On Chatham Naval Memorial is the name of Tyneside Z/6191 Able Seaman Joseph Johnson Abbott, serving on S.S. Poldown with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who died 09/10/1917.
The son of Elizabeth Abbott, of 91, Adelaide Street, South Shields, and the late Thomas Abbott.
Joseph Johnson Abbot was born on the 12th September 1895, one of eight children, the youngest son of Thomas and Elizabeth Turton Abbott nee Bavage, of 41, Adelaide Street, South Shields. They were married in 1881.
The other children were:-
- Tom Robert, born October 1883, died 1959. In 1921, Robert Tom was residing at 23, Leighton Road, Birkenhead, Cheshire, he was a Surgery Assistant employed by Cammell Laird & Co Engineers Ship Builders at Tranmere. Brother in law of Henry B. Scott and his wife Louisa M. Scott born 1878.
- Florence Abigail, born 23rd December 1897, died 1982.
- Francis William, born 1884, died 1907.
- Christina, born 1888, died 1925.
- Winifred, born 1891, died 1934.
- James Bavage, born 2nd June 1893, died 1986.
- Ann Elizabeth, born 1886, died 1935.
By 1911, his father had died and they were now residing at 91, Adelaide Street, South Shields.
Joseph was educated at the Holy Trinity Boys’ School, South Shields, from the 20th January 1908 to the 18th June 1909. He was employed by the North Eastern Railway as a Wagon Greaser at Tyne Dock for about 4 and a half years before enlisting. Prior to this he was a grocer’s assistant with his sister Winifred.
Joseph enlisted into the Royal Naval Division on the 15th July 1915 as an ordinary Seaman. He was 5 feet three and a half inches tall, pale complexion, dark hair with brown eyes. Employment was stated as a Porter. Allocated the service number TZ/6191. His residence address was given as 91 Adelaide Street, South Shields, as the family had moved from 41 Adelaide Street, after 1901. He had been attached to the 3rd Battalion ‘B’ Company, with the Portsmouth Division. On the 19th October he was drafted to Portsmouth from the Sea Draft and Miscellaneous Battalion. He was transferred into the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve on the 15th September 1917.
Thomas was a gunner and was killed on board the SS Poldown, ship number 139612, by a mine explosion off Trevose Head, Cornwall, on the 9th October 1917, on route from Penarth for Boulogne.
SS Poldown was a 1,370 grt defensively armed British Merchant steamer. She was formerly called Pellworm and Hauk.
Acknowledgments: James Hoy Archive; British Newspaper Archive; Western Front Association; National Archives; North Eastern Railway Magazine; High School
Joseph Johnson Abbott is remembered at South Shields on S86.039, in S86.081, page 1, and also in S86.082, page 10, (as serving on H.M.S. Dominion), on the North Eastern Railway War Memorial (York), in the Mercantile Marine Roll of Honour 1917 and on our List of Ships’ Crews.
