Charles Santler
Thomas Charles Santler (1864-1940) of C. Santler and Co
1864 Born in Ewyas Harold, Herefd. the son of Thomas Santler, Builder, and his wife Mary A.
1891 Living at Northumberland Villa, Leigh, Worcestershire: Thomas Santler (age 67 born London), a Builder and Employer. With his wife Mary A. (age 60 born Islington) and their children Minnie (age 29 born Thrunston, Herefd.), Charles Santler (age 26 born Enyas Harsed, Herefd.), Engineer and Bicycle Maker and Employer; Bertha (age 25 born Hereford); and Walter Santler (age 23 born Tarington, Herefd.), Engineer and Bicycle Maker and Employer. [1]
1908 Thomas Charles Santler listed as a councillor [2]
1911 Living at Glanmant, Victoria Road, Malvern Link: Thomas Charles Santler (age 46 born Ewyas Harold, Herefd.), a Motor Engineer - Employer. With his wife Fanny Jane Santler (age 45 born Braggington, Glos.). Married for 15 years with no children. [3]
Charles left Malvern, and he went to New Zealand to work on railway signalling.
1939 He returned home and was killed by the only bomb dropped on Worcester during the Second World War.
A lone experimenter who produced a primitive car during the 1880s was Charles Santler of Malvern Link, Worcestershire, who claimed to have helped Karl Benz build his first car in Germany in 1885-86. After his return to England, Santler began developing a steam car, but fitted it with a petrol engine in the early 1890s. Since he had no intentions of building cars for sale, to the public, Santler carried out many of his trials on the private estate roads of nearby Madresfield Court to escape attention. [4]