Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Showing posts with label Devonport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devonport. Show all posts

Wednesday 6 April 2022

Frederick William Penfold and Harriet Mary Tubb

Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda SeanMD80 (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0

Frederick William Penfold (b. 20 Jul 1863 in Hartfield, Sussex), son of William Penfold and Mary Ann Charlotte Gunn (m. 1851), married Harriet Mary Tubb (b. 21 May 1867 in Sheppey), daughter of Edward Tubb and Sarah Elizabeth Joy at the Wesleyan Chapel, Tottenham on 12 May 1888.

Frederick and Harriet had five children:

  1. Harriet Mary Penfold Tubb b. 1884 Q4 in CHELSEA Vol 01A Page 338
  2. George Edward Penfold b. 7 Mar 1889 in SHEPPEY Vol 02A Page 892
  3. Grace Joy Penfold b. 27 Aug 1892 in DOVER Volume 02A Page 982
  4. Frederick William Penfold b. 8 Oct 1896 in FULHAM Vol 01A Page 305
  5. Bert Penfold b. 14 Aug 1898 in ISLE OF WIGHT Vol 02B Page 599
Looking at this succession of birth locations: i. Frederick's mother, Mary Ann Penfold (55) died in in Chelsea, in 1886, so it may well have been to her that Harriet had gone; ii. Sheppey makes sense that Harriet was able to return to her own mother for the birth of her first legitimate child; iii. this is the year after Frederick left the navy, so unsure why Dover (Harriet's mother's family, perhaps); iv. Fulham is where Frederick's younger brother Charles lived and makes sense to go to his family for this birth, her own mother having died in 1895 and v. the Isle of Wight is where they'd moved in 1898.

Frederick William Penfold, had enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1878, at 15, as a Boy 2nd Class. His father had died in 1873, which may well have been motivation for going to sea. At that time he was 5ft tall, had dark brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin. He'd previously worked as a Gardener. Later, he grew to the lofty height of 5ft 5in and his complexion became ruddy. On 20 Jul 1881, his 18th birthday, Frederick signed up for a further 10 years.

Frederick William Penfold's Naval Career:

In 1881, Frederick William Penfold (18), Signal boy from Hartfield, Sussex, was listed under Royal Navy At Sea, Ships and Overseas Establishments with HMS Northampton, in Camber, Bermuda (Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda)

  • 16 Dec 1882 - 2 Apr 1884 - HMS Duncan (1859) which had been flag ship at Sheerness since 1879. (Exactly the right time and place for Frederick to meet Harriet, who was born and lived in Sheerness. Harriet's father, Edward Tubb, died in Jan 1884. We might conclude that Harriet, 16, sought solace in Frederick.)
  • 3 Apr 1884 - 30 Jun 1886HMS Carysfort (1878), which in 1884 and 1885, landed men for the naval brigade at Sudan (during the Mahdist War, which claimed the life of Gordon of Khartoum). During this time, there is a note on Frederick's service record saying "Mily Gaol Alexandria 42 days" (Gabbari military prison, Alexandria, Egypt). Doesn't give the exact dates or what for, but 42 days is unlikely to be too serious. Drunk maybe? Apr 1886 Mediterranean. 8 May 1886 Serving in Greek Waters. 19 Jun 1886 Malta.

Crossing Malta's Grand Harbour by Water Taxi


In 1891, Frederick W Penfold (27), Qualified signalman, married, is a 'Member of crew' of HMS Excellent in Portsmouth Harbour. Harriet Mary Penfold (26), Harriet M Penfold (6) and George E Penfold (2) were visiting Harriet's mother, Sarah E Tubb (61) in Trinity Road, Minster in Sheppey.

In 1898, George Edward Penfold, son of Frederick William Penfold, Commercial Agent, of 22 West Street, Newport, was enrolled at the Newport Board School in Newport, Isle of Wight. His previous school was Board School Southsea. But the next record we find, is on 22 Sep 1899, when George Penfold, aged 9, from Barnardo Homes, sails to Toronto, Canada on the vessel Arawa. We also read that, "According to the Barnardo records [Grace Joy] was admitted to the Barnardo's Homes in England on July 22, 1899 at the age of 7 with her brother George." [Source]

In 1901, Harriet M Penfold (32) listed as married, was at 49, Trafalgar Road, Newport, Isle of Wight, with Frederick W Penfold (4). George E Penfold (12) was listed as a Domestic in the household of a David White from Scotland, in Assiniboia East, Northwest Territories, Canada.

Frederick William Penfold, house painter (journeyman) of 2 Seagrave Rd, Fulham, died, aged 37, on 7 Apr 1901, of a cerebral hemorrhage (stroke) in Fulham Infirmary. His elder brother, John Robert Penfold of 52, Hogarth Buildings, Westminster is listed as the informant and was in attendance.

We read here that, "According to family hearsay Fredrick left the family at some stage prior to his death and Harriett could not keep the family together and it seems that her son George was put into a Barnardo’s Home and sent to Canada in 1899 at the age of 10." Sadly, the records do bear this out.

On 31 July 1904, G J Penfold (11) Female (Grace Joy) from Barnardo Homes sailed to Toronto, Canada on the vessel RMS Southwark.

Then on 3 May 1907, the youngest, Bert Penfold (8) from Barnardo Homes sailed to Toronto, Canada on the vessel SS Dominion.

So it wasn't just George who was sent to Barnardo Homes, but George, Grace and Bert, who became Home Children sent to Canada: "​From the late 1860s right up to 1948, over 100,000 children of all ages were emigrated right across Canada, from the United Kingdom, to be used as indentured farm workers and domestics. Believed by Canadians to be orphans, only approximately 12 percent truly were". "For the most part, these children were not picked up from the streets but came from intact families, who, through sickness or even death of one of their parents, had fallen on hard times."

In Oct 1910, Harriet Mary Penfold (40) Domestic and Frederick William Penfold (13) at School, make their way to Quebec, Canada (and apparently on to Bracebridge, Ontario) on the vessel Lake Manitoba, travelling steerage from Liverpool. Next to Harriet's name is the stamp, British Bonus Allowed, which was a commission paid by the Canadian government's Immigration Branch to steamship booking agents (not to the immigrants themselves).

In 1911, Fred Penfold (listed as born 1897 and immigration year 1910) was in Guelph, Wellington South, Ontario, Canada in a household with two English ladies: Letia Camocott (b. 1865) and Alice Merridon (b. 1873) Lodger. It doesn't say in what capacity, but as he would then be 15, presumably Fred was either working for them or elsewhere and boarding there. Meanwhile Bert Penfold (12) that year was a Boarder in the household of Canadian couple, George Gilbert (b. 1873) and his wife, Etta, in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.

All three boys: George Edward, Frederick William Jr and Bert, it seems served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, during World War I.

Grace Penfold (23) married Benjamin Folie (24), son of George Folie, on 10 Aug 1914 in Toronto, Canada. On the marriage record however, in the space where her parents names should be, it has 'unknown' written across the space, so I think we have to assume that her mother had not reencountered her.

In 1916, H M Penfold (48) Female (Harriet Mary) - immigration year 1910 - was in the household of Englishman, Charles M C Westaway (32) in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, seemingly employed as Housekeeper.

Harriet Mary Penfold (née Tubb) died, aged 67, on 27 Aug 1934 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon.


Their name liveth forever

Thursday 24 March 2022

Henry John Leese and Marian Blanche Burgess

HMS President in London
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Steve Daniels - geograph.org.uk/p/3352722
HMS President is a stone frigate, or shore establishment of the Royal Naval Reserve; on the northern bank of the River Thames near Tower Bridge.

Henry John Leese (b. 5 Jan 1862), son of John Leese and Caroline Bussey, married Marian Blanche Burgess (b. 1863), daughter of William George Burgess and Emma Chisman, at St Olave's Church, Southwark, in 1885.

Henry John Leese began his naval career on 5 Jan 1879, having previously attended Greenwich School, with school ship, HMS Impregnable (1810), transferring to HMS President (shore establishment) on 1 Jan 1881.

In 1881, Henry John Leese (19) was an Ordinary seaman pupil teacher, stationed at HMS President (shore establishment). Although I've not found where Marian was that year (my guess is working in London) her parents were living at 6, Horsley Road, Rochester St Margaret, Medway, Kent and her father, William Burgess (51), was described as a 'Chelsea out pensioner'. 

Henry and Marian Leese had nine children, three of whom died (numbers confirmed by Henry John Leese' own account on 1911 Census):

  1. May Constance Leese b. 1886 S Quarter in BRIGHTON Volume 02B Page 228, bap. at Southsea, St Bartholomew in 1890.
  2. Elsie Christine Leese b. 1890 S Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 479, bap. at Southsea, St Bartholomew in 1890. Died.
  3. Henry John Leese b. 14 Dec 1892 in Valletta, Malta 
  4. Maude Christiana Leese b. 13 Jul 1894 in Malta 
  5. Marian Blanche Leese b. 1895 D Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 301, bap. 1896 in Stoke Damerel, Devon, died aged 1 in 1896 D Quarter in ALVERSTOKE Volume 02B  Page 361
  6. William Gordon Leese b. 17 Jan 1897 M Quarter in ALVERSTOKE Volume 02B Page 560
  7. John Stanley Leese b. 1898 M Quarter in ALVERSTOKE Volume 02B Page 540, bap. in 1898 in Forton (Gosport), Hampshire
  8. Edward Lionel Leese b. 1900 M Quarter in ALVERSTOKE Volume 02B Page 568, died aged 3 in 1903 M Quarter Volume 02B Page 355
  9. Frank Alfred Joseph Leese b. 10 Jun 1909 J Quarter in ALVERSTOKE Volume 02B Page 565, bap. in 1909 in Forton (Gosport), Hampshire
The family are not on the 1891 Census in England as Henry John Leese was stationed at Malta Dockyard between 14 Jun 1890 and 11 Dec 1894.

Henry John Leese was appointed Schoolmaster at Portsmouth Division Royal Marines, located at Forton Barracks, near Gosport in Hampshire, on 29 Jul 1896, position he appears to have held until 30 Apr 1917.

In 1901, Henry J Leese (39) Schoolmaster, Warrant Officer RMLI, born in Portobello, Sussex was living at 139 Forton Rd, Gosport), with wife Marian B Leese (37) born in Greenwich; May C Leese (14) born in Brighton, Henry J Leese (8) born in Malta; Maud C Leese (6) born in Malta; William G Leese (4), John S Leese (3) and Edward L Leese (1) born in Gosport. There are no further records of Elsie Christine after her baptism; she is not listed on this census and I can find no record of a death either, so the most logical explanation is that she must have died as an infant in Malta.

In 1911, Henry John Leese (49) Schoolmaster, WO RMLI, was still living in Alverstoke, Hampshire with Marian Blanche Leese (47), May Constance Leese (24), Maude Christania Leese (16), William Gordon Leese (14), John Stanley Leese (13) and Frank Alfred Leese (1). Son Henry J Leese (18) had joined the Royal Marines in 1910 and was that year listed in Walmer, Kent (Deal).

Henry John Leese was still registered in Alverstoke in 1921.

Henry John Leese died, aged 70, on 15 Apr 1932 and is buried at Clayhall Naval Cemetery (Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery).

Marian Blanche Leese died seven years later, on 15 Apr 1939, aged 75.

The six surviving children: 
  1. May Constance Leese died, unmarried, aged 81, in Portsmouth, in 1967.
  2. Henry John Leese (70) was discharged dead from the Royal Marines, to which he'd obviously devoted his entire life, on 15 Nov 1962.
  3. Maude Christina Leese died, aged 83, also still a spinster, in 1977.
  4. William Gordon Leese enlisted in the Royal Navy on 20 Jul 1912, but was declared invalided on 8 Feb 1921 at Haslar Hospital. William G Leese died, aged 71, in 1968 in Gosport.
  5. John Stanley Leese died, at 80, in 1979 in Stockport, Cheshire.
  6. Frank Alfred Joseph Leese joined the British Army, Coldstream Guards in 1928. Frank A J Leese married Faith K Partridge (née Stead) in Acle, Norfolk in 1947. He died in 1990, in Norwich.

Saturday 1 January 2022

Thomas Jones' goes to war in the Baltic 1854-1856

HMS Duke of Wellington in drydock at Keyham, Devonport Dockyard, 5 Mar 1854

Thomas Jones, I imagine, must have been happy to get the equivalent of a desk job - or at least become captain of his own rowing boat - for the Coast Guard Service, which allowed him to stay at home and have some family life. It cannot have been easy to marry in 1844, then go off to sea for three years. He won't have seen his daughter, Mary Ann, until she was around 2 years old. 

At Sutton Bridge, in 1849 and 1850, Thomas and his wife Mary added two sons and, at Baltimore, West Cork, they added another daughter and son, in 1851 and 1853, respectively. Then along came the Crimean War

Whether he volunteered or was required to do so, Thomas Jones then joined the crew of HMS Duke of Wellington (1852) on 14 Feb 1854, as a Petty Officer First Class - sufficient to distinguish him from ordinary ratings. (The timing of which means that Thomas could well be 'in the photo' (somewhere inside the ship) at the time the above photo was taken on 5 Mar 1854.)

Thomas' 4th son and namesake was born, in 1854, after he'd sailed, so he won't have met this child either until he was around 2 years old. And, one must remember, Thomas was going to war: no guarantee he ever would. 

On 11 Mar 1854 Duke of Wellington, it's reported, departed Spithead (which infers that she had sailed from Plymouth to Portsmouth during the intervening six days), with the fleet, for the Baltic, where, on 15 Apr 1854 she captured Russian brig Patrioten [Prize Money per London Gazette of 21 Jul 1857].

On 13 Jun 1854 the French fleet joined the British in the Baltic at Baro Sound. On 10 Aug 1854 guns were landed and sent up to the British battery, under officers from the EdinburghDuke of Wellington, and Euryalus.

The Bombardment of Sveaborg, 9 August 1855 by John Wilson Carmichael
Duke of Wellington is 2nd from left, with Thomas' previous ship, from his expedition to China during the First Opium WarHMS Belleisle (1819), alongside on the far left.

On 9-11 Aug 1855Duke of Wellington was involved in the Bombardment of Sveaborg, a.k.a. Battle of Suomenlinna, during the Åland War:

"British and French naval forces consisting of 77 ships arrayed for the long-expected battle on 6 August 1855. They formed into a battle line more than 3 km off shore beyond the range of the defenders' obsolete artillery. Three days later the bombardment commenced. It continued for 47–48 hours. All the while, the attacker sat beyond the range of the defenders' guns. The British and French bombarded only the fortress of Viapori and avoided firing at the town of Helsinki directly. While the bombardment caused damage to the structures above ground, including to several gunpowder magazines which exploded, the bulk of the defending forces survived unscathed with their weaponry intact, leading to a draw stalemate." 

After the bombardment, the Anglo-French fleet sent no troops ashore and instead set sail for Kronstadt. Then, with little more fanfare, Duke of Wellington is listed, on 4 Feb 1856, "At Spithead".

Review of the Fleet at Spithead by the Queen, April 23, 1856

On 23 Apr 1856 Present at Fleet Review, Spithead; under Captain Caldwell CB. From February until April, one imagines, were several weeks of scrubbing, polishing and painting every component of the vessel until it was 'shipshape'. 

In April 1856 the first recorded evening illumination of the fleet took place.

The Illustrated London News, 26 April 1856 reported the event:

"On Saturday, after some days spent in evolutions of a preparatory nature, the fleet anchored in a stately line, with the Duke of Wellington at its head, bearing the Admiral's (Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Saunders Dundas, KCB) ensign." [...] "At the head of this imposing squadron was the Duke of Wellington, her 131 ports shining in the sun, which showed her chequered sides, bright with paint." [...] "The Queen's yacht, emerging from the surrounding smoke, proceeded rapidly past Fort Monckton, meeting everywhere the same enthusiastic reception, and, having rounded into a position to return down the centre line, entered the squadron of gun-boats, disposed in double rows on each side of her course, and majestically proceeded on her way. She glided past the small vessels of the flotilla, passed steam-frigates of various strength and speed, passed the giant screw line-of-battle ships, till she reached the Duke of Wellington, greeted in all directions by the most enthusiastic cheers." 

What a finale for such a fascinating career. It will have been a proud moment.

HMS Duke of Wellington - Guide 272

NextThomas Jones' posting to Baltimore, Cork 1851-1868

Further reading: 

  1. Star of the show: HMS Duke of Wellington (1852)
  2. HMS Duke of Wellington (launched as Windsor Castle, 1852)
  3. Royal Navy ranks, rates, and uniforms of the 18th and 19th centuries
  4. Life at sea in the age of sail

Wednesday 28 July 2021

Patrick Michael Clancy and Rosina Kathleen Stone

Resting place of Chief Petty Officer P M Clancy at Milton Cemetery, Portsmouth

Patrick Michael Clancy (b. 16 Sep 1904), son of Patrick Michael Clancy and Elizabeth Flynn, married Rosina Kathleen Stone (b. 14 Apr 1903), daughter of Tom Stone and Margaret Knapman, in Plymouth, in 1926.

In 1901, the bridegroom's father, Patrick Michael Clancy (25), Stoker, from Whitegate, County Cork, was aboard HMS Renard (1892) (an Alarm-class torpedo gunboat), in Devonport, while his wife Lizzie Clancy (27) was boarding at 14, Second Avenue, Devonport along with her two eldest children, Julia Kathleen Clancy (b. 1899) and Mary Elizabeth Clancy (b. 1901). None of the Clancy family turn up anywhere in the records of 1911. Patrick's sister, Mary Elizabeth Clancy died, at 19, in 1920 M Quarter in DEVONPORT Volume 05B  Page 441, but there are no further clues to the rest.

In 1921, Patrick Michael Clancy (16) R N Boy was a visitor in the household of Peter Cassidy (47) from Meath, Ireland, Labourer at H M Dockyard, at 88, Pembroke Street, Devonport. (Cassidy's son, Francis Noel Cassidy, also 16, was also an R N Boy and his elder son a Leading Seaman, so he may have been staying with a shipmate's family, if no family of his own was left.)

Patrick Michael Clancy had joined the Royal Navy on 16 Mar 1920, when he was aged 15, as a Boy 2nd Class, he became an Able Seaman on his 18th birthday, 16 Sep 1922, and a Leading seaman by the time of his marriage.

Patrick and Rosina had two children:
  1. Theresa Margaret Clancy b. 28 Aug 1927, in Devonport
  2. Patrick Michael Clancy b. 1929, in Portsmouth
The entire family seemingly evade the 1939 Register. 

With HMS Renown from 1 Sep 1939, on 10 Mar 1944, Patrick was promoted to Chief Petty Officer and assigned to HMS Cyclops. Patrick Michael Clancy was invalided in June 1945 at Royal Naval Auxiliary Hospital, Southport. He died on 18 July 1946, aged 41, presumably as a result of injuriesChief Petty Officer Patrick Michael Clancy, Son of Patrick Michael and Elizabeth Clancy; husband of Rosina Kathleen Clancy, of Paulsgrove, Portsmouth, is buried in Portsmouth (Milton) Cemetery, Plot M. Row 17. Grave 55.

Then Patrick Michael Clancy, son of Mrs. R. K. Clancy, of Milton, Portsmouth, Constable in the Palestine Police Force, died, on 4 Jun 1947, aged 18. He was buried at Haifa (Sharon) British Civil CemeteryHaifaIsrael, Plot 4. Grave 6.

Both father and son's gravestones are united by the same inscription:
 
"IN THE SHELTER OF THY SACRED HEART, DEAR JESUS, MAY HE REST".

In 1951, Rosina K Clancy remarried, in Portsmouth, to a Cyril West. 

Rosina Kathleen West died in 1979, aged 76, in her native Plymouth.

Monday 26 July 2021

Anthony Charles Mullarkey and Mabel Sarah E Manley

Central Terrace
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Roger W Haworth - geograph.org.uk/p/333311
Central Terrace: built as Police Quarters for those guarding the depot at Chattenden

Anthony Charles Mullarkey (b. 12 Jan 1893), son of Anthony Joseph Mullarkey and Maria Gloyne, married Mabel Sarah Elizabeth Manley (b. 16 Jan 1904), daughter of William Manley and Jessie Hammacott, in Devonport, in 1926. They had one child, Barbara May Mullarkey, born in 1929.

Anthony Charles Mullarkey had joined the Royal Marines as a Bugler at around 14½ on 18 Sep 1907, becoming a Private when he turned 18 in 1911. On 22 May 1913, he was assigned to HMS Centurion (1911), with which he stayed until 10 May 1919, which means, that on 31 May - 1 Jun 1916, Anthony also took part in the Battle of Jutland, as had his elder brother, John Martin Mullarkey. (As did his future father-in-law, William Manley.)

Anthony left the Royal Marines on 11 Jan 1932. However, in 1939, Anthony Charles Mullarkey, Royal Marine Police and wife - listed as Mabel on official forms, but on Anthony's service record as Sarah, so was presumably known by her second name in the family - were living at No 3 Central Terrace, Chattenden, Upper Upnor, Kent. Central Terrace was built as Police Quarters for those guarding the depot at Chattenden.

Barbara May Mullarkey (1929-2008) married Ronald Stephen Lyons (1927-2014), in Chatham, in 1947 and had three children between 1947 and 1952. 

Anthony Charles Mullarkey, his service record shows, was discharged dead from the Royal Marines Police on 23 Jan 1968. He will have been 75, so I assume he was still engaged as something like a watchman. His Royal Marines and Royal Marines Police service put together add up to a total of 61 years. This surely has to be some sort of record? He is buried at Hoo St Werburgh.

Mabel Sarah Elizabeth Mullarkey of The Elms, 77 Main Road, Hoo, Kent (Residential Home), died on 27 Nov 1990, aged 86. 

The Parish Church of St Werburgh, Hoo
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Ifor R Griffiths - geograph.org.uk/p/267759

Friday 23 July 2021

Cyril Burrows and Lilian May Manley

Devonport Dockyard - the ropewalk
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Chris Allen - geograph.org.uk/p/3074721

Cyril Burrows (b. 1899 in Malta), son of Henry Burrows and Mary Cock married Lilian May Manley (b. 2 Mar 1899 in Devonport, Devon), daughter of William Manley and Jessie Hammacott, in Devonport in 1921.

(Cyril's parents, Henry Burrows (b. 13 Dec 1873 in Whitehouse, Bodmin, Cornwall), Blacksmith and Mary Cock (bap. 21 Aug 1871, in Luxulyan, Cornwall), daughter of Johnathan Cock and Mary Phillips  married, in Bodmin, in 1895. Henry Burrows joined the Royal Navy as an Armourer on 19 Apr 1893. The same career path as Lilian's father. On 9 Mar 1898, until 15 Dec 1899, Henry Burrows was assigned to HMS Hibernia (1804). Hibernia was flagship of the British Mediterranean Fleet from 1816 until 1855, then she became the flagship for the Royal Navy's base at Malta, stationed in Grand Harbour, Valetta, Malta. In 1901, the family were living at 64, Admiralty Street, Devonport, but in 1911, while Mary and the children were residing at 9 Highland Terrace, St Budeaux, Devonport, Henry Burrows was with HMS Monmouth (1901), of the China Squadron, at Colombo (Ceylon, now Sri Lanka). Henry Burrows was Invalided on 13 Apr 1916 with the reason given as paralysis agitans, a less common name for Parkinson's disease.)

In 1921, Cyril Burrows (22) Building & Repairing Ships For H M Navy, Son-in-Law, Lilian M Burrows (22) and Cyril M Burrows (2 months) had been living with Lilian's parents, William Manley and Jessie Hammacott, at 4, Garden Estate, St Budeaux, Devonport, Devon.

In 1939, Cyril Burrows (b. 2 May 1899) Inspector Of Shipwrights, wife Lilian and son Cyril Maynard Burrows (b. 24 Apr 1921) Apprentice Shipwright, were living at 35 Oakwood Road, Portsmouth. Cyril's Admiralty appointment was reported in the Portsmouth Evening News of 21 July 1939.

Cyril Burrows died, in Portsmouth, in 1979, aged 80.

Lilian May Burrows died, in Portsmouth, in 1989, at 90.

Cyril Maynard Burrows died, also in Portsmouth, in 2001, also aged 80.

William Manley and Jessie Hammacott

Mary Street, Bovey Tracey
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/6543679

William Manley married Jessie Hammacott, in Devonport in the 3rd quarter of 1900. William Manley (b. 29 Nov 1869) in Bovey Tracey, Devon, lived in Mary Street, Bovey Tracey with his parents, Joseph Manley and Elizabeth Taylor Williams. Jessie Hammacott (b. 1872) meanwhile, was the daughter of John Hammacott and Sarah Trebble, and hailed from Chudleigh.

In 1891, William (21) was employed as a Blacksmith. William Manley joined the Royal Navy on 22 Aug 1891 and he and Jessie married just before William joined HMS Phaeton on which he served from Oct 1900 to 28 Apr 1903: Phaeton was re-commissioned at Esquimalt (Canada) on 10 October 1900 by Captain Ernest James Fleet, to serve on the Pacific Station. In July 1902 she visited Acapulco, and most of the Autumn of that year she was at Panama. She paid off on 28 April 1903. This commission was the subject of a book in the 'Log' series, entitled: HMS Phaeton, Pacific Station, 1900–1903.

William and Jessie had six children:
  1. William Henry Manley b. 13 Sep 1897
  2. Lilian May Manley b. 2 Mar 1899
  3. Mabel Sarah Elizabeth Manley b. 16 Jan 1904
  4. Sidney Manley b. 1910 
  5. Ronald Manley b. 23 Apr 1912
  6. Dorothy Manley b. 1914 (died 1916, aged 1)
In 1901, Jessie Manley (28) Wife of an armourer was living with their two oldest children at 28, Victory Street, East Devonport.

In 1911, William Manley (41) Chief Armourer Royal Navy and is living with wife, Jessie (38) and children, William Henry (13), Lilian May (12), Mabel Sarah (7), Sidney (0) and William's widowed mother, Elizabeth Manley (72), at 67 Renown Street, East Devonport.

On 28 Nov 1912, William Manley was assigned to HMS Conqueror and stayed with her through to 6 Mar 1919, which means that on 31 May - 1 Jun 1916, William Manley took part in the Battle of Jutland.

In 1921, William Manley (51) Chief Armourer Royal Navy, was living at 4, Garden Estate, St Budeaux, Devonport with Jessie Manley (49), Elizabeth Manley (82) Mother; William H Manley (23) Building & Repairing Ships For H M Navy; Lilian M Burrows (22), Mabel S Manley (17) Shop Assistant; Sidney Manley (9), Ronald Manley (8), Cyril Burrows (22) Building & Repairing Ships For H M Navy, Son-in-Law and Cyril M Burrows (2 months) Grandson.

William Manley retired from the Royal Navy on 17 Jun 1922.

Jessie Manley died in the 2nd quarter of 1926, aged 54.

William Manley died in 1947, aged 77.

  • William Henry Manley married Rose Evelyn Georgina Ide (b. 2 Jan 1897) at St Mark's church, Ford, Plymouth, on 20 Apr 1922. In 1939, William and Rose were living at 4 Stirling Rd, St Budeaux, Plymouth. William Henry Manley died in 1990, at 93. Rose Evelyn Georgina Manley died on 19 Oct 1993, at 96.
  • Ronald Manley married Lilian Annie Richards at The Anglican Church of Saint Boniface on 5 Oct 1935. In 1939, Ronald Manley, Fitter's Labourer Dockyard and wife Lilian were living at 16 Warleigh Avenue, Plymouth, along with Lilian's sister, Vera, Shorthand Typist RN Barracks. Assume they divorced, as Lilian A Manley married Henry R Adams in 1946. Ronald Manley died in 1973. Lilian Annie Adams died on 13 Sep 2012, at 97.

Wednesday 2 June 2021

David Jones Naval Pensioner

The stern gallery of HMS Implacable, formerly the Duguay-Trouin, on display at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

My great-grandfather, David Jones, made much of the fact that he was a Naval Pensioner, especially when filling out official forms, and it seems very likely it was 'useful' in obtaining him the position of Sexton at the Christ Church, Church of Ireland, Rushbrooke, Cobh (Queenstown, as it was then), Ireland. Family tradition was that David had "lost a hand in battle". 

You gotta love a family story. There's always a grain of truth in them, but usually some embellishment. We searched high and low for a naval battle in the right era and came up with nothing. "In battle" sounds more heroic, clearly. Maybe it also proved handy (pun intended) in attracting him two wives!

My cousin recounted that her older sister had remembered visiting the family in Rushbrooke and seeing David's 'Sunday Best' gloved hand hanging up in the kitchen (such a creepy image) and continued that, apparently, he had a fork attachment for everyday - from which we may deduce that it was his left hand he lost - that attached to a metal pin that was inserted at his wrist. 

Because David always claimed to come from Wales, I almost missed his naval record. In fact, I'd dismissed it twice, because, although many other details were close enough, the boy was born in Lincolnshire, which didn't seem relevant. Then I found his father's posting to Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire and David's birth there and the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

David Jones enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class, on 7 July 1865, when he would have been just shy of his 15th birthday. His father, Thomas Jones, and mother, Mary, co-signed the papers. David was described as being 4ft 8½in tall, with a sallow complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Once he was 18, his period of engagement was intended to last ten years, obviously intending to follow in his father's footsteps. 

David Jones' Naval Record

The rest of David's naval record fits onto one line. At 14 he was assigned to HMS Implacable, which had become the Royal Navy's first training ship at Devonport in 1855. But instead of continuing his service as planned, David was discharged on 17 Oct 1866, when he will have been just 16. The last item on the line, under the Cause of Discharge, is the abbreviation for Invalided.

There not being more detail, nor medical records we can access, we have to surmise the rest of story. That he lost a hand is not in question. He was still in training, so there was no 'battle'. But, taking into consideration that this was 1866 - general anesthesia was still very much in experimental infancy - my feeling is that the only place that such a procedure as inserting a metal pin into his wrist was likely to be carried out was in a military hospital and at that time there was the the former Royal Naval Hospital, Stonehouse. That they did this and sent him off with a pension at the tender age of 16, suggests that the Navy was at fault and, my cousin's sister had recalled that this was as a result of an exploding gun, which also seems to confirm this theory.

Former Royal Naval Hospital, High Street, Plymouth
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen Richards - geograph.org.uk/p/6083123
The Royal Naval Hospital, East Stonehouse