On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Third Engineer John Lawrence Mavin, serving on R.M.S. Okhra with the Mercantile Marine who died 29/07/1917.
He was born in Sunderland, the son of Emily Florence Mavin of 36 Glenthorne Road, Hammersmith, London.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Lawrence Mavin was the only child of John William Mavin and Emily Florence Knott.
John William Mavin was born at Hetton le Hole, County Durham, in 1975, he was the son of Thomas Mavin, licensed victualler of the Fox and Hounds at number 42, Bog Row, in the village, and by 1891, manager and publican of, “Skating Rink Hotel,” Hudson Road, Sunderland.
At the age of 18, John William Mavin was an engineer marine fitter, he and Emily Florence Knott were married in her native town of Sunderland, June 25th 1891, she was the daughter of marine Captain William Knott and his wife Mary, and was 4 years older than her husband.
The Sunderland Echo reported an inquest which took place at the Skating Rink Hotel, Sunderland, and the verdict into the tragic death of John William Mavin, in an article, August 1st 1895.
The hotel run by his father and family was also the abode of John William, his wife and child. The deceased had come home at about 5 o’clock and according to his sister went to lay down. At about 9 o’clock in the evening he had gone into the kitchen and taken a bottle from a shelf that amongst others was carbolic acid, and had drunk from the bottle thinking it was sarsaparilla. About five minutes later John William was heard to shout out, “I’ve made a mistake.” He was standing by the fireplace in great agony, a doctor was called and arrived within 15 minutes but John William was dead within half an hour. The coroner concluded everything pointed to accidental death, a verdict was returned that the deceased was accidentally poisoned.
In 1901 his widow Emily Florence was living with her sister Mary Ida Knott and John Lawrence, in error listed as Charles, at Holmland House, Tunstall Road, Sunderland, only her sister is listed as being employed as a telephonist.
John Lawrence was privately educated at Argyle School and at Dame Allan’s Endowed School, Newcastle upon Tyne. He was an apprentice engineer at the Honourable Charles Parson’s Steam Turbine Works on the River Tyne and passed his examinations in Glasgow. He was a church goer and a member of the Heaton Temperance Bicycle Club.
Upon the commencement of war John Lawrence went to sea in 1914 as part of the Mercantile Marine and served on several ships. His last vessel, where he served as 3rd Engineer, was the cargo ship Okhla (Glasgow).
The S.S. Okhla struck a mine laid by the SMS Wolf of the German Navy in the Indian Ocean, 30 nautical miles west of Bombay, India, all the crew on board managed to make it into the lifeboats. 3rd Engineer John Lawrence Mavin was one of several men in the Captain’s boat which was smashed by the mast of the Okhla as it turned over and sank. He was one of 9 of her crew who were lost, July 29th 1917.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of 36,088 names inscribed on the 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.
3rd Engineer John Lawrence Mavin was 25 years of age and single. Emily Florence Mavin received all monies due to her late son and his awards of the British War Medal and Mercantile Marine Medal, sent to her at 36, Glenhorne Road, Hammersmith, London.
Further details as regards Emily Florence Mavin nee Knott are unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
The Sunderland Echo 15/09/1917 reports:-
THE LATE JOHN LAWRENCE MAVIN.
Details have been received Sunderland the death Mr John Lawrence Mavin, the third engineer on board a vessel which was sunk through the striking of a mine off Bombay. All those board succeeded in getting into the boats, but the captain’s boat was struck and smashed by the mast of the ship as the vessel turned over and sank, and several lives were lost.
John Lawrence Mavin is remembered at Fenham on F31.01, at Hebburn on H93.15 and H93.18, at Heaton on H91.35, at Sunderland in S140.48 Part 8 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
