CHARLES BONNES RUSHER
From May through to September 2026, Andrew will be fulfilling his dream to hike the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats! You are all warmly invited to follow Andrew’s epic journey on his Facebook page, “Andrew Beal LEJOG” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577588795730
As Andrew hikes the 1,300+ miles, he will raise funds for the Ipswich War Memorial Project to help finance our future exhibitions and research of the brave Ipswich men and women who lost their lives in conflict. If you would like to make a small donation, please click on the link: https://gofund.me/5d4a50570
Thank you for your love and support. Andrew & Helen – I.W.M.P.
Image from the Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury – 1918
Born: 7th May 1876, Ipswich.
Baptised on the 19th January 1879, at St. Helen’s Church, Ipswich, with his brothers John Charles Rusher, born 3rd October 1871, and William Harris Rusher, born 11th December 1873 – family home at Alfred Street, Ipswich.
Died: 31st March 1918; age 42; drowned as a result of the ship being torpedoed and sunk by an enemy submarine.
Residence: 1, Little Baker Street, Ipswich.
Occupation: Mariner.
Rank: Able Seaman.
Regiment: Mercantile Marine, S.S. Vianna (London).
Memorial Reference:
London.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of the late Charles Rusher; husband of Elizabeth Bugg Rusher (nee Vincent), of 1, Little Baker Street, Ipswich.
CENSUS
1891 21, White Elm Street, Ipswich.
Charles was 14 years old, a Mariner. He was living with his mother, maternal grandmother & brothers.
Harriet Elvina Rusher (nee Gooding), 39, a Tailoress, born Ipswich.
John Charles Rusher, 19, a Mariner, born Ipswich.
Harry Walter Bonnes Rusher, 4, born Ipswich.
Ruth Gooding, 69, a widow, living on her own means, born Ipswich.
In 1891, Charles’ father was at Shadwell Basin, London Docks, on board his sailing ship.
Charles Rusher, 41, the Master of ‘Ammonite’, born Ipswich.
1901 7, Little Baker Street, Ipswich.
Charles was 25 years old, a Shipyard Labourer. He was married & Head of the Household.
Elizabeth, 24.
Lilian, 2.
Elizabeth’s aunt Maria Vincent, 60.
1911 7, Little Baker Street, Ipswich.
Charles was 35 years old, a Mariner. He was Head of the Household.
Elizabeth, 34.
Lilian, 12.
Charles, 9.
Alice, 7.
Bertie, 3.
Grace, 10 months.
Charles’s father, master mariner Charles Rusher, died on the 27th August 1898, at his home, 88, Cavendish Street, Ipswich and was buried in Section I, Ipswich Old Cemetery.
In 1898, in Ipswich, Charles married Elizabeth Maria Bugg Vincent, born April 1877, Ipswich – daughter of Walter Ranson Vincent, a dock labourer, and Maria Vincent (nee Bugg), of John Street, Ipswich.
Elizabeth and Charles had seven children:
Lilian Elvina E. Rusher, born 1899, Ipswich.
Charles Walter Rusher, born 1901, Ipswich.
Alice May Rusher, born 1904, Ipswich.
Bertie William Rusher, born 1907, Ipswich.
Grace Evelyn Rusher, born 1910, Ipswich.
Eliza Ada Rusher, born 1912, Ipswich.
Ruby Irene Rusher, born 1915, Ipswich.
A fellow Ipswich shipmate was also killed on board, Joseph James Howell
On the 31st March 1918, the S.S. ‘Vianna’ was steaming south, 4 miles east of Seaham Harbour, carrying a 360-ton cargo of coal and a crew of 15, on passage from Tyne for Ipswich when she was torpedoed by an unseen submerged German submarine UC-64 (Commander Ferdinand Schartz). The missile detonated on her portside against the number two hold, and she sank within minutes, with the loss of four lives. The rest of the crew were picked up by a patrol vessel within 15 minutes and landed back at the Tyne.
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