William Staveley is the son of Michael Staveley (1750-1820) and Penelope Staveley, nee Jefferson (1758-1825). He was born on the 21st March 1784 in Harpham. The village of Harpham is approximately 5 miles north-east of Driffield and 7 miles south-west of Bridlington.
It is important to note that the first census in England did not take place until 1801 and it was not until 1841 that a more detailed census would appear. Consequently this makes tracing family history more difficult before this period.
The Church at Wharram Percy on the Yorkshire Wolds
William married a Mary Wilson at the Parish Church of Wharram Percy on the 19th July 1806 at the age of 22. Mary Wilson was 15 years old. Together they would have nine children including a son named William. Wharram Percy is a deserted medieval village in the Yorkshire Wolds. The marriage actually took place at Burdale which is 8 miles south east of Malton. Although just a hamlet, Burdale is mentioned in the Domesday Book. It is also a deserted medieval village. The farm here was probably quite remote.
William had nine children including a son named William who would die young and who married a Frances Proctor and lived in Muston. William’s brother Richard and his father Michael had leased a 200+ acre farm at Barmston from Sir William Boynton in 1820. William may have worked on this farm since the family were living in Harpham nearby. Click to view the lease.
In 1807 Their daughter Mary is born in Harpham. Their son Michael follows in 1808 and is also born in Harpham. Samuel is born in 1810 but he dies in infancy and they have another son called Samuel in the same year. Wilson is born in 1812 and their first daughter Penelope in 1814. In 1815 Daughter Elizabeth is born, followed by Julia in 1817. William their last child is born in 1819.
Farmers facing tough times in Yorkshire
Up until the birth of Penelope in 1814, the family had remained in Harpham but in 1815 they are in Reighton and by 1817 in Fridaythorpe. The situation in farming is becoming difficult. It is becoming harder to find work. Despite the fact that there are two generations of Staveleys being born in Harpham by the time the 1841 census arrives there are no Staveleys left here. His brother Samuel would move to London. Other members of the family to Tibthorpe and other Yorkshire villages.
Elizabeth Staveley died on the 18th December 1849 at Reighton. William died in February 1857 at Driffield and was buried on the 25th of February in Great Driffield. Things were now becoming desperate in farming and for his sons and their families it would be a fight for survival.
I did not include all of William’s brothers and sisters here but you can learn more about them by visiting our Family Tree.
To visit the family tree of William Staveley click here.
Francis Staveley, the son of William Staveley (1819-1849) & Frances (Fanny) Staveley nee Proctor (1824-1882) was born in Reighton on the 29th March 1846. It is worth mentioning that there is also another Francis Staveley at North Burton who was born 21st November 1846. North Burton ( Burton Fleming ) is just 3.7 miles from Hunmanby. They are related and would have known each other well.
Francis would never have known his father who died in 1849 leaving Frances (Fanny) responsible for the children. He would have been two or three years old. His sister Elizabeth was born in 1848 the last of the children of William Staveley. His brother John is a half brother and the father is likely to have been Richard Jenkinson, a family friend.
The 1851 Census tells us that Francis was living in Muston at 5 Hunmanby Street. It looks nice now but if you have read the details about his father you will know that living conditions would not have been ideal. He probably lived in cramped, overcrowded and damp lodgings during his entire childhood and working life. His father died from Typhus Fever, a bacterial disease associated with unhygienic conditions and caused by fleas, lice and mites. This family was poor and farming was in crisis.
5 Hunmanby Street in Muston, Yorkshire – The white house to the right.
At the time of the 1861 census he can be found in Grindale at the age of 15 and working as plough boy. Grindale is a small village located in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village is situated approximately 3 miles north-west from the town of Bridlington. Grindale is part of the civil parish of Bempton. The village is surrounded by beautiful countryside and farmland.
At the age of 25 we know that Francis is still living at 5 Hunmanby Street in Muston with his mother Fanny Staveley who is a char woman ( a cleaner ) and his half brother John who is now aged 9. Fanny is now 48 and Francis is an agricultural labourer. Elizabeth is not shown as living here and could have moved to find work. On the 11th November 1871 Francis marries Eliza Mary Burrows, aged 24, in Muston.
The Ship in on West Street, Muston, Yorkshire
In 1881 Francis is a widower. He has no children. Either he divorced Eliza or she possibly died in child birth. He is living at West Street in Muston and is a farm labourer aged 34. We are fairly sure that the residence in West Street was the Ship Inn. I have not at the time of writing managed to find a record of the death of Eliza Mary Burrows.
Francis would then go on to marry Elizabeth Peam and the couple would have 5 children: Betsey born 1881, John Francis born 1883, Jane E Staveley born 1887, George born 1888 and Maud Mary born 1891.
There is an entry in the local press – Driffield Times 21st August 1886 – Farm servant Grindall was charged with assaulting Francis Staveley at Muston. The costs were a heavy fine amounting to 19s 10d and defendent was fined £1 10d including costs.
His half brother John Staveley would die from Tuberculosis in October 1909 and Francis had a heart attack and died on the 3rd December 1909. Anne Wilson is present at his death and is witness on the death certificate ( Note: his grandfather married a Wilson ). His wife Elizabeth Staveley ( nee Peam) died in Bridlington in 1913.
Note: The Imperial Gazetter of England describes Muston in 1870 as follows:
MUSTON, a parish, with a small village, in the district of Scarborough and E. R. Yorkshire; on the coast, and on the Hull and Scarborough railway, midway between Hunmanby and Filey r. stations, 1¾ mile S W of Filey. Post-town, Filey, Yorkshire.
Acres, 2, 226. Real property, £4,068. Pop., 391. Houses, 74. The property is subdivided. The manor belongs to Admiral Mitford. Muston Hall and Muston Lodge are chief residences. Stone is quarried.The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of York. Value, £256. Patron, Admiral Mitford. The church is ancient but good, and has a bell-turret.There are chapels for Independents and Primitive Methodists, and a national school.
To view the family tree of Francis Staveley click here.
John Staveley was baptised on the 13th October 1861 at Muston. John is the son of Frances ( Fanny ) nee Proctor (1824-1882). I have been unable to locate his birth certificate although the family were Methodists at the time and it is not uncommon for Methodists to christen their children and pay little attention to the requirements of birth registration.
Frances is entered on record as the mother on John’s Birth Certificate but no mention of the father until it appears on John’s marriage certificate as William Staveley. William was a labourer in what were particularly hard times for Yorkshire farmers. Conditions at home would have been cramped in a house with few creature comforts.
Copy of the Baptism Certificate for John Staveley born 1861 in Muston
William Staveley died in 1849 at the age of 30. His untimely death would have placed a considerable strain on his wife Frances who had to bring up the two young children on her own. It is highly probable that other members of the family rallied round and supported Frances in bringing up young Elizabeth & Francis. We know that the family remained in Muston. Since you will have already deduced the fact that John was born in 1861 the two children of Frances are actually his half brother and sister.
Frances Staveley possibly married again ( or lived with ) a Richard Jenkinson whose name is shown as a witness on the marriage certificate of John Staveley. However he took the Staveley family name and we inherited it!.
A Yorkshire farmer and his dog
John would would have started working life as a farm labourer at an early age to help support the family, He was 23 years old when he married Mary Elizabeth Boynton, a domestic servant, the daughter of George Boynton, a fisherman living at Spring Row in Filey. Mary was 19 year old at the time and the couple got married at the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Union Street, Filey on 6th May 1885.
Methodist Chapel in Filey, 1878
John and Mary Staveley set up home in Muston and their first child, George William, was born in 1886. Edith Annie was born in 1887, Eliza in 1888 at Kilham ( probably whilst John was working at a farm in Kilham ) and Hilda May, again from Muston, was born in 1890.
The 1891 census shows the family as residing at Hunmanby Street, Muston. I have visited Muston, a small rural village with a few scattered farms, a church and only a few houses. Muston is set at an almost equal distance from Hunmanby and Filey, both of which are within walking distance of Muston.
I have visited the churchyard at St Oswalds Church in Filey and several members of the Boynton Family are buried in the grounds.
The family moved to Scarborough sometime between 1891 and 1893. Ethel May was born in 1893 and the address on the birth certificate is that of 11 Prospect Road, Scarborough ( shown here above to the right of the shop, a very small property which looks like a one bedroom terrace house today ).
John was no longer a farm labourer and had changed his occupation to that of drayman or van man which today would mean delivery driver. He worked for a mineral water manufacturer delivering their products locally by horse and cart. Walter Staveley remembered John, his grandfather, as being referred to as ‘Old John’. He would have been a familiar sight riding his horse and trap from village to village with his mineral water.
Old John would have been out in all weathers with only an old sack across his back as protection from the elements and cover in an attempt to keep his clothes dry and warm as he went about his work. John certainly had a hard life and with a family of six to feed he could not have afforded to be ill or have days off.
Walter Boynton Staveley, my grandfather, was born on the 10th of January 1896 at Prospect Road. Conditions would have been very cramped in a small house such as this. The family later moved to a new address at 1 St James Place in Scarborough, an address which I have been unable to find.
On the 5th April 1903, young George outgrew his strength as they used to say in those days and he passed away at the age of 17. Walter Boynton Staveley would have been 7 years old at the time. Mary Staveley, his mother, was becoming mentally unstable. This may have been exacerbated by the death of young George although although my father ( Walter Staveley ) recalls Walter Boynton Staveley mentioning that his mother once chased the children around the kitchen with a knife, the children finally frightened and cowering under the kitchen table.
Such things were not openly talked about in those days, tending instead to be ignored or brushed away rather than discussed. For this reason we know very little about Mary. For years my had been under the impression that she had died early although we have since discovered that she died in Bradford in 1944 aged 79.
Mary had been living with her daughter Edith Annie, her husband and son John. It is now known that Walter Boynton Staveley paid visits to his mother from time to time but never took his children along when making those trips.
17 Wooler Street Scarborough ( the house with the green door )
John Staveley died on the 5th October 1909 at 17 Wooler Street, Scarborough at the age of 47 years. He died of the disease tuberculosis which was common in those days. Witness to his death certificate is daughter Hilda May. Walter Boynton would have been 13 years old, Edith Annie was 22, Hilda May 19 and Ethel May was 16 years old. Eilza would marry and move to Durham.
As previously mentioned, Edith Annie married Charlie Hall and moved to Bradford. Hilda married, became Hilda Godfrey and moved to Cornwall. Hilda’s daughter and children still live in Cornwall. Ethel May emigrated to Australia and I am fortunate enough to remember vividly a visit we made to Aunt Ethel in 1969 whilst returning to the UK on the cruise ship “SS Oronsay” after my father’s tour of duty in Hong Kong. I remember this dear lady well, having sat with her looking through album after album of her extensive stamp collection. ( I was 9 years old and had just started collecting stamps myself ).
Aunt Ethel gave me many Australian Stamps to start my collection. I regularly wrote to Aunt Ethel until she passed away and still correspond with her daughter Clarice albeit not as regularly as I should.
To view the family tree of John Staveley click here.
William Staveley, was baptised in 1819 at Fridaythorpe, He was the son of William Staveley (1784-1857) and Elizabeth Staveley nee Wilson (1791-1849). I have been unable to locate his birth certificate although the family were Methodists at the time and it is not uncommon for Methodists to have their children christened and pay little attention to the requirements of birth registration.
Most of our family are descendants of farmers spread through the East Yorkshire villages. The original Staveleys appear to have been landowners with quite large farms. The farming community however went through considerable turmoil from the 1850’s, leaving several members of the Staveley family to branch out and fend for themselves. They left their own family farms and took up employment as farm labourers, tending to move from village to village as work became available. These were bad economic times. Labour was cheap and life was hard. It was a struggle for survival. More information.
Long hours and low pay farming was a tough life.
William was a farmer at Reighton when he married Frances Proctor, the daughter of a labourer of Muston on June 2nd 1844 at Muston Church.
All Saints Church, Muston
Their first child, Francis, was born at Reighton on the 29th March 1846. It is interesting to note that various family birth certificates the name Staveley is mis-spelt e.g. Stavely and Stavley which would strongly indicate that various family members were unable to read or write leaving this minor detail to the clerks who completed the paperwork to take a guess at the correct spelling.
St Peter’s Church at Reighton
Francis married Elizabeth Peam at Hunmanby and the couple went on to have five children. Unfortunately we know little about them or what became of them other than their names and dates of birth.
By 1848 the family had moved to Muston where William worked as a farm labourer. Elizabeth was born in 1848 at Muston. Again, I have no information to suggest what happened to Elizabeth or her son. At the time of Williams birth Elizabeth was a domestic servant. Willliam Staveley died in 1849 leaving Frances Proctor a widow. The cause of death was Typhus Fever – a group of diseases caused by bacteria that are spread to humans by fleas, lice, and mites. Whilst common in those days it is very rare in modern times.
William Stavely – Died 16th August 1849
1851 Census shows Fanny Staveley living at 5 Hunmanby Street in Muston as head of family living with son Francis and daughter Elizabeth. She is described as pauper under occupation. By 1861 they live at 24 Hunmanby Street and her son Francis is a servant ( Plough Boy ) in the Crowe household in Grindale. Elizabeth is a house servant in Filey with the Crawford household. Fanny, aged 38 has found work as a Laundress.
William appears to have been born out of wedlock. He was christened in Muston on October 13th 1861 where the father is not named on the record. In actual fact, Frances Proctor was now living with a Richard Jenkinson but we have no idea if they were to get married.
This is where our Staveley line is disconnected since John Staveley cannot claim to be a direct Staveley descendent. However, he did keep the Staveley family name which we inherited.
To view the family tree of William Staveley click here.
Edith Annie Staveley was born on March 15th at Muston. Edith Annie is the daughter of John Staveley (1861-1909) & Mary Elizabeth Staveley nee Boynton (1864-1944). Edith Annie would have been just 22 when her father died. Her mother had been suffering from mental problems for some time.
In 1901 it appears that John’s wife, Mary Elizabeth, is a patient at the North Riding Lunatic Asylum shown above, at just 35 years of age. It was now down to the older sisters to look after the younger members of the family. Mary Elizabeth Staveley who had been committed to a lunatic asylum was moved to Bradford. The sisters would have moved up this way to be closer to her. Ethel May and Eliza join them in Bradford.
Tong CHurch ( St Jame’s Church )
Edith would appear to be the first of the three sisters to be living at Tong at the time of her marriage to Charles Hall on October 8th 1910, the couple were living at 13 Crossland Buildings. Charles is 29 years of age and a Dyers Labourer. Edith Annie is 23 years of age – unpaid domestic duties.
In the 1911 Census we see Charles and Edith Annie with their 6 week old son John Hall. They are now living at 16 Law Street Dudley Hill, Bradford. In 1912 her sister Eliza will join her at this address.
Ethel May would get married and head off to Australia while Eliza would marry and live in Durham. Edith Annie would remain in Bradford with her husband and their son.
Number 18 is the house right on the end.
In 1939 the family are living at 18 Dawson Terrace in Bradford. Her mother is not shown as living with them but she is likely to have been in a local lunatic asylum. Such things were not openly talked about in those days, tending instead to be ignored or brushed away rather than discussed. For this reason we know very little about Mary Elizabeth Staveley. For years the family had been under the impression that she had died early although we have since discovered that she died in Bradford in 1944 aged 79.
Edith Annie Hall passed away in Bradford in April 1950 at the age of 63. Charles Hall also died in Bradford at the grand old age of 93.
To view the family tree for Edith Annie Staveley click here.
East Street, Kilham – Near Rudston, Langtoft, Driffield & Bridlington in Yorkshire
Eliza Staveley (1888-1946) was born in Kilham, a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It is situated near Rudston, Langtoft about 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Driffield town centre and approx 7 miles from Bridlington.
Eliza is the daughter of John Staveley (1861-1909) & Mary Elizabeth Staveley nee Boynton (1864-1944). John is a farm labourer from Muston and would move around the local area in search of employment. The family would later move to Scarborough since the larger towns and cities provided better work opportunities. Her brother George aged 2 and her sister Edith Annie who were both born in Muston are living with the family when Eliza was born.
Eliza remains with family in Muston until after Hilda May is born in 1890. The family then move to 111 Prospect Road in Scarborough where John Staveley starts work as a mineral water vanman with his horse and cart. This is a pretty tough job in all weathers with little protection from the wind and rain.
111 Prospect Road in Scarborough – The door to the right of the shop is the entrance.
In Scarborough the family continues to grow with Mary Elisabeth being born in 1892. Sadly she dies just 17 months after she is born. In 1893 there is a new addition to the family with Ethel May. Finally Walter Boynton Staveley is born in 1896.
The family are at 1 James Place in 1901 which is now a dilapidated row of shops. In 1901 it appears that John’s wife, Mary Elizabeth, is a patient at the North Riding Lunatic Asylum, in Clifton at just 35 years of age. John and Mary’s daughters, Edith Annie and Hilda May, are staying with their grandparents, George and Ann BOYNTON, at 11 Spring Road in Filey in 1901. John and Mary’s son George died on April 5, 1903 at the young age of 17 years.
17 Wooler Street in Scarborough ( the white door )
In 1909 John Staveley dies as a result of Tuberculosis. John’s daughter Hilda May was the witness on the certificate. He was living at 17 Wooler Street in Scarborough.
18 Esplanade in Scarborough – Possibly a hotel or Guest House in 1911
In the 1911 Eliza is working as a parlour maid and living in Scarbrough: The 1911 census records the address as 18 Esplanade Scarborough. She works for the Coates family who have several boarders so the building was probably a hotel or Guest House. It is quite close to the sea.
Around 1912, Eliza moves to Tong in Keighley and takes up residence at 16 Low Street. She would have gone there for work and it is in Tong that she meets her future husband George Harry Painter.
George Harry Painter is from Murton, County Durham. This is not far from Sunderland. George and Eliza clearly get on well because the next thing we see are the marriage banns dated 7th December 1913. On 19th March 1914 the happy couple get married at Easington, Durham.
I have not researched further to see if they had children or what kind of employment they had through their working lives. They settled and stayed in Durham
George Henry Painter Died in April 1932. He was remembered in the Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette for his service in the Royal Navy. He was a keen sportsman and the middle weight boxing champion of the fleet. He died at 1 West View, Murton, Durham at the age of 44.
1 West View, Murton, DurhamAn inflation rate of 4.98% per year means £100 in 1932 is worth £8747.75 in 2024.
Eliza Painter ( Staveley ) age 57 died in Durham on March 12th 1946. Ever remembered by Susie & Chrissie
Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping GazetteTo view the family tree of Eliza Staveley click here.
Hilda May Staveley was born in Muston on March 29th 1890, the daughter of John Staveley (1861-1909) Mary Elizabeth Staveley ( nee Boynton ) (1864-1944).
In the 1901 census Hilda Staveley is age 11 and living in Muston. Her relation to the Head of house George Boynton age 59 is that of Grandchild. Ann Boynton his wife is aged 61 and Edith Annie, Hilda May’s sister, is also living at this address and is 14 years of age.
She was married to Henry George Godfrey on May 31st 1909 at St Saviours Church in Scarborough. The Wedding caused quite a stir and got a mention in the local newspapers. Several Jack Tars ( seamen ) had replaced the horse. George Godfrey of HMS Hindustan and his bride, a Scarborough girl, who had changed her name just before at St Saviours Church from Miss Hilda Staveley to Mrs Hilda Godfrey. Visitors entered into the spirit of the incident and the couple received many a greeting. Hilda May is 19 years old and Henry is 23 years old.
HMS Hindustan was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy. 1903-1921.
The 1911 census shows Hilda as being aged 21 and Head of the house. She is living at 8 Belle Vue Street, Scarborough, and is shown as being married. It is very likely that her husband is away on a ship. Walter Boynton Staveley is her brother and is aged 15 and living with her. Their father died in 1909.
8 Belle View Street, Scarborough.
Their first child Edwin Henry Godfrey is born on September 16th 1911 at Scarborough. Sadly he dies at the age of 16 months in Portsmouth where his mother and father are recorded as living at 4 Canal Walk, Landford. At this point Henry George Godfrey is serving aboard the dreadnought battleship HMS Britannia.
HMS Britannia was a pre-dreadnought battleship launched in 1904 and sunk by SM UB-50 in 1918.
Their first daughter, Hilda May Godfrey is born on 16th May 1913 and baptised at St James Church near Portsmouth on January 25th 1914. The family then move to Ireland where Henry is stationed as a lighthouse keeper in Mullaghmore, County Sligo. They are living at 6 Coastguard Cottages. Eileen Godfrey is born on January 16th 1920 at Mullaghmore in Co Sligo.
One minute of Mullaghmore in County Sligo, Ireland.
Having returned from Ireland Henry Godfrey now takes a job as a leading boatman for the coastguard. They are living at 5 Coastguard Station, Bexhill Road, St Leonards on Sea. Mary Elizabeth Godfrey is born on 9th January 1923. Dora Lane Godfrey is born on May 6th 1924. Vera Godfrey follows on May 6th 1925.
The birth of their last child, John David Godfrey takes place on June 10th 1931 which is quite a gap. At this time they appear to be living in Exeter.
The family have moved to Westward Ho by the time of the census in 1939. The family settle here and Henry becomes the Lighthouse Keeper in Westward Ho for the next 15 years before he retires in 1946. The Bull Point Lighthouse was build in 1879 and shown here in the photo. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1974 due to ground subsidence and infrastructure problems. It is most likely that Henry Godfrey worked here.
They live at 4 Westbourne Terrace, Westward Ho, Bideford in Devon. Whilst this would have been housing in 1939 it is now a pub and within just a short walking distance of the beach.
Previously a residential address – 4 Wesbourne Terrace, Westward Ho.
Just before Henry retires he finds a body of a local women, a Mrs Mildred Cartwright, who had committed suicide along the beach about 2 miles from the slipway at Westward Ho.
After his retirement the couple continued to live in Bideford at Sea View Road. Henry died at Bideford Hospital in 1961. He is buried at St Margarets Church, Northam. Hilda died in 1974 in Exeter.
To view the family tree of Hilda May Staveley click here.
The following is Walter Staveley’s own account from a diary in his own hand writing that was found after his death and which is recorded here so that we can see what he went through in the early years of his posting overseas.
SS Mauretania II launched in 1938 and used during WWII as a troopship
29th June Saturday 1940 aboard the SS Mauretania II
I awoke this morning at 6 o clock and felt the ship moving. I looked out of the porthole and found that we were just moving out into the river mouth, assisted by tugs. Just out of the river mouth the tugs left us and we moved out into the open sea.
An hour or so after the tugs left us, one or two lads were looking pretty green, there was a heavy swell running. Towards the evening we sighted Ireland and we kept it in sight until dark. At one time we could see Douglas on one side and the Scottish coast on the other. I think we were steaming dead north practically all day.
Our convoy consists of the Aquatania on the extreme port bow, The Queen Mary next and then ourselves.
There were two destroyers and the light cruiser Cumberland steaming at the sides in front of us. The crew say we steam at a steady 24 knots.
HMS Cumberland was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw action during the Second World War.
30th June Sunday 1940 I think we have steamed west most of the night and we must be well out in the atlantic now according to the sun. We can get a very good view of the Queen Mary and the Aquatania now, I think they’ve moved closer. I had two breakfasts this morning. One up and down, and we seem to running into heavier weather. We had a pleasant surprise today. Cigarettes are only ½ price as we have left the 3 mile limit. We take our lifebelts with us wherever we go.
1st July Monday 1940 The sea, thank the Lord, is much milder this morning and I think I’ve got over the sickness and found my sea legs. This mornings routine consisted of rifle drill and P.T. The rest of the day I spent walking around the ship.
2nd July Tuesday 1940 The weather is still warm today. We had P.T. and rifle drill again this morning. This afternoon has been uneventful. We have been told that we can write one letter home and it must be handed in to our N.C.O. in the morning, ready for censoring. I wrote it after tea.
3rd July Wednesday 1940 We paraded in K.D. this morning, and handed our letters in. Before P.T. we went down for a swim in the swimming pool. It’s not very big, but is very well made. Each squad has bout ¼ hour in which to swim and get dressed. The weather is slightly warmer and we seem to be travelling S.S.E.
4th July Thursday 1940 The usual routine this morning. I saw a few shoals of flying fish. They fly, or jump over the water similarly to sea gulls. They are about 6” long. Well, for five nights and six days now the ships have been steadily driving along and we havent seen one square inch of land. We are just beginning to get slightly bored. We have a pretty decent concert every other night but the places gets too packed, and the weather is by no means cool. I spend quite a lot of time on deck with Ron. The sea is very calm and very blue now, it is also, no longer necessary to sleep in bed now. We sleep on top.
5th July Friday 1940 The temperature is still rising and we had iced lemonade at dinner today. I was on the fatigue party which carried the cases from the brig to the mess. Our routine seems pretty well fixed now Reveille 6.30, Check parade 07.00 am, First sitting for breakfast 07.15. Second sitting 8 am. Parade 9.30am then rifle drill, swimming and P.T. under our own corporal and sometimes a lecture ( by various people ). We had Pay Parade this afternoon 8/- The flying fish are more numerous now, there seem to be hundreds all around the ship. Sunset comes very quick, and it is almost dark by 7.45 pm. By the way, I forgot to mention that we put the clocks back ½ hour every day.
6th July Saturday 1940 We had the usual routine again this morning and then a lecture by Major B on RAF and Army co operation. Ron and I went to a concert given by the R.A.M.C. at night, it was very good indeed. In fact, we’ve something on our plate to beat it. The skipper and D.C. troops was there. O.C. is something of a comedian. He gave us a talk about discipline etc and then the skipper gave one too. Captain Ames, the skipper is a fine fellow with white snowy hair. A typical sea captain. I think we changed course to E.N.E. today.
7th July Sunday 1940 Church Parade on Prom Deck. The O.C. and the skipper were there. We had rather an amusing service, as the water from the open air swimming pool kept splashing us with the motion of the ship, and wetting the skpper and padre, etc.
Nothing unusual happened during the day but towards the night we changed formation to in-lin-ahead with Queen Mary in front, Aquatania second and us behind. By the way, out total escort now is one cruiser. However, we have one six inch gun, one 3” a.a. gun and a Lewis gun. The QM and the Aquatania are similarly armed and the cruiser carries two walrus aircraft, so we aren’t badly armed.
There are rumours that we shall see land tomorrow. Its impossible to work out our position for ourselves because we keep zig zagging all the time. So the rumours is not counted on.
Walruss: In the campaigns in Norway and East Africa it was used as a combat aircraft, even performing some ground attack and bombing sorties.
8th July Monday 1940 This morning was pretty dull, but the rumours proved correct. Just before going down for a swim, there were shouts and cheers. The lads had spotted land, which turned out to be Freetown, Sierra Leone. After the swim we went on deck and practically the whole draft lined the rails while we sailed up the fairway past the boom and dropped anchor in the harbour at 1 pm. The harbour was packed with shipping, tankers, freighters, naval vessels, fishing boats, tugs, pilot boats, yachts and last and least, the natives in their canoes.
Everybody was in high spirits for it was the first bit of land seen for 9 days. Freetown, and all the country around it as far as we can see, is a lovely picture. First of all, coming down the fairway in Freetown you see the lovely wooded hills shrouded in mist, then as you get closer you can see the beach and the palms coming down to the water’s edge. Also, a lighthouse on the starboard side of the river mouth coming nearer still, on of two plantations on the hillside and then round a slight curve, the town.
All around the town, almost lost in the dense vegetation are houses, mostly white, almost lost in the dense vegetation on the hills. Then every 100 yards or so narly all the houses in or around Freetown are white, or cream with red roofs. Just after dropping anchor, the rain started, and how! The real downpour lasted for ¼ of an hour but it drizzled all day on and off.
Freetown Harbour circa 1940
I watched the natives in their canoes this afternoon. Some will dive for money, others, the older ones sell fruit, native baskets, monkeys etc. They are marvellously built men. I bought a silk handkerchief from one of them. Cost me 6d and 4 woodbines, but we couldn’t go ashore so it was the only way of getting a souvenir. I went on deck after tea, but soon went below. The atmosphere could be cut with a knife.
Darkness fell about 7 o clock. A tanker came alongside this afternoon and started refuelling us. We can almost touch the men on her from our porthole. She is the Pondilus of London, most of her crew seem to be Japs.
9th July Tuesday 1940 We woke this morning after a night of purgatory owing to all portholes having to be shut, and found ourselves still in the harbour. However, about 8 a.m. we felt the ship shudder and we were off again. Most of the smaller shipping moved with us, but once out of the harbour mouth we opened out and left them standing, as it were.
We speeding faster than ever before now simply tearing through the water. I think we must be behind schedule. It hardly seems possible that all this weight, 35,000 tons, can move so fast. I put my head out of the porthole two mins since and the air rushing past nearly tore it off. My last glimpse of Sierra Leone was the pale blue mount mountains white capped with clouds. I played Ron at draughts in the afternoon. At night Ron wanted to write up his diary so I went to a sing song in the aft canteen.
10th July Wednesday 1940 Weather has been slightly cooler today, although we crossed the line. We had the usual parades this morning but this afternoon we had a good laugh watching the ceremony of crossing the line. Old Father Neptune and Davy Jones were, I believe, two of the shops company. Besides Davy Jones and Neptune there were 2 bears ( 2 R.A.M.C. blokes ) half a dozen corp’s, also R.A.M.C. A barber, executioner, doctor and a bloke with a black face and a blue dress, I don’t know what he was supposed to be. There were also 6 or 7 sea nymphs (mermaids).
The ceremony consists of subjecting the victim to a mock trial. The victim is always guilty. He is then daubed with slimy paint, his mouth is filled with soap, and he is then sat on a tip up chair on the edge of the open air swimming pool. Daubing him with more slime of various colours, he is then shaved with a wooden razor and finally tipped into the pool to be dealt with by the bears who are floating around all the time. It was very good fun ( although one or two of the victims looked a bit fed up).
The show and make up rather reminded me of Leed’s Rag Day. I went to the pictures tonight in the Grand Hall. It was the Ware base. Actually it was for No2 mess but I managed to get in. I think we are going due south now. Still speeding.
11th July Thursday 1940 The weather is slightly cooler, and we had the usual routine. I played Ron at draughts again, after which we went to a concert in the Sgts mess.
12th July Friday 1940 Weather is cooler still today and we had the usual routine, except that Lt Fletcher instructed our squad on rifle drill and P.T. He certainly knows his stuff, but shouts too much, Henry gave us another concert this afternoon in Ron’s cabin ( Henry is a variety show on his own ). I spent the night playing draughts again with Ron and Sayer. We were paid again today 10/- There was another sing song in the aft canteen tonight but unfortunately we didn’t go. Unfortunate because Henry gave one of his shows. We had another boat drill today. I was right in the middle of a letter when the alarm went.
13th July Saturday 1940 Lt Fletcher too us for rifle drill again, but not for P.T. The morning passed as usual. Ron and I went to the Grand Hall this afternoon and I saw ‘The Ware base’ again. I spent the evening washing clothes, arguing and playing draughts with Ron. The weather is very cool now and orders say we have to wear S.D. tomorrow.
14th July Sunday 1940 We had church parade on deck again. The weather was rather chilly at times, so it’s a good job we had on our S.D. Ron and I spent the afternoon on deck. We played the usual game at night. I won for a change. According to orders we shall be in Cape Town soon.
15th July Monday 1940 The usual routine, except for baths being stopped indefinetly. We changed course again at night in-line-ahead, so I think we’ll be in Cape Town tomorrow.
16th July Tuesday 1940 We sighted the Cape at about 6.30 this morning. At first we could only see the tips of the mountains. Coming closer we could make out Table Mountain, a really marvelous sight! The rock seems absolutely perpendicular from the sea until you get near enough to see the town.
Gradually the whole town comes into view and the docks and lighthouses as well. There are two lighthouses, one on the eastern side of the bay and one of the west. Cape Town and Table Mountain itself are right at the back of the bay and the mountains, or the mountain, Table Mountain comes gradually down on either side, on the east for about 4 miles on the west for about 1 mile. Also, the west is a very large hill called Green Point, very similar to Olivers Mount at Scarborough. The whole forms a natural harbour about 5 miles square.
Cape Town itself is practically isolated from the rest of the peninsular owing to the terrific mountains surrounding it on three sides. The only ways out are around the cliff and mountain roads and railways cut into the sheer mountain sides. There is also a marvellous rope railway from the centre of town right up to the top of the table. Sometimes the clouds cover just the slope of the Table for all the world like a table cloth. It really is a lovely sight and I’m not much good at describing it so I’ll leave that to the picture postcards. I’m afraid my eloquence won’t do it justice.
Well, we dropped anchor about 10 p.m. and tied up to the harbour. Queen Mary and the Aquatania stayed just outside the harbour. We stood on the deck admiring the view till finally we had our passes issued and we went ashore.
I shall never forget the marvellous time we had ashore. I won’t try to describe it in detail but the Cape Towners gave us a glorious time. As we walked from the docks into town, motorists stopped and took the lads on sightseeing tours all around the district. Afterwards, stopping again at hotels or their private houses, or roadhouses and treating the lads to drinks, ten course dinners, cigars, cigarettes, chocolate, fruit, in fact we were given the run of the town.
The folks were viing with each other as too who could take the most soldiers out. I think most of the people had the day off from work, some had two. There were organized tours the second day in private cars. They have a two minutes silence every morning here when a bugle sounds in memory of the men who fell in the last war.
The native people are very loyal to us, but hate the Dutch, some of whom will not observe the silence. The ceremony however is very impressive. I was very much struck by the way the white people seem to be able to run big cars. Everybody seems to have a big car, most of which are American 30 h.p. 40h.p and 60 are not uncommon.
17th July Wednesday 1940 We were allowed out till 10 o clock today. We had another marvelous day. Ron and I went ashore about 11 a.m. Walked into town, about 5 mins walk and spent an hour or so walking around the town, after which were picked up by a car whilst we stood talking to three of the lads in the street.
We were picked up by a man and woman. The man was an agent for an insurance firm, the lady stayed at the same hotel and he was taking her there from her office. Well, we all went to his hotel met the rest of the people there including his wife. He then gave us two or three drinks and then we had dinner. After dinner we went for a long tour round Table Mountain, the Rhodes Memorial, Hout Bay. In fact all around the place.
We called for a drink at a roadhouse in Hout Bay after which we went back to his hotel for tea. After tea we ended a perfect day playing billiards with the folks in the hotel. We set off back for the boat in the car about 9.40 and arrived back just in nice time. There we left them after promising to write when we arrived where we were going. He also made us promise to call and see him if ever we came back this way.
18th July Thursday 1949 Well, all good things come to an end, and this morning we moved out of the harbour to the accompaniment of many groans of disgust and sailed round the point of the Cape round to Simon’s Town, a naval base near Cape Town about 20 miles away. We arrived about 12 a.m. and dropped anchor alongside the Aquatania and Queen Mary, who, I forgot to mention had sailed round to here yesterday. The cruiser escorting us now is the Australian ship ‘Canberra’.
We left the old Cumberland at Cape Town. At first we thought we might be going ashore because we could see the lads from the other two boats sending lads ashore in tugs. Anyway, we stayed aboard all day.
Canberra, was a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) heavy cruiser of the Kent subclass of County class cruisers.
19th July Friday 1940 A tanker, The British Loyalty of London came alongside this morning and started fuelling us again. Most of us spent the morning fishing, the sea is alive with fish. However, bent pins and cotton aren’t much good for sea fishing and I’m afraid we didn’t exactly get a large haul. I caught some after about 2 hours fishing on a line about 80 ft long. It was a queer fish. When pulling it up the side the thing blew up like a balloon and when we examined it on deck we found it had teeth and croaked like a frog.
The tanker left us about 1 p.m. and then they started preparing to sail again. We set off about 2.30 pm. Whilst we were being paid. I got 10/- again today. We had an extra escort of two coastal command aircrat. I believe they were Avro Anson’s. Once out of the bay we sailed east and spent the rest of the day and night in rough weather in the Indian Ocean.
20th July Saturday 1940
The sea is rather rough today. We have been rolling around all over the place. There were no real parades today so we had practically the whole day free. We had a sad blow this afternoon, we had to move out of our cabin to make room for the offices. I am now sleeping in the 3rd class lounge. I am now sleeping on a dilapidated camp bed instead of a spring bed but there are about 40 of us in here so we should have some fun.
21st July Sunday 1940 It appears that the Cumberland has been with us since we left Cape Town, although she was out of sight. This morning at 9 o clock she came over the horizon, came close to us, flashed a message to us and sped back in the direction she had come. The message was pinned up on the notice boards. It read:
Commodore Convoy Troops and Nursing Staff “ Goodbye and best of Luck” Cumberland
I wish we were going back with them. There was the usual Church parade on deck. Ron and I didn’t go.
22nd July Monday 1940 Nothing unusual happened day. The usual routine.
23rd July Tuesday 1940 We changed back into K.D. Usual routine. The sea is getting slightly rougher. There are hundreds of rumours as to where we are going – Colombo, Aden, Mombase, China. I gave up believing rumours back in dear old England.
24th July Wednesday 1940 The sea is very rough today sometimes we seem to rise clean out of the water. We had an official check parade this morning instead of the usual parade. I spent the afternoon on the foredeck watching the spray coming over the side. I was nearly blown over myself once when the wind blew me from the bows to the f’oclse. I was wet through 3 or 4 times trying to dodge the spray.
25th July Thursday 1940 The sea is still rough today. In fact I believe its rougher than yesterday. The wind is also stronger and we had quite a job trying to walk about without bumping into the walls and door posts. We had half an hour P.T. this morning and the Pay Parade. We got £1 this time. I missed dinner and tea today as I felt slightly off colour and thought I’d feel better if I laid down. I spent the day from 11.30 laying on my bed and taking it easy.
26th July Friday 1940 The sea is still rough. We were dismissed at 9.30 this morning as the preliminary sports were run off this morning. The finals were run this afternoon. I spent the morning on the foredeck watching the sea again. This afternoon and night I spent writing more letters.
27th July Saturday 1940 Nothing unusual except for heavy weather
28th July Sunday 1940 No Church Parade today. Rifle inspection instead. I spent most of the night watching a lighthouse on the starboard. They say we shall be in Colombo in the morning at 11. High spirits tonight.
29th July Monday 1940 We sighted Ceylon at about 9.30. Land is very flat and very difficult to see. I think we had some trouble this morning as we came in, for the cruiser dropped behind and when on the horizon fired four or five salvos. Anyhow, we carried on, and waited outside the harbour for the pilot. The most outstanding thing in Colombo, seen from the sea, is a massive sign “Ceylon for good tea”.
The pilot came out in his launch to the Aquatania first and took her in. Then another pilot came out and gave instructions to our skipper, such as they were. It was rather funny. The pilot in his small launch shouts up to the skipper “ alright come in, are you clear?” the skipper shouts “Have I to ignore the signal FFC” so the pilot shouts back “Aye, this is all right lad, come in” so in we went, dropped anchor about 11.30. We were as usual free for the day so I spent the time watching the natives in their boats. I was twisted out of 3/- for 2 elephants ( ebony )
30th July Tuesday 1940 Went ashore in the tenders at about 10.45 am. We were marched through the town to a point on the sea front and dismissed till 5.30 pm. We were stopped by a lady who offered to take us a lift in her car. First call was the bank where we changed our money. The rate is 6 Ruppees 60 cents for 10/-.
Our next call was the Sundae tea rooms where we had a light lunch of tea and cakes and egg on toast. After a short tour around the town we accompanied her to her house ( we were accompanied by her friend who was also driving some of the lads around ) where we had a drink of pretty good beer.
The house had been built by some of the early Dutch settlers and was very cool. At one o clock our guide brought us back to town and left us as she had an appointment in the afternoon. I spent the afternoon walking around the place for a while and riding around in a rickshaw. I also made a call to the GPO and posted two postcards.
I had a very interesting time bargaining with the natives but they stung me in the end. I bought a ring for 2 ruppees which I could have bought for 6d in Leeds. I spent a very interesting ½ hour as I was walking back to the collecting point talking to an upper class Bengalese man who seemed to want to tell me about Ceylon.
About 5.30 we returned to the ship after a very good day ashore. In the evening the Captain of the “Mauretania” gave a speech of farewell and I spent the rest of the time packing up.
31st July Wednesday 1940 Sad day. About 9.30 we left the old “Mauretania” in lighters and boarded a much smaller ship that was lying about 200 yds away. She was one of the P&O & BI ships. The SS Amra of London.
SS Amra of London
Rather a big change from the other. Most of us were bunged down into the hold about water level. The ship stinks. She is manned by Lascars, some of the officers are Lascars, at any rate, brown. Its almost like the Black Hole of Calcutta.
We immediately christened her the “Allmark?” and said that it was a pity we couldn’t sail in her. We eat at messes of 14. In our hold there are 6 tables of 14 men. We were issued with eating utensils this morning. All cooking is done by the natives in their galley. It’s not too bad although everything seems to have a peculiar smell.
We spent the night in hammocks and apart from one or two lads getting nasty bruises and one a fractured wrist we didn’t do so bad. I spent a whole hour adjusting mine so that was impossible to fall out.
1st August Thursday 1940 Reveille 6 a.m. What a mess. Everybody trying to get washed, changed, dressed & cleaned up at once and everyone getting half strangled in his hammock strings whilst trying to untie it. The weather is very sultry. The day passed monotonously and the sooner we get off here the better. I hope we aren’t on longer than a week.
There are four meals a day. Breakfast at 8.0, Dinner at 12.45, tea at 3.15 and supper 6.30. No smoking is allowed in the hold so we have to go on deck. What a life! The troops from the Queen Mary have been arriving in the harbour. Queen Mary is at the Naval Base. Was mess orderly today. Uh!
I nearly forgot to mention that we have plenty of company down here. There are hundreds of cockroaches some of them almost as big as cats.
2nd August Friday 1940 Reveille 6 a.m. Parade at 9.30. We had a lecture how we were to carry on whilst on board and then were dismissed. We sailed from Colombo at 14.15 hrs. I think there are 11 ships in the convoy two of which are auxillary cruisers for escort. The sky is rather overcast and there is a heavy swell on the sea. The ship pitched and tossed quite a bit, although not as much as I’d expected.
3rd August Saturday 1940 Bank Holiday Saturday! Marvellous day! Spent all day from Reveille to bed time lounging around the ship. Wrote one letter home at night.
4th August Sunday 1940 Just sailed on
5th August Monday 1940 Same again
6th August Tuesday 1940 We sighted Bombay at about 9 o clock and were told to be ready to go ashore at any minute. However, we missed the tide or something so we dropped anchor just outside harbour and stayed there all day. I was mess orderly again.
7th August Wednesday 1940 A very disappointing day after looking forward to going ashore and hanging around all day watching the other shops go in then are told we are not going in till the morning. Everyone is fed up just now, nothing to do at all. There was a blackout tonight for some half brained reason, the other shops and the town are lit up but our ship is blacked out.
The army works in a weird and wonderful way! There was a good variety of rumours today, caused, I suppose by our idleness. One is that were not supposed to be on this draft. Another, that we are only here for four months training then going back to England. What a hope! There is also rumour that enemy subs have been sighted outside the harbour. What may, or my not account for the blackout. At any rate I don’t believe any.
We have to be up at 4.45 tomorrow as they say we are going in on the early tide. However, knowing the army as I do, I shouldn’t be surprised if we were still aboard this hooker tomorrow night. I’m afraid if we are, there will be a riot!
8th August Thursday 1940 Paraded with full kit on deck this morning. Reveille 4.45 expected going ashore, as we moved into dock about 7 a.m. However, after hanging around on deckt till 10.30 am we were told to take kit off and parade again. We then paraded again, walked ashore, and were marched to a dismissal point in the centre of Bombay, which was a picture house. We were in our thick shirts and shorts. Very warm.
We were dismissed at 11 and Ron and Goodwin and I went for a walk round. First we went to an insurance place and changed our money. I got 4/- Ruppees 5 annas for 8/6. We then went for dinner to a recommended restaurant. We had a good feed and did we enjoy it!
We then walked around again, I wish I had the space and time to write of the queer things we saw! Snake charmers, beggars, pariahs, fakirs, Buddhists, Brahmn monks, Moslems and Hindus, all sorts of men and customs. Each separate sect have a different distinguishing mark. Some have a star shape burnt into their foreheads, some have a ring, and others just a black dot of paint. Everyone seems to have a different marking.
About an hour after dinner we met three more of our lads and finally we decided to go for a bus ride. We caught the first bus and each gave the conductor 2 annas and told him to tell us to get off when we’d had our 2 annas worth . As it happened, we were lucky and our ride finished just outside the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The museum is in the middle of the Zoological Gardens. First all we went round the museum and then around the gardens. Actually, it was a museum, garden and zoo combined so as we walked around the garden we also saw the animals.
The weather was very hot but there were occasional heavy showers. However, after a very enjoyable walk around we caught a bus back to town and went to the pictures. Saps at Sea was the title and Laurel and Hardy were the actors. I thought it too daft to laugh at and was almost bored to tears. The seats were half price ( 9 annas ).
The picture house was a pretty modern one. The only difference from an English picture house was the numerous electric fans around the place. A very noticeable thing when the show was over the “The King” was played was that ¾ of the audience comprised mostly of natives, walked straight out ( By the way, today is the day that Britain offered India her independence ). Also I forgot to say that the natives have been celebrating the feast of the Sun God and we saw several processions through the streets.
After the show we went to the café again for tea. I had the same as I had for dinner, egg and chips etc. We then went for a general walk around the native quarter and then back to the ship. There was a check parade at 10 o clock. We just got back in nice time. As we had handed our hammocks in we had to make the best of it and sleep on the deck or the tables.
9th August Friday 1940 The vibration of the ships engines woke me this morning and when I looked out I found that we had moved to another part of the docks. At about 9.30 we paraded in full marching order and disembarked to the quayside. After standing there for the usual ½ hour while the officers checked up, we embarked on another ship. This was the “HMT Devonshire”, a regular troopship which had moved into dock an hour earlier and moored next berth to us.
The Devonshire is a proper troopship and has only been built 12 months. Everything is spick and span and run to a fixed system, a big contrast to the “Amra”. I should imagine she is a 20,000 tonner. We spent the day watching th loading up of the supplies etc and walking around the docks. We were allowed ashore within the dock boundary for about 4 hours. I turned in about 9.30 but about ½ hour afterwards went on deck as I felt the ship moving. However, it turned out to be a short move to the entrance of the harbour where we tied up in readiness to move straight off in the morning.
HMT Devonshire ( Troopship )
10th August Saturday 1940 We left Bombay this morning about 7.30. The weather was pretty rough and we seem to be having rough going. Our convoy consists of 11 troopships, 1 cargo ship and 2 auxillary cruisers. I don’t think we are doing above 10 knots. The Deovnshire armaments consists of two A.A. guns and two Lewis guns.
I reported this morning for special duty at 9 a.m. There are 10 of us who have to sweep the decks 3 times a day. 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. I think it’s a permanent job. Worst luck! Anyhow, we get out of parades. The job takes about ¾ hour each time and the rest of the day is our own. There are one or two duties to do aboard this ship so we may have landed a good job.
11th August Sunday 1940 I had some trouble dropping off to sleep last night and since we weighed anchor the portholes have been closed. Our mess is right forward and the water comes well abouve our portholes when it’s rough. The room is very hot.
12th August Monday 1940 Sea very rough today. Weather pretty dull. Nothing particular happened today. I slept on deck at night.
13th August Tuesday 1940 Sea rougher still. The ship almost stands up vertical. The weather is still cool and dull. We had and air raid practice this morning. I think they are expecting a bit of trouble. The crew say this ship has been bombed every time she has been on this route before.
I spent the evening on deck listening to the wireless speaker ( records ) and practising shorthand with H.Riley. We are still going west.
14th August Wednesday 1940 The sea is still rough, but not quite as bad as yesterday. Still heading due west. We had another practice this morning and nothing unusual has happened during the day, except that we had our lemonade ration stopped owing to the fact that someone smashed the padlock off the ice box and won’t own up. Sad day! Most of the lads seem to be getting over the sea-sickness now.
The current rumour is that we are going to Aden. I think its very likely, and according to my reckoning we should be either Saturday or Sunday. The distance by regular trade route is 1600 miles approx.
15th August Thursday 1940 Sea not quite as rough. Our escort was strengthened this morning by a cruiser of the Leander class at about 11 o clock. She patrols up and down in a zig zag direction across the front of the convoy. I found out this morning how deceptive distance is at sea. When the shops blow the foghorns the steam coming from the whistles stops tow or three seconds before the sound. So, by calculating the distance the shops are away from us, I generally found they are about 4 times as far away as they look.
16th August Friday 1940 The sea became smoother during the night, and this morning it was just like a sheet of glass. It was a marvellous sight. The sun was very hot. From today until we land, we have to carry our respirators and tin hats, lifebelts around with us wherever we go, Also from, and starting tomorrow morning reveilled is at 4.30 and we must parade at 5 on the main deck with lifebelt etc and stand by till sunrise.
They mounted a couple of extra Lewis guns on the bridge this morning. I guess we shall be seeing some action soon. We had another addition to our escort this morning when we were joined by another naval vessel. I don’t know if she is a destroyer or cruiser as she is too far away. I spent most of the day watching the sea as it was very easy to see the fish with it being calm.
There were all sorts of fish around this morning, sun fish, dolphins, flying fish and others I can’t name. Some are coloured every colour in the rainbow. We were paid again this afternoon, the usual ten bob. I also washed a few socks etc. I spent the evening on deck with Ron watching the washing dry. The sea had by the evening become slightly rougher.
We slept on deck tonight as it was covered with the canvas awnings this morning and so we were safe from rain. We had to sleep on the top deck as they filled two small collapsible swimming pools on the main deck today and consequently the deck is soaked.
17th August Saturday 1940 This morning the sea was as smooth as glass again. We stood by at 4.30 till sunrise. We had a lecture on deck at 10.30, after which we were joined by another convoy of 5 ships and a naval sloop. Our convoy now consists of about 16 shops and 5 naval vessels. Earlier this morning 2 of our original convoy left us and turned inland. I think they are going to Aden with some R.A.F aboard.
We heard some rumbling noises like gunfire this morning and when the news was read out tonight it appears that It was our navy off Somaliland which was firing on the advancing Italians.
We sighted land this evening on each side of the ships. There were mountains, one of which had a lighthouse on top. I think we are now in the Red Sea as we are told that this is the most dangerous part of the trip.
18th August Sunday 1940 Stand by again this morning. Sea smooth as glass. Direction NNW. Ships steaming in two lines now. I met a lad from Meanwood on deck in the morning. Smith is his moniker and he is in the RASC.
The weather was much warmer today. The temperature on our mess deck averages about 95 degrees. I slept on deck at night.
19th August Monday 1940 There was no official stand by this morning, but just after Reveille a plane was sighted and all took cover. However, after 5 mins the ‘all clear’ was blown and we resumed our duties. It was a Blenheim of ours. Later in the morning we also saw an Avro Anson but no alarm was given, nothing unusual happened during the rest of day. Weather, sweltering.
Slept on deck. I was sick in the afternoon. Think it is the after effects of the rough sea.
20th August Tuesday 1940 HO stand by. I reported sick. Go for treatment 3 times a day for 2 days. Don’t feel very good. Excused duties so I took it easy all day. Nothing unusual occurred, except that the navy plane got into slight difficulties whilst landing, which caused the cruiser a slight delay.
I think we have passed Port Sudan so I expect we are going to Cairo. I think we should be there by Friday.
21st August Wednesday 1940 Orders to be ready for disembark
22nd August Thursday 1940 Disembarked at Port Suez. Went by train to Maadi Camp, 10 miles south of Cairo. Additional Information
Queen Mary troop movements. War records show the Captain as Captain Irving. This convoy was recorded and confirms the actual dates of W.Staveley’s account. The Queen Mary was in convoy with the other ships.
June 29, 1940 to July 8, 1940
Clyde to Freetown
4,233
9 days, 0 hours, 42 minutes
19.60k
WW #3
Irving
July 9, 1940 to July 16, 1940
Freetown to Cape Town
3,507
6 days, 19 hours, 36 minutes
21.43k
WW #3
Irving
July 17, 1940
Cape Town to Simonstown
85
0 days, 4 hours, 13 minutes
20.19k
WW #3
Irving
“Reveille” is a bugle call most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise.
11 Prospect road is the small house with the door to the right of the shop.
Ethel May Staveley (1893-1976) was born at 11 Prospect Road in Scarborough on September 3rd 1893, the daughter of John Staveley (1861-1909) & Mary Elizabeth Staveley ( nee Boynton ) (1864-1944).. The 1901 census shows the family living at 1 James Place in Scarborough. Her father, John Staveley, is documented as being a van man mineral water salesman. Also listed at this address is his son George aged 15, Eliza aged 13, Ethel May aged 8 and Walter Boynton aged 5. Note the absence of John’s wife Elizabeth. Perhaps she was visiting relatives.
In 1914 according to the marriage bans Ethel May is living at 16 Low Street, Tong in Keighley. Ethel’s sister Eliza was also living at this address prior to her marriage to George Harry Painter in 1913. William Singleton Munday has his home address listed as 17 Lily Street, Huddersfield. His father, Singleton Munday is a Moulder by trade.. William Singleton Munday has his home address listed as 17 Lily Street, Huddersfield. His father, Singleton Munday is a Moulder by trade. Ethel May Staveley & William Singleton Munday get married on 23rd December 1914.
Delivered as Esperance Bay for Australian Government
On 28th August 1923 the family boards the ship – Esperance Bay from London to Adelaide. The passenger list reads: William Singleton Munday of Cross Road, Keighley, a farm worker aged 29 who is accompanied by Ethel May aged 29 and daughters Hilda age 3 and Clarice age 2. The family arrive in Australia and settle down to life in their new adopted country.
The new home circa 1925. Clarice and Hilda in front of the house.
On Saturday 5th May 1934 an entry in the Adelaide Advertiser – Pilling, formerly Munday, nee Pickles – On 3rd May, Mary Alice, dear mother of William Singleton Munday and loving grandma of Hilda & Clarice, Black Forest Estate – aged 63 years.
Another advertisement is placed under Silver Weddings in the Adelaide Advertiser on December 23rd 1939 – MUNDAY-STAVELEY – On 23rd December 1914, at St Mary’s Church, Tong. Bradford. William Singleton, only son of the late Mrs M.A. Pilling and the late Mr Singleton Munday of Bradford, Yorkshire, England to Ethel, youngest daughter of the late Mr John Staveley of Scarborough, Yorkshire, England. Present address, 10 Dryden Road, Black Forest Estate, South Australia.
In 1941 the family is still living at Dryden Road. William Singleton Munday is mentioned in the news when he is assualted by a Henry John Rivers and receives compensation. At this time he holds the position as secretary of the Moulders Union. The Federated Moulders Union was a fairly militant union representing moulders – skilled tradesmen who fabricated the moulds for casting metal products in foundries.
It was during 1941 that work ceased in all of South Australian foundries with 800 men of the Iron Moulders Union demanding more pay. It needed to be resolved fairly quickly because the government did not want to hold up the production of munitions.
The family had a nice home in Adelaide. All would appear well but unfortunately there was bad news to come. In 1948 Ethel May Munday is petioning William Singleton Munday for divorce on the grounds of his adultery. This must have been a very painful experience for the family. Our Aunt Ethel would have been 55 years old. Clarice is 27 and Hilda is 29.
Ethel May marries George Stoddart on 5th December 1949
Despite the difficulties and trauma that this must have caused there is a happy ending. Ethel May Staveley ( Munday ) would find a new love in her life. On December 5th 1949 in Adelaide she would marry George Stoddart who was originally from the town of Amphitheatre in the county of Victoria. They would remain together until his death in 1957. George’s wife – Lilian Ada Stoddart ( nee Dillon ), who he had married on 30th September 1916 in Adelaide. She had passed away in 1939 and he had 2 sons and two daughters by this marriage.
Hilda, Aunt Ethel, the Staveley family and Clarice far right.
In 1969 whilst returning from service in Hong Kong on board the cruise ship “SS Oronsay” with his family, Walter Staveley (1921-2005) called in and visited Aunt Ethel in Adelaide. The descendents of our Australian relatives still live in Australia and can be viewed on our family tree.
George Stoddart and Ethel May Stoddart are buried at the Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia.
To view the family tree of Ethel May Staveley click here.
There is a large and impressive alabaster memorial tomb in Hunmanby Church. The inscription on the tomb reads “Tomb erected to the memory of Robert Staveley, died 1742, age 2. William Staveley died in Jamaica 1765 age 36 ( 1729 – 1765 ). This tomb was restored in 1900 by two great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter of William and Rosamund Staveley. They being:- The Right Hon. Alexander Staveley Hill Q.C. M.P.”
When I visited the church with my father back in 1992 he took one look at the dates and the connection with Jamaica and said “I hope they are nothing to do with our lot”! The business connections of this family, particularly the three brothers William, Richard and Luke had extensive and intricate trade connections with Jamaica that may or may not have been legitimate.
The Island of Jamaica – 1780
Interestingly, there is a reference to a Stavley Park in Jamaica on the Legacies of British Slavery website of the University College London. It reads: John Miller, merchant, born circa 1778 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, husband of Mary Robinson McCook, born Jamaica. Described also as a merchant in Kingston, Jamaica. Awarded compensation as co-owner of 3 enslaved persons in Kingston, Jamaica, and for 19 enslaved persons on Stavely Park in Jamaica as executor of Robert Hamilton. Could one of the Staveley family have founded this Stavely Park Estate?
St Augustine the Less Church in Bristol – damaged by fire in 1940 and demolished in 1962
I spent some time trying to add further detail to the research that Peter Staveley carried out. St Augustine the Less was a Church of England parish church in Bristol, England, first attested in 1240, rebuilt in 1480, damaged in 1940 by fire, and demolished in 1962. They do not appear to have any information relating to the marriage of William Staveley to Elizabeth Lee in 1781.
There is an interesting entry in the Jamaica baptism records in 1801 showing the birth of a daughter Ann to a Richard and Ann Staveley but nothing else before or after this date which gives us any indication as to what happened to them before or after this event.
Perhaps we will never know what really happened to the Staveley members that died in Jamaica. Their lives and involvement in trade, legal or otherwise whilst they were in Jamaica, may never be revealed to us. I have nothing more to add and I hope that one day someone can fill in the details for us.
Bristol & Jamaica connections
Bristol Harbour in 1780
1773 – William Staveley pilot for the Port of Bristol
1779 – 23rd October – Ship “Polly” sailing from Jamaica to Bristol under Captain Staveley is captured by a French ship “The Monsieur”.
1781 – 30th December – Marriage of William Staveley to Elizabeth Lee at St Augustine the Less. Bristol.
1782 – 18th March – William Staveley, Captain of the Bristol Privateer “The Queen”.
Note: This William mentioned above may be the son of William Staveley (1729-1765), elder brother of Luke Staveley of Bridlington line who died in Jamaica aged 36 and who is recorded on the Hunmanby Church Monument. Note that on Jamaica records the surname is spelt Stavely.
An extract from the will of William Staveley 1729-1765 leaving property to his brothers.
Note: William (1729-1765 ) leaves a will dated 5th May 1766 which calls into question the death date of 1765. It is is extremely hard to read. It provides a wife with a yearly annuity of £4 and there is some reference to a provision for a Mary and Elizabeth which would probably be Luke’s wives. The will mentions his mother Rosamund as Rose and shares his property equally with his four brothers Richard, Thomas, Luke and Robert equally. There is also a reference to a Captain Croplon.
Additionally, two of Luke Staveleys sons from his first wife MARY FROUD – William (1765-1811) and Richard Staveley (1773 -1804) are both thought to have died in Jamaica.
1801 – Ann Staveley, daughter of Ann Jane Davison guardian (girl born?) by Richard Staveley was baptised 30th September in Kingston.
1804 – 10th June – Richard Stavely burial in Jamaica. He is listed as a clerk who died from fever. Perhaps he was keeping merchant records for his Staveley family business back home in England? Ref: Kingston Burial Records – Volume 2, page 310.
1811 – 3rd March – Ellen Frances Stavely – Mother and Father Stavely – Belonging to John Henry Barrett Esq. – Kingston Baptism Records – Volume 2, line 14, page 104.
1837 – 5th March – Dunwell Stavely- Christening. Parents:Stavely. 1839 – 14th April – Edward Stavely-Christening. Parents: Thomas & Olivia Stavely 1852 – 4th March – James Staveling – Baptism
Details from Peter Staveley Notes
On Oct 23 1779, the ship Polly, whilst sailing from Jamaica to Bristol under a Captain Stavely, was captured by the Monsieur, a French privateer, and carried into St Malo. (info. taken from The Belfast Newsletter, 29th October-2nd November 1779, p2.) This just may be the same Staveley skipper as the Queen above, some three years later.
The Marriage of William Staveley to Elizabeth Lee at St. Augustine the Less, Bristol on 30 Dec 1781. This is only Staveley event in Bristol I have ever found and suspect it is our skipper.
I also suspect this William may just possibly be a son (currently unrecorded) of William Staveley (1728-65), elder brother of Luke Staveley of the Bridlington line – see later chapter), who died in Jamaica aged 36 and is recorded on the Staveley family Hunmanby church memorial.
Any son of this Jamaica William may well have been born about 1750-55 and, given Jamaica William’s possible seafaring background, any birth may have occurred in Jamaica or elsewhere, and hence left unrecorded. The Bridlington line was suspected, as you shall read later, to have connections in Jamaica and may even have had a certain smuggling heritage. This ‘son’ being a sea captain in his late 20’s (cabin boys were at sea from as young as 12), betwixt Jamaica and Bristol with the slave trade and sugar plantations/linen export, seems to tie in well.
The Black Rebellion in Jamaica in 1831 – The Baptist War
This is, however, all pure speculation, as almost all records of Bristol privateers were sadly destroyed by a Bristol fire in the 19th century. Research continues in this matter.
I was unable to locate a picture of the ‘Queen’, but above is the ‘Old England’, another Bristol privateer no doubt built by the same shipyard, as she was identical to the Queen in many aspects, having 3 masts, 2 gun decks, 280 tonnage, 120 compliment and so forth
Please let us know if you can find out any more information about these brothers and their connections with Jamaica.
The Staveley Family 