On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Chief Officer James Robinson Willing, serving on S.S. Lonada (London) with the Mercantile Marine who died 29/12/1916.

The husband of Elizabeth Hannah Willing (nee Oliver), of 129, Canon Cockin Street, Sunderland. He was born at Sunderland.

Rev. David Youngson has submitted the following:

James Robinson WILLING
Mercantile Marine
First Officer S.S. Lonada of London.

He was Initiated into 80 St John’s Lodge, Masonic Hall, Park Terrace Sunderland on 2nd September 1914 there is no record of any further Advancement. He died on the 29th December 1916 aged 49 and is remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.

The S.S. Lonada (1286 GRT) owned by the Port of London Authority was mined five miles N by E from Shipwash Lightship on a voyage from the Tyne to London with the loss of six lives.

Joanne Willing, great-great niece, has submitted photos of certificates which show James as being qualified to fulfil the duties of First Mate of a Foreign-going Steamship in January 1894, and another showing him qualified to fulfil the same duties as Master dated Sept. 1897.

James Robinson Willing is remembered at Sunderland in S140.048 on pages 163, 164 and 180, and on S140.056 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.