Charles Jarvis’s birth is recorded in the first quarter of 1878 at Morton, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, the fifth of six children of William Jarvis, a level crossing keeper for the Midland Railway, and his wife Priscilla (née Denton). His mother died when he was 4 years old. His age is confirmed by 1881 and 1891 census records, but when he attested for the Militia (4th Battalion Sherwood Foresters) in June 1893 he was recorded as a 17½ year old farm servant.  He subsequently joined the RN as a Stoker 2nd Class on 22 April 1896 at Portsmouth where his date of birth is recorded as 21 February 1876.  He was thus over 18, but claimed to be 20, possibly a genuine error.

After training and employment in a variety of surface ships, including advancement to Leading Stoker in November 1901, he joined the submarine depot ship HMS THAMES in August 1905, and subsequently served in the depot ships MERCURY and BONAVENTURE, being rated Stoker Petty Officer in July 1906 and Acting Chief Stoker in August 1910. In April 1911, he returned to the surface Navy for two years in the armoured cruiser HMS COCHRANE where he was confirmed Chief Stoker, before returning to submarine service in HMS DOLPHIN in July 1913 and HMS MAIDSTONE three months later.

Chief Stoker Jarvis’s service record shows that he accidentally drowned on 16 January 1915 when he fell overboard from a plank when going onboard HMS E5. It also records that no blame was attributed to anyone.

Charles Jarvis had married Annie Eliza (née Rose) at Grimsby in the second quarter of 1904, and they had three children: Charles Edward (b. 1907Q2),  Phyllis Ena (b.1908Q4) and William Eric (b. 1912Q4), all born at Portsmouth.

Chief Stoker Jarvis is buried at Caister Old Cemetery, near Great Yarmouth, and he is commemorated on a War Memorial Plaque in the church of St Denis, in the village of Morton where he was born.