MELBOURNE, Robert Alfred

LT/KX 101260, Engineman, Royal Naval Patrol Service, H.M. Trawler Arthur Cavanagh

Born 09/02/1886, Hull

Died 11/03/1940, Age 54, death registered at Swansea

Address: 12 Poplar Road, Cleethorpes

Son of James and Mary Ann Melbourne

1891 – living with grandmother Mary J. Melbourne and 2 brothers John and Samuel, at Sculcoates

1901 – living with uncle Charles Smith (a colour grinder), aunt and his two brothers

1911 – living with wife Alice Maud (nee Green), labourer at a colour works, address Ockley Terrace, West Parade, Hull

The 1911 census shows that Robert was one of 13 children, 5 of whom had died by 1911. Perhaps the frequent arrival of new siblings was the reason why Robert was farmed out to various relatives.

Marriages – married Alice Maud in 1907, but she died in 1911. Then married Winifred Bielby in 1915. They had three children Winifred (born 1917), John R (born 1918) and Arthur T (born 1920). But second wife Winifred also died in 1920. Married for the third time in 1921, to Margaret E. Stearne.

1935 – living at the back of 135 Grimsby Road (a grocer’s shop)

Occupation (1939) – traveller engineer. He has had more luck with his third wife and she is still living and with him at 12 Poplar Road, Cleethorpes

Robert Melbourne was a veteran of the First World War, enlisting in the Royal Naval Reserve on 02/11/1914. He served on a number of vessels including Halcyon, Victory, Kingfisher, James Adams, Wm Beatty and Idaho, from which he was demobilized at Milford on 23/04/1919

The record shows he was 5ft 5½in tall, with blue eyes, fair complexion and a 35in chest. He had a tattoo of a tombstone and flowers on his right arm.

The Arthur Cavanagh was requisitioned for war service on 30/08/1939 and was converted to a minesweeper

Robert was the only man reported dead on the Arthur Cavanagh on 11/03/1940.