held by the Reverend J S Clarke, the vicar of Saint Barnabas.  The interment took place at the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Cemetery.

Although his mother, Mrs Fanny Bracken, did not live to see his appointment at the Corporation Grammar School (she died on May 5th 1875), his father did.  Mr Charles Bracken died on August 30th 1916.