Died
17 - 18 April 1915 All buried 19 April 1915
Born
18 December 1879 McMullen
20 August 1872? Whitford
1889 Connor
Sources
Barrow News
Ancestry
navalhistory.net
Place
Walks
Themes
Peter McMullen, Richard Whitford, William Connor
McMullan
The Barrow News Saturday 24 April 1915 reported:
Barrow NewsA MARINE’S DEATH
INQUEST AT BARROW
At the Barrow Police Buildings, on Monday afternoon, Mr. Coroner F. W. Poole conducted an inquiry relative to the death of Peter McMullen, a private in the marines aboard one of H.M. ships in port. He was last seen alive at 1.45 a.m. on Saturday by Private Marshall, when he was walking about close to his hammock. Deceased did not speak, but looked as if he had been ‘slightly drunk’. At 2.30 a.m. Private Marshall was going the rounds of the ship when he found deceased lying on his back on the deck. He thought he was asleep at first, and when he shook him he got no response. Examination showed there was no life in the body.
The previous day, deceased, who was 35 years of age, did not eat any food.
A post-mortem conducted on the body by the police surgeon, Dr. Hughes, revealed the fact that death was due to natural causes.
A verdict to this effect was recorded.
Ancestry
From Ancestry we learn that Peter McMullen, Private, Royal Marines Light Infantry was billeted at Devonport at the time of the 1911 Census. He is listed as being from Derry, rather than Belfast. It is noted that he and many others belonged to HMS Sutlej, but had slept aboard HMS Andromeda.
Royal Marines Registers of Service Index
From the Royal Marines Registers of Service Index, we learn that he was born on 18 December 1879, and enlisted on 6 Feb 1899.
Stoker
1st Class Richard WHITFORD (158115) (RFR.Dev.B.434) H.M.S. Essex Aged 41
R H Whitford died on 19 April 1915. Husband of Alice Whifford (sic – from CWGC), of 21, Queen St., Devonport. I got his first name from Naval History.net.
Ancestry
From Ancestry he had married on 14 March 1899.
1911 Census
At the 1911 Census the family was living at 7 Holmans Buildings, where Richard Henry Whitford (38), born Veryan, Cornwall, was a labourer in H.M. Dockyard; Alice Whitford née Sullivan (33), wife, a machinist (tailoress) working at home, born Devonport; Violet May Whitford (12), at school, born Devonport; Alice Annie Whitford (5), at school, born Devonport; and Jane Sullivan (75), mother-in-law, born North Hill Parish, Cornwall. At the 1901 Census Richard, Alice & Violet had been living at 14 Holmans Buildings.
Royal Navy and Royal Marines War Graves Roll
From the Royal Navy and Royal Marines War Graves Roll, Richard’s DoB is given as 20 August 1872, and his birth place as Trewaitha, Cornwall. This is a parish of Veryan. From the Royal Navy Register of Seamen’s Services we find that he signed up for 12 years’ service on 4 November 1890, serving on various ships. He joined the Reserve on 5 November 1902, re-enrolling for 5 years from 5 November 1907, and after a further short period in the Reserve he joined HMS Essex on 15 April 1915, dying of “malignant scarlet fever” on the 19th April.
NB The Barrow News says that he died on Sunday 18 April 1915. He was buried on Tuesday 20 April.
Private William CONNOR
(4763) 4th Battn., Lancashire Fusiliers, died 17 April 1915, aged 26
Husband of Harriet Connor, of 120, Victoria Square, Oldham Rd., Manchester. Died of pneumonia. CWGC
The 4th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers stayed in the UK for the duration of the war.
Ancestry
Ancestry’s Registers of Soldiers’ Effects states that William Connor died on 17 April 1915 at Barrow Military Hospital (now Cambridge Street School) of pleurisy. There is a note on the edge of the paper dated 13 September 1915 which appears to say “for death’s child with our undertaking.” Presumably a child born posthumously.
I have been unable to be certain that I’d identified the right William Connor on Ancestry. Too many WillWGCiam Connor’s served in WW1, and then there’s William O’Connors …..
On 24 April 1915 the News recorded:
Barrow NewsBARROW CEMETERY SCENES
REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE
BURIAL OF MARINE, STOKER AND SOLDIER
The Barrow Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon was the scene of a unique and impressive occurrence, when the burial took place, about the same hour, of the remains of a marine, a naval reserve, and a Lancashire Fusilier. The two former belonged to one of H.M. ships which was stationed in the Barrow docks, and a profound degree of tragedy is mixed up with their respective deaths.
The naval reserve man, R. Whitford, of Queen-street, Devonport, only joined the vessel as stoker on Wednesday last week. He was taken ill the following day, removed to the local hospital for infectious diseases, and on Sunday died.
The marine was Private Peter McMullen, of Belfast, whose sudden end during Friday night has already been the subject of a coroner’s inquiry.
With the exception of a few relatives, the cortege which escorted both coffins to the Cemetery entirely consisted of Navy men and marines. The remains of Private McMullen were placed in a gun carriage, the coffin being wrapped with a Union Jack, and surmounted by the deceased’s helmet and other accoutrements. The conveyance, attended by the marines’ band, firing party under Lieut. Burrough, R.M.L.I. and a numerous contingent of marines and bluejackets, was drawn by sailors, and as the cortege proceeded through the town it made a mournful but impressive spectacle. The funeral party went to the isolation hospital (i.e. Devonshire Road Hospital – at the top of the Cemetery - now a housing estate) for the coffin of the deceased stoker, and entered the cemetery from the north side. A number of wreaths included two from the ship’s crew, and in the case of the marine, one from his colleagues of the R.M.L.I. Much public interest was manifested in the burials, and the funeral scenes were watched with the greatest reverence. The usual volleys at the marine’s grave were interspersed by appropriate music from the Marines’ Band, and the Last Post was sounded by a bandsman and Bugler Doidge, R.M.L.I. Among the officers who attended the interment were Capt. Watts and Capt. Rishmond, R.M.L.I.
A short distance away, the remains of a Lancashire Fusilier were being committed to a grave. Military honours were accorded. We understand that another death has occurred aboard the ship referred to above.
The ship referred to above was H.M.S. Essex, a Monmouth class cruiser. I can find no reference to a third death on her.
