Rodgerson, William

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Died

10th October 1918

Sources

Barrow News

Janice Cumming

Wikipedia

Cumbria BMD

Chief Stoker William Rodgerson

HMS Vivid

Janice Cumming provided:

From our research and help from Barrie Downer of the Barrow Submariners Association and Roger Brailsford, the Askam History Group believe that William served mainly on cruisers and battleships. According to the 1911 census he was born in 1873 in Lindale in Cartmel, He joined the Royal Navy on 13 October 1885 (which would make him 12 years old). Ships he served on included cruisers Doris, Leander, Blake, Dartmouth and Talbot and battleships Triumph and Terrible. As a Devonport Rating he always returned to HMS Vivid between drafts. Vivid was the Depot Ship and later the Barracks at Devonport, Plymouth.

He was married to Mary Jane and had one? (three?) daughter(s), Bertha Jackson Rodgerson and lived at 248 Ireleth Road. They had relatives, Mrs Tamar Jane Atkinson at 16 Hollowgate, Ireleth. Mrs Ella Henley of Steel Street, Askam remembers William Rodgerson when she was a small child, as he was related to her family.

Mary A Rodgerson died in 1947 (Cumbria BMD D/4A/68)

The Barrow News 12 October 1918 briefly reported:

DEATH OF SAILOR: The death occurred on Thursday night of Chief Stoker Wm Rodgerson, HMS Talbot. Deceased, who was 46 years of age, came home last Friday on 28 days leave. He was then ailing, and serious symptoms developed. He passed away on Thursday from pneumonia.
Barrow News, 12 October 1918

The following week 19 October, The News reported:

FUNERAL OF CHIEF STOKER RODGERSON

The funeral of Chief Stoker Rodgerson, HMS Talbot, whose death was reported in the last week’s “News”, took place at Ireleth Church on Sunday last. There was a very large number of relatives and friends present. The chief mourners were: Mrs. Rodgerson (widow), Mrs. Heaton, Miss Bertha and Kate Rodgerson (daughters), Mr. J. Rodgerson (brother), Mrs. Atkinson (mother-in-law), Mr. Jack Atkinson (brother- in-law), Mrs. Wilson, Mrs Stewart, Mrs. Preston (sisters-in-law), Mr. W. Atkinson, Sergeant Atkinson (brothers-in- law), Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Atkinson (brother and sister-in-law), Mr. Joseph Atkinson (sister-in-law) (sic), Mr. and Mrs. Poole (sister and brother-in-law), Reggie Atkinson (nephew), Stephen, Bob and Ally Stewart (nephews), Bessie Stewart (niece), Robert, John and Stephen Preston (nephews), Lottie Atkinson (niece), Fisher Poole (nephew). The bearers were a party of sailors from Barrow, assisted by neighbours. The members of the local Detachment 2^nd (V) Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, supplied the firing party under Sergeant. J. Gill. Lieut. A. E. Linnell, Lieut. P. Hodgson, and C.S.M. Richards were also present. The deceased had 23 years’ service in the navy, and was serving aboard the H.M.S. Doris during the South African war. He wore the African Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Persian Gulf Medal.
Barrow News, 19 October 1918

HMS DORIS

HMS Doris was an Eclipse-class protected cruiser built In Barrow-in-Furness for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s.

Under the command of Captain R. C. Prothero, she was flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harris when he was Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station in South Africa 1898-1900. In 1899 at least one of HMS Doris's QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) guns was mounted on an improvised carriage and used as a field gun in the Second Boer War. The gun used at Magersfontein was known as Joe Chamberlain. Captain Prothero, known as 'Prothero the Bad', was a man of violent temper who terrified his officers and crew alike.

She paid off at Devonport in May 1901, when, to honour her crew, the men of the other ships in the harbour spontaneously manned yards and sides and gave a salute. [Source]