Charles Arthur Morris was born on 21 Jul 1858 at Swansea, Tasmania. He was the fourth of ten surviving children of James Morris JP (c.1830-1899), a clerk in the firm of JB Mather & Son, Hobart, and his wife Elizabeth Briant (c.1829-1892). Charles was a pressman, firstly with The Mercury and Tasmanian Mail in Hobart as assistant reader. He moved to Launceston where he was a reporter wth the Daily Telegraph for 10 years and later was the Northern Tasmania correspondent for several papers.
Charles was an authority on sporting matters and had a good baritone voice of high pitch. He was a member of the 'Cuckoo Club' and the Paterson Street Methodist Church Choir. He also sang at charity concerts with various musical groups. He painted watercolours, chiefly of marine scenes, signed with C.A.M.
On 21 May 1887 Charles married Sarah Ellen Beaven at the Independent Chapel, Tamar Street, Launceston. He married a second time, to Nellie Baker from South Melbourne, in Sep 1888 at the same Chapel. Four years later Nellie died aged 29 of the cholera plague in Hamburg, Germany. Her death took place on 29 Oct 1892, but was not reported in The Examiner until 15 Feb 1893. Charles died aged 43 at the Launceston General Hospital on 31 Dec 1901. His funeral left the hospital for his burial in the General Cemetery in Charles Street.
Deborah Thorp & Marion Sargent Sep 2011