On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Third Engineer Peter Simpson Green, serving on S.S. Farnham (Sunderland) with the Mercantile Marine who died 19/05/1917.

He was the son of George Green and the late Mary Simpson Green, of 7, St. John’s Place, Felling, Gateshead.

In  Heworth (St. Mary) Churchyard is a family grave which reads:

In loving memory of
James
the beloved son of
George & Mary Green
of Felling Shore
who died Oct. 16th 1903
aged 19 years.

Also two of their children
who died in infancy.

The above Mary Green
who died Sept. 30th 1912,
aged 58 years.

Also Peter Simpson
son of the above who lost his life
at sea through enemy action
May 19th 1917, aged 25 years.

Also the above George Green,
died Oct. 12th 1919, aged 65 years.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:

Peter Simpson Green was born at Heworth, Gateshead, historically in County Durham in 1892, one of 11 children of whom only eight survived. He was the youngest of 3 sons and 5 daughters. His father ,George Green, was born in Ireland in 1853 and brought to England by his parents between 1856 and 1861. They settled at Felling Lane, Heworth. Aged 19 years he worked as a chemical labourer, however after he married Mary Simpson, native of Heworth born 1854, he was employed as a stationary engineman. In 1881 he and his wife and 3 children were living at Gallons Yard, later moving to Caroline Terrace.

At the age of 48 George Green maintained his employment as an engineman at the chemical works, daughter Maria (20) was a shop assistant at a baker and confectioner, George Jnr (14) was an errand boy at the port, Louisa (12), Peter (9) and Margaret (6) were scholars. By 1911 his fathers employment was unchanged, Peter and his brother George Jnr. both worked for Clark Chapman engineering company as a labourer and apprentice fitter respectively. Louise was employed at the Cooperative store as a machinist/tailoress, as was her sister Maggie in the drugs department. Maria assisted her mother at home.

On the outbreak of war Peter, aged 21 years, joined the Mercantile Marine and by 1917 had b been promoted to 3rd Engineer and assigned to the British steamer S.S. Farnham. Built by Thompson & Sons of Sunderland in 1898 at the time of her loss, she was owned by Thompson Steam Shipping Company. Ltd. Whilst on route from Bizerta, Tunisia to the Clyde, Glasgow, carrying a cargo of iron ore, May 19th 1917, she was torpedoed by German submarine U-57 (Carl-Siegfried Ritter Von Georg), 90 miles north west off the Fastnet lighthouse at the most southerly point of Ireland, and sank.

3rd Engineer 2436X Peter Simpson Green, Mercantile Marine, was one of the 17 persons lost. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 12,000 names engraved on Tower Hill Memorial, Trinity Square, London, commemorating those from the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets who died during both wars and perished where no permanent memorial could be raised. Peter Simpson Green was 25 years old and single. He was a recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

George Green died at Gateshead aged 65 years in 1919. Details regards the demise of Peter’s mother are unknown.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Heslop’s Local Advertiser 20/07/1917 carries an In Memoriam notice which reads:
Peter Simpson Green, aged 25 years, whose ship was torpedoed. Son of George and the late Mary Green, of St. Johns Place, Felling.

Peter Simpson Green is remembered at Felling on F32.07 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.