Charles Lionel Reis was born on 7 July 1849, at 5 Chatsworth Street, Liverpool, the eldest son of Jonas and Marian (Samuel) Reis.  He married his first cousin Elizabeth Woodburn on 3 January 1872 at Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, Liverpool.  Elizabeth was born in 1853 in Liverpool and she died on 21 April 1915 while at 8 Lynedoch Place, Glasgow.  She was the daughter of Hannah (Samuel) and Samuel Woodburn.  Hannah was the sister of Marian Samuel (Charles's mother).

Charles then married Christina Macnab MacKay on 21 June 1916 in Glasgow.  Christina died on 8 June 1963 also at 15 Park Circus, Glasgow.  Charles died on 5 July 1927 at 15 Park Circus.

Charles and Elizabeth belong to Reis Generation Two; their children belong to Reis Generation Three and are:

1. Maud Beatrice
2. Henry Vincent
3. Percy Harcourt
4. Violet Ida
5. Claire Itala 
6. Vera Dagmar 
7. Gladys Eileen
8. Eric Melville

NOTES: Charles's birth certificate can be viewed HERE (<--- in PDF).  He moved in the 1870's to Ireland.  His family appears on the Census for 1891 & the Census for 1901 (both in PDF).  His marriage certificate to his first wife, Elizabeth Woodburn, can be viewed HERE (<--- in PDF).  His marriage certificate to his second wife, Christina MacKay, can be viewed HERE (<--- PDF). Charles's death certificate can be viewed here in PDF.  The death certificate of Elizabeth Woodburn be viewed HERE (<--- PDF). Between the birth of Percy Harcourt in 1875 and Violet Ida in 1879 there was the birth of a son which was announced in the Jewish Chronicle as follows: 'Birth 29.4.1878 at 1 Ailesbury Road Merrion Co. Dublin a son, who survived his birth a few hours.'

He gives as his address 15 Park Circus, Glasgow on his 2nd marriage certificate and it appears also on his death certificate.  On the probate of Philip Schoeppler (second husband of CLR's mother Marian Samuel) it states that Charles is an executor and gives his address as 49 Jamaica Street, Glasgow which maybe where his jewelry shop was located.  Some articles appeared in the Times about CLR's shop in Glasgow.

Since this page was originally placed on the web various pieces of information have been emailed by people who have found this web page, for instance one message reads in part:  I have been researching a piece of jewelry that I have that is in it's original box. The writing on the inside of the box says C. L. Reis & co. 54 Nave Street, Birmingham. "  This is surprising because it was assumed CLR had only stores in Belfast and Glasgow. A newspaper story dated December 16 1895 about a robbery at Charles' Birmingham shop can be read here (<--- two pages in .pdf). NEW

Another email says: "I notice that in the history of Charles L. Reis, his address was given as 49 Jamaica Street, which was also thought to be that of his shop. I have recently acquired a pewter finished glass hip flask which has the following stamped on the base :- C. L. Reis & co. 284 Jamaica St. Glasgow. "

In the early 1880's a trial for murder took place in Dublin. The accused was Francis Hynes and he was found guilty and hanged. A major political storm followed because of allegations of jury misconduct immediately prior to the sentencing. The main complaint was leveled against one of the jurors, Charles Reis, whose behavior was said to have jeopardized the proper conduct of the case. There are two sources for the case of Hynes and the misconduct of the jurors. The first comes from articles taken from the London Times and which can be read HERE in PDF (117 pages) and the second from a House of Commons inquiry held in 1882 which describes in detail how Charles behaved. This can be read HERE in PDF (52 pages).  Although this case is now forgotten it almost brought Gladstone's government down and a major impetus towards ending British rule in the south of Ireland.

The following photographs were taken in 2005 and show Charles's house at 15 Park Circus, Glasgow. The house is the second one from the left with a black door.