In South Shields (Harton) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:

W. Bailey
Signalman. RNVR. TZ/6194
H.M.S. “Pembroke”
9th November 1918  age 21

The son of Agnes Ann Blair (formerly Bailey), of 46, Winchester Street, South Shields, and the late John W. Bailey.

William Bailey was born on the 11th December 1896, at Railway View, Washington Station, Co Durham, the second youngest of 5 boys, to father John William Bailey, born 21st January 1870, died 1899, and his wife Agnes Ann [nee Craggs], Bailey, born 29th November 1869, baptised 2nd March 1870, St Hilda’s’ Church, South Shields, died 26th January 1941. They were married in 1892 at Gateshead.

The other children were:-

• John Norman Craggs, born Washington Station in 1891. In 1911, he was residing at 60 Westoe Road, South Shields.
• Thomas Bailey, born Washington Station, December 1893, married Julia Alice Hunt, born 29th September 1899, in 1918, at South Shields. Thomas a miner, enlisted at Sunderland on the 8th August 1914 into the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion West Yorkshire Prince of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regiment. 5 feet five and quarter inches, 121lbs. Service number 8581, rank private. He was residing at 4 Hartington Terrace, Westoe, South Shields. Appointed an unpaid Lance-Corporal on the 14th January 1915. Posted to the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion on the 6th December 1916. Then transferred to Class ‘W’ Reserve for employment at Harton Colliery at South Shields on the 29th December 1916. On the 18th March 1915, Thomas is now in France in the 2nd West Yorks Battalion in ‘D’ Company. However, on the 15th November 1915, Thomas is wounded with Gunshot wounds to his left leg and a fractured Tibia and Fibula. He is taken to the Lahore British General Hospital at Calais, [which had moved to Calais on the 1st May 1915, this became the 35th General Hospital from the 8th May 1915]. On the 29th November 1915, Thomas was evacuated to the UK, and was admitted to the 4th London General Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, into Ward 4R. Here he had an X ray. Thomas also had an operation. Discharged from hospital on the 8th November 1916. He returned to duty on the 30th November 1916. He was discharged on the 27th November 1918 under KR Para 392, XVI as no longer physically fit for War Service, from the 1st Northern General Hospital at Newcastle upon Tyne. Was awarded the Silver War Badge no B46818. Whilst he was recovering, he attended as an outpatient the Mill Dam Hospital at South Shields for massages of his wounds for two months. Thomas had also supplied three residence addresses, 359 Street, Cleadon, 35 Ashgrove Avenue and 22 Birchington Avenue, Westoe, all in South Shields. In 1921, Thomas and Julia Alice were lodging with widowed Sarah Gallagher, born 1871, and her two children, at 82 Marlborough Street, South Shields, along with their two sons, William, born 19th June 1919, and Thomas, born 13th October 1920. In 1939, Julia was residing with her sons Thomas and George, born 24th January 1925, and three redacted records, at 4, Park Avenue, South Shields. Julia Alice Bailey, of 33 Mariners Cottages, South Shields, died 20th October 1994.
• George Bailey, born  December 1895. In 1921, he was residing at 4 Hartington Street, South Shields.
• Henry Bailey, born 22nd June 1899. In 1911, he was residing with his mother Agnes and stepfather John George Blair at 60 Westoe Road. South Shields. He was a Miner before joining the Royal Navy as a Boy on the 24th February 1915. 5 Feet four inches. Grey Eyes, J38582. Fresh complexion Brown hair. Became an Ordinary Seaman on the 1st January 1917, then an Able Bodied Seaman on the 15th July 1918. His period of service started on the 22nd June 1917 for 12 years until the 19th March 1929. Now 5 feet eight inches. His character was described as [V]ery [G]ood and Ability [S]atisfactory. He remained in the Navy and was finally discharged on the 13th January 1944. He received a Naval pension. He reached the rank of a Petty Officer which he was appointed on the 9th October 1937. [He had served on the Royal Sovereign, Rodney, Hawkins, the Royal Oak, Brittania, Eagle etc].

Agnes Ann Craggs was the eldest daughter of a George and Mary Ann Craggs. In 1891, Agnes Ann Craggs was residing with her parents, George Craggs, born 1819, and Mary Ann Craggs, born 1829, in Scotland, at 7 Coke Ovens, Washington, and her father was a Platelayer.  She was the only child but the home had six boarders. In 1881, Agnes Ann Craggs was residing with her parents at Coke Works, Washington, and there were five boarders at the home. In 1871, Agnes Ann Craggs was residing with her parents and older step-brother, John Robertson, born 1856, in Scotland, at 9, Coke Ovens, Usworth, and there were also four lodgers.

William Bailey was educated at the Biddick Council School, Washington, Co. Durham from the 5th March 1900, till the 28th September 1906 when he left Washington and then attended St Thomas School in South Shields.  He was described as five feet, four inches tall, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark hair.

In 1901, William Bailey was residing with his now widowed mother, Agnes Bailey, and four brothers, at 2 Railway Street, Washington, Durham. She remarried a John George Blair, born 19th January 1879, baptised 25th February 1879, in 1904 at Chester le Street. He died at 180 Westoe Road, South Shields on the 30th December 1949.

In 1911, William Bailey was residing with his mother and her second husband, John George Blair, and his brothers and sisters at 60 Westoe Road, South Shields, and John George was a Sinker, employed by the Harton Coal Company at St Hilda’s Colliery. Also John George Blair’s children  were residing here as well.

• Millicent Blair, born 3rd March 1905, died 23rd July 1988. [she died in the Bevian Rest Home, 2 Lawe Road, South Shields]. She married a James Richard Turnbull Lockie, born 13th November 1900, died 1969, in 1937. He was a merchant seaman. Discharge No 910905, he served onboard the SS Tambov, ship number 142330, from the 23rd January 1920, then the SS Box Hill, ship number 144931, 28th October 1920, SS Edmund Hugo Stinnes 4, ship number 143290, from the 13th January 1921 and SS Kingswood, renamed the Onwen then Rumney, ship number 132897 from the 21st September 1921. They were residing at 67 Revesby Street, South Shields in 1939. He served on over 20 ships as a Cook or a Steward from the 23rd January 1920 to at least 1946. 5 feet six inches, 148lbs, Tattoo on left and right arm.  He served on the SS Suncrest, ship number 168040 in WW2, and he was the chief Steward on the MV Rookley, ship number 165768, travelling from Sydney, New South Wales arriving at New York on the 8th August 1946.
• Joseph Blair, born 21st December 1906, died 1986, in 1921, he was residing with his mother and stepfather at 4 Hartington Street, South Shields. He married a Mary Elizabeth nee Oughton, in 1924, she died July 1984.

When William was 17, he was residing then at 4 Hartington Terrace, South Shields, he signed on as an Ordinary Seaman onboard the Florence Pile, ship number 101934, on the 20th August 1914 at South Shields until the 27th September 1914. Prior to this he was on the crew of  another vessel.

William enlisted on the 16th July 1915, 5 Feet four inches, Dark Hair, Brown eyes with a Fresh complexion. Service number TZ6194 into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He was initially posted to the Royal Naval Division as  an Ordinary  Seaman until the 17th October 1915. On the 18th October he is transferred into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at Pembroke I. 17th November 1915, he is now  a signaller. 27th November he is on board the HMS Emperor of India. 16th April 1916, William is now onboard the HMS Imperieuse. [The vessel was originally launched in 1869 as the ironclad battleship HMS Audacious before being renamed and reclassified in 1914. In WW1, it was a Repair and store ship supporting the Royal Navy, operating at Scapa Flow and Rosyth between 1914 and 1920].

4th September 1916, he is now on board HMS Cochrane, [she was a British Royal Navy Warrior-class armoured cruiser that served during World War I. She participated in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, undertook convoy duties in North America, and supported Allied intervention in Russia before running aground and breaking apart just days before the armistice in November 1918].  Whilst on board the Cochrane he received 30 days detention for breaking out, spending 10 days in the cell.  20th March 1917, William is now at the land Base, Victory I. 1st April 1917, William is back at Pembroke base. He is based here until he was taken to the Naval Hospital at Chatham where he died of Pneumonia on the 9th November 1918.

During late 1918, the barracks were severely impacted by the global Spanish influenza pandemic, which claimed the lives of numerous sailors stationed at Chatham, including William Bailey.

In 1921, Agnes Ann and John George Blair were residing with five children at 4, Hartington Street, South Shields, and John George was a Stoneman below ground for Harton Coal Company, but at this time, he was out of work.

In 1939, Agnes Ann and John George Blair, born 19th January 1879, were residing at 3, Challoner Terrace East, South Shields, also residing at this address was a John Norman Craggs, born 25th September 1913, Irene nee Blair, Watkins, born 4th September 1911, [who had married a Harold Watkins, born 7th May 1912]. And son, John Douglas Blair, born 25th September 1915, a Cinema Operator. Harold was 2nd Mate on the SS Dryburgh, ship number 142008. But was on leave.

Source; The James Hoy Archive. The Western Front Association; The British Newspaper Archive; CLIP; Jennifer Stephenson; The National Archives; Naval and History Net; South Shields Local History;

William Bailey is remembered at South Shields in S86.84, page 12, and in our List of Ships’ Crews.