Jonathan James Alderson
Admiralty Boiler Overseer
With an important job title – Admiralty Boiler Overseer – at a time of great innovation in naval construction, and with WW1 less than a year away, I expected to find more news coverage of the death of Mr. Alderson.
Instead, a brief account in the Barrow News 15 November 1913 read:
Barrow News, 15 November 1913VICKERSTONIAN’S DEATH. – Residents of Vickerstown and also his many friends at Barrow will hear with the deepest regret of the death of Mr. Jonathan James Alderson, one of the Government Inspector’s at the shipyard, which occurred at his residence, 72, Powerful-street, Vickerstown North, on Wednesday. The deceased gentleman, who had attained the age of 53 years, came to this district from the south, and had resided on the Island for between two and three years. He had not enjoyed the best of health for some time past, and had been under medical attention for an internal complaint. Since coming to Barrow, the late Mr. Alderson had made a host of friends on both sides of the channel, and was held in the highest respect and esteem by all who knew him. There is to mourn his loss a widow and a grown-up family, to whom much sympathy is to be extended.
The 1911 Census has the following members of the household listed:
| Jonathan James Alderson | Head | Age 50 | Admiralty Boiler Overseer | Born Lee, Kent |
| Emma Jane Alderson | Wife | 53 | Born Portsmouth, Hants | |
| John Henry Alderson | Son | 27 | Engineer (Fitter) Shipyard | Born Portsmouth, Hants |
| Minnie Ethel Alderson | Daughter | 23 | Born Portsmouth, Hants | |
| Dorothy Maud Alderson | Daughter | 21 | Born Portsmouth, Hants | |
| Joseph Albert Alderson | Son | 19 | Electrical Engineer Shipyard | Born Portsmouth, Hants |
The 1911 Census has them living at Plaistow, West Ham, with another son, George E., two years younger than John Henry.
In 1891 they had been living at Portsea, Portsmouth, where Jonathan was a boilermaker in the Dockyard.
In 1871 Jonathan was already living in Portsea, with his parents, Jonathan (born in Lee), Mary (born in Wakefield, Yorkshire) and brother Henry G., together with two lodgers. His father was a messenger in the Dockyard, and both the lodgers were labourers there.
