On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Master Thomas Relph Abbott serving on S.S. Lorca (London) with the Mercantile Marine who died 15/11/1916.

Also, at Harton Cemetery is a family Headstone.

Sacred
To the Memory of
Jane Eleanor Abbot
Who entered into rest
Sep. 26th 1931, aged 76 years
Akso Thomas Relph Abbot
Master Mariner
Son of the above
Lost at sea Oct 1916
Aged 38 years
Also, James Abbot
Husband of the above
Who entered into rest
Feb 25th 1936 aged 83 years
To live in the hearts of those we love, is not to die.

Thomas Ralph Abbot was born on the 9th June 1878, at 20 Affleck Street, Gateshead, [His birth certificate reads Ralph not Relph], baptised at Christ Church, Gateshead, July 3rd 1878, the eldest child of six children to father James Abbot, born Wigton, Cumberland, 27th March 1852, baptised 2nd May 1852, died 25th February 1936, and his wife Jane Eleanor, nee Lang, Abbot born 4th April 1855, at 42, Adelaide Street, Westoe, South Shields, died 26th September 1931, (daughter of a James Lang and Jane Heckels nee Lang). James and Jane were married on the 25th August 1877 at Christ Church, Tynemouth.

The other children were

• John George Abbott, born 1880, died 4th January 1957, he married a Margaret nee Donkin, born 6th April 1879, died 2nd March 1973, on the 27th July 1899, at St. Peter’s Church, and resided at 320, Wingrove Road, Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1921, they were residing at 12 Brasden Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne. He was the manager of the Robert Deuchar Brewery at Sandyford Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. They had six children, Dora Abbot, Thomas R Abbot, born 14th February 1901, Norman Abbot, Reginald Abbot, Winifred Abbot and Douglas Abbot. In 1939, John and his wife with son Thomas were residing at 192 Sandyford Road, Newcastle upon Tyne.
• Elizabeth Abbot, born 1881, she married  Thomas Henry Tate, in 1912.
• Sarah Abbot, born 18th November 1883, baptised 12th December 1883, died 7th July 1972, she married a Joseph William Rutherford, born 23rd December 1880, died 4th March 1974, in 1910. In 1939, they were residing at 8 Sunnilawes, South Shields. Joseph was a Public Elementary School teacher and an ARP Warden. Sarah was in the Woman’s Voluntary Service at the Hospital dealing with supplies.
• Jane Heckles Abbot, born 22nd August 1886, baptised 25th August 1886, at Christ Church, Gateshead, died 4th September 1965 at St George’s hospital at Morpeth. She married a Robert Hamilton Carling, born 16th April 1886, died 8th February 1963, on the 17th June 1914 at St Hilda’s Church, South Shields, and in 1921, they were residing at 24 Queens Drive, Whitley Bay with a son, Alan Hamilton Carling born April 1920. Robert was a Picture Frame Maker and an Art Goods Dealer. In 1939, he also was an Air Raid Warden, residing at 42 Percy Gardens with their son.
• James Norman Abbot, born 6th January 1890, at Gateshead, baptised 29th January 1890, Christ Church, Gateshead, died 28th March 1944. He married in 1918, a Jennie Reed nee Atkinson, Abbot, born 13th October 1897. James Norman Abbot served as a 2nd Engineer with the Merchant Navy during WW2 and died at Harton Institution and General Hospital, Harton Lane, South Shields, as a consequence of injuries received during his war service. He was buried at Harton Cemetery, South Shields, he left a widow and daughter Jane Elizabeth born 1919. In 1921, they were residing at 38 Eleanor Street, South Shields.

The father James, in 1861 was residing at 3, Pink Street, Newcastle. where his parents, pawnbroker James Abbot and Sarah Relph had moved to from Gateshead.
Jane Eleanor Lang was the daughter of Merchant Seaman James Lang and his wife Jane Heckels.

In 1841 and 1851, the grandparents were residing at King Street, Wigton, Cumberland. James was a Tailor, and Sarah, born 16th August 1818 at Askham, Westmorland, died 30th July 1893, to William Relph and Hannah Langley.
Jane Heckels had married William Mayors Blagburn on 28th December 1842, in Tynemouth, Northumberland. William died on 3rd October 1849, and then Jane Blagburn married James Lang at the beginning of 1854, in Tynemouth, Northumberland.
In 1861, Jane Eleanor Lang was residing with her mother, Jane Lang (nee Heckels), at 44, Orange Street, Westoe, South Shields. Others at the home were: Margaret Blagburn, born in 1847; George Blagburn, born in 1849; and William Blagburn, born in 1850.
In 1871, Jane Eleanor Lang was residing with her mother, Jane, a widow, born in 1826, at 77, Bede Street, Westoe, South Shields. Others in the home were: Hugh Lang, born in 1853; and lodgers, Cuthbert Ellison, born in 1826, and Robert Dryden, born in 1830, both of whom were coal trimmers.

By 1881, the family resided at 2, Radbourne Terrace, Gateshead. James Abbot was now employed as a clerk at a brewery.
By 1911, James the father was now a Railway Clerk, and his wife Jane, were residing at, with three of the children at 37 Marine Approach, South Shields. [James Norman, Engineers Fitter at a Shipyard, Jane Heckles, a draper saleswoman and Elizabeth at home].

Thomas Relph Abbot joined the Mercantile Marine as a 15 year old boy on the 30th May 1893 at Greenock for 4 years and was bound to a A.J.H. Carmichael. He acquired his 2nd mate certificate on the 3rd April 1898, then his 1st Mate on the 23rd November 1900 before finally receiving his Master’s certificate on the 29th May 1902.

The family moved from Gateshead to South Shields as by 1891 they were residing at 2 Ravensworth Terrace, Westoe, South Shields. By 1911 they had moved again to 37 Marine Approach, South Shields. Thomas Relph was a master on a vessel in 1911. As his census form was filled in showing seven crew and two passengers onboard the SS Zafra, ship number 120618, which was at Cardiff at Barry North Dock moored at no 16 Coaling Tip.

W. Bro. Revd. David T. Youngson, PPAG Chaplain, Northumberland offers the following:
The information given below in respect of some of the brethren is the best possible conclusions from Lodge records, Grand Lodge records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and data in respect of merchant ship losses during the First World War.

2418 Hedworth Lodge
Year of Warrant 1891
Freemasons Hall Ingram Street South Shields

Thomas Ralph ABBOT
Mercantile Marine Master S.S. Lorca

A Master Mariner of 7 (2) Ravensbourne Terrace, South Shields he was Initiated on the 17th March 1904; Passed 15th April 1904 and Raised on the 28th March 1907. He died on the 15th November 1916 aged 37. He is remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.

The S.S. Lorca, ship number 129138, (4129 GRT) owned by C. T. Bowring of London, built by J. Readhead & Sons, Ltd., South Shields, was torpedoed by the German U Boat U-29. [This is incorrect], it was torpedoed by U-49, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Richard Hartmann, two hundred miles from Ushant on a voyage from Gulfport & Norfolk Virginia, USA to Cherbourg, France. It was carrying a cargo of Timber. 32 Casualties.

Thomas Relph’s awards of the Mercantile Marine Medal and British War Medal were issued to mineral water manufacturer’s manager, John George Abbot of 192, Sandyford Road, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. John George also received his brother’s personal effects in the sum of £3567 6 shillings 2 pence on the 24th July 1917.
He was residing at 2 Reading Road, South Shields when he passed away.

His brother John subscribed to his memorial window.

[The middle name of Relph was the correct middle name, as this was his relatives name. The Registrar spelt Relph with an A instead of an E on the birth certificate].

Acknowledgments/Sources: James Hoy Archive; U Boat net; The CWGC; The British Newspaper Archive, Find My Past; Pauline Priano; Jennifer Stephenson;

Thomas Ralph Abbot is remembered at Jesmond on J1.42 and J1.52, at South Shields on S86.046, in the Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-18 (London) and in our List of Ships’ Crews.