On the Chatham Naval Memorial is the name of 6233S Stoker Albert Chappell, serving on H.M.S. Indefatigable with the Royal Naval Reserve, who died 31/05/1916.
Colin Boyd has provided the following :
Albert was born on 25th July 1889 in West Hartlepool, County Durham the son of John Chappell, a general labourer and his wife Elizabeth. In 1891 he was living with his parents, two sisters, two brothers and a niece at 19, Gill Street,, Stranton, West Hartlepool. John and Elizabeth were fairly elderly and their married daughter who was living with them was 26 years old and Albert was only six months older than his niece.
Ten years later the reduced family were living at 32, Jersey Street, West Hartlepool with two boarders. John died in January 1908.
By the time of the 1911 Census Albert was living with his mother and a ten year old niece with the Carrell family at 33, Briar Street, West Hartlepool. (The relationship between the families is unclear as the census forms have been made out incorrectly. Albert is shown as being the son of John Carrell while his mother Elizabeth is shown as being the mother of John Carrell who is only 11 years her junior. Also the names Chappell and Carrell are a bit close). Albert was working as a railway shunter.
Albert enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve on 23rd January 1915, still living at the Briar Street address, when he was described as being 5 feet 5 inches tall with brown eyes and a fair complexion. He was called up on 1st February 1915 and after training he was posted to HMS Indefatigable on 24th March 1915. Albert was killed in action on 31st May 1916 when HMS Indefatigable was sunk during the Battle of Jutland with the loss of 1016 officers and ratings.
Although his next of kin was shown as his niece, Elizabeth Mary of 37, Topcliffe Street, West Hartlepool Albert’s gratuity and prize money payments were paid to his brother Robert living at 40, Cameron Road, West Hartlepool.
Acknowledgements: Barney Rice
Albert Chappell is remembered at Horden on H115.016 and in H115.030, at West Hartlepool on W111.054, in a List of Local Men Lost in the Battle of Jutland 1916 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
