Charles Shaw

Bank: National Provincial Bank of England

Place of work: Putney branch

Died: 9 January 1916

Charles Athelstan Shaw was born in Victoria, Australia, on 19 June 1878, the eldest son of Charles Shaw, an Australian merchant, and his wife Marianne. His family migrated to England in 1888, but his father died soon afterwards, and he was educated at Dean Close School in Cheltenham.

On 14 November 1895, when he was 17 years old, he began working for National Provincial Bank of England as an apprentice at its Cheltenham branch. He moved to the bank's Darlington branch as a clerk in July 1900. Upon the outbreak of the Boer War he volunteered for active service in the Yorkshire Dragoons and served in the army for 19 months. When he returned to the bank in 1902 he transferred to the bank's London office, moving to Piccadilly branch in December 1903 and to Oxford Street branch, where he was promoted to pro cashier, in December 1909. His banking career continued to advance and he was appointed pro accountant at Putney branch in October 1911 and junior accountant there in January 1914.

Some years before the First World War he was commissioned into King Edward's Horse, and on the outbreak of war was in camp with the regiment. He was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain in November 1914, taking command of the regiment's Machine Gun Section. King Edward's Horse went to France in August 1915.

Shaw died on 9 January 1916 of wounds received in action in France. A colleague wrote that 'a large shell burst over the courtyard of a house where he was standing, and he was wounded in the head in three places' He was taken to a dressing station, then to hospital, 'but there was no hope from the first'. Just prior to his death he had been recommended for promotion to Brigade Commanding Officer of a new company which was being formed in England. He was 37 years old and unmarried.

Charles Shaw is commemorated on a bank war memorial held at NatWest Group Archives.