Charles Alexander Moore was born on May 4, 1888. He was the son of William Alexander Moore and Elizabeth Bell. His father had held a number of positions including clerk and news agent for the Grand Trunk Railway. By the time Charles was married in 1915, his father was working as a contractor. The family lived on Nile Street at the time of Charles birth. His mother, Elizabeth Bell, was born in Stratford and was the daughter of Thomas Bell, an engine driver with the Grand Trunk Railway.

Charles Moore attended high school and business college in Stratford. After graduation, he went to work as a manager for the Stratford Manufacturing Company, a furniture manufacturing business. He and an uncle eventually bought the plant located at 182 King Street and changed the name to Moore-Bell Ltd. At the height of its success, the company employed more than 150 people.

In 1913, Charles Moore bought the property at 217 Water Street from George McLagan. Here he built his Edwardian Classic home. Charles, 27, married Myrtle Beulah Harris, 22, on October 27, 1915. The young couple moved into their new house on that day after postponing the wedding for a year and a half until the house was completed.

Myrtle Harris was the daughter of Johnson Harris and Matilda Parish. She was born in Mitchell on August 28, 1892 but spent most of her life in Stratford. Johnson Harris was a banker at the time of Myrtle’s birth but later set up an insurance business in Stratford. The Harris family home was located at 322 Ontario Street, a short distance from Myrtle’s new residence on Water Street.

Charles and Myrtle Moore had many interests and were active in their church choir and other civic institutions. Charles began singing with the church at a young age and at thirteen had a part in HMS Pinafore in the Theatre Albert. At 87, he was on stage again with a small role in the Festival Theatre production of Merchant of Venice.

Charles was a member of the Canadian Manufacturers Association and was chairman of the Ontario Division. He was also a member of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Board of Education and the YMCA. Myrtle and Charles were life time members of Gallery Stratford and worked on the Canadian National Exhibition Board where Charles was the director and Myrtle a member of the women’s committee.

Myrtle Moore died in 1983 at the age of 90. Charles continued to live in the house until he was 102 when he moved to People Care on Mornington Street. He died there in 1993 at the age of 105. Charles and Myrtle are buried in Avondale Cemetery. They were survived by a son, two grandchildren and two great grandchildren.