Lying in the Commonwealth Graves in Queensferry Cemetery, is one Henry Gilbert Lovell. He was aged 64 years, the oldest of the 188 men lying there, which raises the question, how was someone of this age serving in WWI?
Henry appears to have had an ‘on’ ‘off’ relationship with the sea.
The following information (mainly researched by his Granddaughter Joan) and photographs, are reproduced here, with permission, from his family.
Henry appears to have had an ‘on’ ‘off’ relationship with the sea.
The following information (mainly researched by his Granddaughter Joan) and photographs, are reproduced here, with permission, from his family.
Henry was born on 5th December 1853, in North Town, Taunton in Somerset, to Cornelius and Adelaide Lovell. He enlisted as a “Boy 2nd Class” into the Royal Navy for 10 years, aged 16, on 8th October 1869 and served on training frigate HMS Fisgard. On enlisting he is recorded as being 5ft 3 ¼“ tall with fair complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He has on his left wrist the letters H and L (perhaps for Henry Lovell?)
By the 1871 census he was on board HMS Bristol, a Naval Cadet training ship. On 26th March she departed from Plymouth Sound for the South America Station and is “at anchor in Funchal Bay, Madeira” for the purpose of the census on 2nd April.
By the 1871 census he was on board HMS Bristol, a Naval Cadet training ship. On 26th March she departed from Plymouth Sound for the South America Station and is “at anchor in Funchal Bay, Madeira” for the purpose of the census on 2nd April.
Henry married Mary-Jane (nee Eva) in Newport, age 22, in 1875 where his occupation is noted as “seaman”.
A Landlubber again, in the 1881 census Henry and Mary-Jane were living in Newington, Surrey. They have 2 daughters, Rhoda, baptised on 4.8.1881 and Henrietta baptised 4.9.1879. There is note of the birth of 2 other daughters, 1 baptised on same date as Rhoda in 1881, so perhaps a twin, and also 1 in 1878, but they are missing from this census so may have died. Henry’s occupation at this time was Tea Warehouseman.
Henry had returned to sea by the 1891 census in which Mary -Jane is listed as head, with Rhoda-14, Henrietta-12, Eva-8, Alice-6 and Henry Gilbert junior-2. Eva died in 1900, Henrietta married in 1899 and had 1 son, but she died in 1903.
A Landlubber again, in the 1881 census Henry and Mary-Jane were living in Newington, Surrey. They have 2 daughters, Rhoda, baptised on 4.8.1881 and Henrietta baptised 4.9.1879. There is note of the birth of 2 other daughters, 1 baptised on same date as Rhoda in 1881, so perhaps a twin, and also 1 in 1878, but they are missing from this census so may have died. Henry’s occupation at this time was Tea Warehouseman.
Henry had returned to sea by the 1891 census in which Mary -Jane is listed as head, with Rhoda-14, Henrietta-12, Eva-8, Alice-6 and Henry Gilbert junior-2. Eva died in 1900, Henrietta married in 1899 and had 1 son, but she died in 1903.
On 28th November 1898 Henry was rescued, along with the crew of 5 more men, from the Cardiff tug, the ‘Earl of Jersey’, which hit a rock and sank south of Lundy Island.
It was reported in the North Devon Journal, 1st December 1898 - "They left on Saturday night for a cruise down the Bristol Channel on the look-out for up-Channel vessels. All went well until about nine o lock on monday morning. There was a strong north-east wind blowing with a rough sea. The "Earl of Jersey" which belonged to a Cardiff firm, was off Lundy Island, when all at once she struck a sunken rock. The water rushed into the fore compartments, and the hands had just time to run on deck and jump into their boat, when the tug heeled over and went down, the crew losing all their belongings. Noticing a tug about a mile away (which proved to be the Royal Briton, of Cardiff), they rowed to her and were taken on board, being subsequently brought on to Ilfracombe, where the disaster was reported to the Custom House authorities. The crew, being thoroughly done up, were taken charge of by the Shipwreck Mariners Society and taken to the St James Boarding house. They were provided with new clothes and having partaken of a substantial meal, were only too glad to retire to rest".
It was reported in the North Devon Journal, 1st December 1898 - "They left on Saturday night for a cruise down the Bristol Channel on the look-out for up-Channel vessels. All went well until about nine o lock on monday morning. There was a strong north-east wind blowing with a rough sea. The "Earl of Jersey" which belonged to a Cardiff firm, was off Lundy Island, when all at once she struck a sunken rock. The water rushed into the fore compartments, and the hands had just time to run on deck and jump into their boat, when the tug heeled over and went down, the crew losing all their belongings. Noticing a tug about a mile away (which proved to be the Royal Briton, of Cardiff), they rowed to her and were taken on board, being subsequently brought on to Ilfracombe, where the disaster was reported to the Custom House authorities. The crew, being thoroughly done up, were taken charge of by the Shipwreck Mariners Society and taken to the St James Boarding house. They were provided with new clothes and having partaken of a substantial meal, were only too glad to retire to rest".
By the 1901 census he was back in Newington, Surrey, with 3 daughters, Alice- 16, Emily- 8, Ivy- 6 and son Henry junior- 12. His wife is listed as being in hospital, and on 31st July 1901, she died, leaving the 4 children, who were sent to relatives. At this time, Henry was a stoker in a chocolate factory.
The loss of his wife and having to send away the 4 children, unable to care for them himself, must have taken its toll on him. By the 1911 census, he was listed as a widower, aged 58, a former stoker and living as an inmate in the casual ward of the Camberwell Workhouse, London.
The loss of his wife and having to send away the 4 children, unable to care for them himself, must have taken its toll on him. By the 1911 census, he was listed as a widower, aged 58, a former stoker and living as an inmate in the casual ward of the Camberwell Workhouse, London.
He appears, at some time, to have gone back to sea, as a ‘Greaser’ in the Mercantile Marines. He served as a 'Greaser' on the Kildonan Castle, which was comandeered by the Royal Navy as a hospital ship in October 1915. On 5th October 1915, he joined the Garth Castle (one of The Union Castle Line ships which travelled between England and South Africa). The ship was commandeered by the Royal Navy in 1915 and also became a hospital ship. As an existing crew member, this would appear to be how Henry was serving during WWI.
Below we see some of the postcrads Between December 1916 and November 1918, the Garth Castle sailed to Scapa Flow, in the Orkneys, three times, spending 3-4 months there each time.
In January 1918 he sent a series of postcards to his youngest daughter, Ivy, then 24, saying his leg was getting on fine. We don’t know what caused the injury.
Below we see some of the images of the Garth Castle sent to daughter Ivy. Please do not reproduce these as they belong to the family who have given us permission to use them here.
In January 1918 he sent a series of postcards to his youngest daughter, Ivy, then 24, saying his leg was getting on fine. We don’t know what caused the injury.
Below we see some of the images of the Garth Castle sent to daughter Ivy. Please do not reproduce these as they belong to the family who have given us permission to use them here.
On 28th October 1918 “H.G. Lovell, (Greaser) was placed off duty and admitted to the hospital ward on the ship, suffering from influenza”. On 30th November 2018, we see “This is to certify that Henry Gilbert Lovell, aged 65, (Greaser), died at 1pm this day. The cause of death was influenza, pneumonia and cardiac failure”. On 4th November 1918, “The body of Henry Gilbert Lovell, was this day interred at South Queensferry Cemetery, the service being conducted by the Church of England Minister and the usual rites being observed”, signed by the Master and the Surgeon. His Grave was eventually listed as War Grave Commission 460.
Amongst the full list of his personal effects was “correspondence tied in a red handkerchief”.
He was actually 64 years old, dying 36 days before his 65th birthday and just 12 days before the end of the war. Between 12th and 20th October 1918 more than 20 crew members of the Garth Castle died of influenza. Only 2 of these lie in Queensferry Cemetery.
Henry would have been posthumously awarded the Mercantile Marine War Medal.
Amongst the full list of his personal effects was “correspondence tied in a red handkerchief”.
He was actually 64 years old, dying 36 days before his 65th birthday and just 12 days before the end of the war. Between 12th and 20th October 1918 more than 20 crew members of the Garth Castle died of influenza. Only 2 of these lie in Queensferry Cemetery.
Henry would have been posthumously awarded the Mercantile Marine War Medal.
©Queensferry History Group 2019