| Notes |
- From a letter from Charles's mother to his cousin, William D. Humphrys, in New Zealand, dated Nov.16th 1928:
"...in Jan.'27 we had our crushing blow, dear Charlie dying out in Shanghai, after an operation for appendicitis. It was so sudden and unexpected, and he and we were so happily and excitedly looking forward to his coming home that Spring, and
had made sll sorts of plans. He was such a perfect son - as also is Frank,- and the blank and loss will be life long; he was, the doctors said, an extraordinarily strong man, but had worked far too hard and too long hours and the anxiety and
sleepless nights had undermined his strength. He did so much political work and had to attend meetings and conferences perpetually, in additionto all his work for his Co. - and you know what a state China was in then. I try to think only of his having been called to lay down the burden and rest - or called to work in a higher sphere where no earthly limitations or anxieties can trouble him, but we do miss him and his long loving letters so terribly, and he was so wonderfully generous
and helped us considerably in the upkeep of Elmsleigh. I will send one of the references from the Shanghai papers. I had over 200 letters from different people, and I found it very difficult to answer them all (and so many cuttings from
papers.)"
The only newspaper clipping I have:
An old friend in a China paper says: "Of the death of Charles the First the poet: 'He nothing common did or mean."
Charles Humphrys throughout his life never did a mean or a common thing: his character and example helped many others, and that help will not go from those who knew him even though he himself has gone."
His nephew, AFW Humphrys, said: "General Manager of Shell in N. China. Much public work for British & international community for whom he died (unm) of peitonitis. Fine athlete, shot & fly fisherman"
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Barker - Humphrys Family Tree
1885 - 1927 (42 years)