EMMISON, WILLIAM

Born 15/12/1884, Boston, baptised at St Botolph’s (The Stump) on 25/01/1885

Died 22/10/1941, age 57 (Death registered at Birkenhead)

Buried 27/10/1941

LT/KX 104291, Engineman, Royal Naval Patrol Service, H.M. Trawler Hornbeam (pennant no. T53)

Son of William Emmison and Susan Waddington

Husband of Clara Emmison (nee Putland, 1884-1968) of Cleethorpes, married 1908 in Grimsby

Father of Clara (b 1909-1990), William John (b 1912-1990) and Albert Edward (1914-1982)

1901 – living with his widowed mother in Boston and working as an office boy

1911  - living at 40 Duke Street, Grimsby, with wife and daughter Clara (born 1909)

1936 – on the marriage record of his son William, who by now is a manager for a fish curer and living in Fraserburgh, Scotland, William Sr. is listed as a marine engineer and living at 174 Daubney Street.

The HMT Hornbeam was a minesweeper during World War Two. Originally named the Lord Trent, it was renamed the Hornbeam in 1939, finally becoming the Rankin in 1946 after being sold to the Faroes.

The crew of the Hornbeam seem to have been a lively bunch and photographs from the Admiralty Official Collection on the Imperial War Museum website reveal that they had formed a dance band named the Sweepers Swingsters, which played at naval dances and other functions. The ship also had a Welsh sheepdog mascot called Taffy.

Naval birth, marriage and death records show that William died at sea, the cause of death thrombosis of the coronary artery.

Address at time of death: 174 Daubney Street, Cleethorpes

Grave ref: Section BB, Grave J29