On Tower Hill Memorial, Trinity Square, London is the name of Fourth Engineer Officer Thomas Woods Taylor Jameson serving on S.S. Shadwell with the Mercantile Marine who died 23/03/1918.
He was the son of William and Margaret Jameson (nee Taylor), of 26, Amberley Street, Sunderland. Born at Sunderland.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following;
Thomas Woods Taylor Jameson was one of 5 children born before 1911 of whom only 3 had survived. His parents James William Jameson and Margaret Ann Taylor were both natives of Sunderland, historically in County Durham.
James William Jameson was born January 11th 1870. In 1871 the Jameson family were living at 11, Page Street, Sunderland. His father Gilbert was a mariner, his mother Isabella (Hodgson) cared for their 8 children of whom James William at the time was the youngest.
Ten years later in 1881 the family was living at 10, Carol Street. Gilbert Jameson had died in 1873 and his wife Isabella and daughter Christine (20), in order that the family could survive, worked from home as dressmakers, John (18) and Thomas Jameson (16) were employed at the shipyard as rivet heaters. James William (11) and Emma (7) were scholars.
James William Jameson, aged 22 years, was married in the spring of 1892 at Sunderland to Margaret Ann Taylor. She was born in Sunderland however her father Thomas Wood Taylor originated from Suffolk where he was born, November 30th 1826 and migrated to the north east where he married a girl from Sunderland named Margaret (surname unknown) who was born in 1835.
Margaret Ann gave birth to their son Thomas Woods Taylor Jameson in 1892, whom they baptised at Deptford, district of Sunderland, September 28th 1892. Their daughter Margaret Adamson Jameson was born in 1895 and James William Jameson Jnr in 1896.
In 1901 they occupied 23, May Street, in the parish of St. Mark’s Sunderland. James supported his family employed as a brass finisher, although of school age none of the children were listed in the census as scholars.
By 1911 they had moved into 4 rooms at 41, Tower Street, East Hendon, Sunderland. James Snr was still employed by the engineering works as a brass finisher, Thomas (18) was an apprentice compass maker, Margaret (16) a dressmaker and James Jnr (15) a butcher’s errand boy.
As early as 1911 there were already rumblings of a possible war with Germany which was declared August 4th 1914. Thomas Woods Taylor Jameson had joined the Mercantile Marine and in 1918 was serving aboard the Steam Ship Shadwell (Sunderland) as 4th Engineer Officer.
S.S. Shadwell was built as a steam cargo ship and had been completed in 1904 by J. L. Thompson & Sons for Tyzack & Branfoot Steam Shipping Company Ltd.. From 1912 she was owned by Well Line Ltd., and managed by T. & J. Brocklebank Ltd..
Having left Naples, Italy, in ballast (no cargo or goods on board) en-route to Bizerta, Tunisia at 37 degrees 53 N, 09 degrees 45 E. North of Bizerta the S.S. Shadwell was intercepted by the German submarine UB-50, March 23rd 1918. The explosion caused damage but she did not sink and made it to safety but with the loss of 11 crew members including 4th Engineer Thomas Woods Taylor Jameson. Their bodies were never recovered.
The sacrifice of 4th Engineer Officer Jameson and his crew-mates is recorded on Tower Hill Memorial which stands on the south side of the garden of Trinity Square, London, commemorating men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave.
Thomas was 25 years of age and single. Awards; Mercantile Marine Medal and British War Medal.
His mother was awarded a pension sent to her initially at 26, Amberley Street, Sunderland, In 1921 James William, his wife Margaret Ann, James William Jnr and their daughter Elsie Kathleen, who was born, January 15th 1915, were living at 4, Harrogate Street, Sunderland. James William Snr was still employed as a brass turner and finisher, James William Jnr had qualified as a marine engineer but was now employed by Gill Motor & Co. Ltd. as a driver. By 1939 they and their daughter Elsie Kathleen (married surname Henderson) occupied 1, Canon Cockin Street, Hendon, Sunderland.
James William Jameson Snr died in 1949 his widow Margaret Ann Jameson nee Taylor, January 22nd 1963, both registered at Sunderland, historically in County Durham until 1974.
Prior to her demise Margaret Ann was living at 9, Harwarden Crescent, Sunderland. She died at the General Hospital leaving effects in the sum of £122 12 shillings which were assigned to her son James William Jameson, garage proprietor, February 11th 1963.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Acknowledgements: Barney Rice
Thomas Woods Taylor Jameson is remembered at Hendon on H123.02, at Sunderland in S140.48 Part 8 page 172 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
