George Higginbotham

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

George Higginbotham Jnr was born at Felling, near Gateshead, County Durham in 1886, one of 5 known children, 3 sons and 2 daughters. The eldest son of George Higginbotham Snr born 1861 at Hartlepool, County Durham a master mariner and his wife Henrietta Chambers native of Felling born 1861. They were married August 23rd 1883 at Heworth n the district of Gateshead and lived at Split Crow Lane. George Jnr aged 25 years and living at 8, Richmond Terrace, Felling was a qualified marine engineer in the Mercantile Marine. He was the head of the household, living with him were his 2 sisters, Edith 21, Henrietta 20 and brother Leslie, a scholar aged 14 years.

George Higginbotham married Lilian Viola Barnes born April 30th 1893 native of Nova Scotia, Canada, at Southampton, Hampshire in 1916. He was serving at the time in the Mercantile Marine as Second Engineer aboard SS Crown Point Liverpool, of the Strachan Steamship Company. SS Crown Point was a defensively armed British Merchant ship. She was travelling from London to Philadelphia with a cargo of chalk and general merchandise when without warning, February 6th 1917, 55 nautical miles west of the Scilly Isles, she was torpedoed by the German U Boat U-83 commanded by Kapitänleutnant Bruno Hoppe, and sank with the loss of 7 lives including the Master.

Second Engineer George Higginbotham died June 6th 1917, his sacrifice is recorded on the Tower Hill Memorial, south side, Trinity Square Garden, London. The memorial commemorates the men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleet who died in both world wars and have no known grave. Recipient of the Mercantile Marine War Medal.

They resided at 8, Richmond Terrace, Felling-on-Tyne.
His widow gave birth to their son George during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1917. Lilian Viola remarried at Southampton in 1922 to William Idris Owen, 8 years her junior, born October 9th 1901 at Mountain Ash, Glamorganshire, Wales and with whom she had 3 children George Roland Owen, Evelyn Violette and John.

Lilian and William emigrated, leaving their home at 813, St. Albans Road, Watford, via the port of London, aboard the Iberia ship nu 186127, of the P. & O., S. N. Company bound for Sydney, Australia, with final destination listed as New Zealand, September 24th 1957.

Lilian Viola Owen-Higginbotham nee Barnes died aged 80 years, April 19th 1973 and was buried at Mangere Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand, April 21st. William Idris Owen returned to Wales, exact date unknown, where he died April 29th 2004 at Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales, aged 102 years.

Details of children unknown.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

George Higginbotham is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 and on our List of Ships’ crews.

Mercantile Memorial
U Boat net
The CWGC entry for 2nd Engineer Higginbotham