Charles was the second of ten children born to William Swallow and Caroline Reed. Born in the district of Ware in the first quarter of 1860 he was christen in Standon where he lived until at least the 1901 census. By the age of ten he was already working in the surrounding fields as an Agricultural Labourer, an occupation he continued pretty much until the turn of the century where the 1901 census lists as a Factory Labourer.

He married Esther Harvey on 28 November 1878 also in Standon and they had two children - both girls.

By the age of 12 the elder of the two girls Emily (s3234) had moved to 1 Brunswick Street in Walthamstow where she lived with her aunt and uncle, Sarah Swallow (s1482) and William Barrick). By the turn of the century she had married George Cobb and given birth to Charles. The 1901 census shows her as living in Church Lane, Bishop Stortford and working as a domestic cook for Henry Tydd Lane and family (Lane was a Church of England Priest from Ireland).

Ada Swallow (s3235) was born in Standon in 1880 and by the age of 10 was working as a domestic servant. The 1901 census has her living and working with Robert and Sarah Law drapers from Scotland) in High Street, Standon. On 6th August 1904 she married Sidney Charles Roper. The 1901 Census shows Charles and Esther as having a border living with them - Thomas T. Harvey of Scotland.