In Bishopwearmouth Cemetery, Sunderland is the Commonwealth War Grave of K2521 Stoker First Class Wilson Broomfield serving on H.M.S. Nubian with the Royal Navy who died 27/10/1916.

He was the son of Matthew and Jemima Broomfield, of 17, Henry Street. Sunderland; husband of Mary Frances Broomfield, of 132, Macaulay Street. Grimsby.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following;

Wilson Broomfield was one of 10 children of whom only 7 had survived by 1911.

His parents were both natives of Sunderland. His father Matthew Broomfield was born, December 3rd 1864, he was the son of shoemaker Wilson Broomfield and Elizabeth Bailey. He married Jemima Colman at Bishopwearmouth, May 20th 1888. She was born in 1866, her father Uriah Colman was a shipwright married to Ellen (Eleanor) Robson.

After their marriage Matthew and Jemima moved in with her parents and in 1891 they occupied an accommodation at 4, Covent Garden Street, Sunderland, Matthew Broomfield was employed as a mariner working as a labourer at the shipyards, supporting his wife and two children, Eleanor born in 1888 and Wilson, March 28th 1890.

Their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1892, Matthew Jnr, November 20th 1893 and John George Colman Broomfield in 1901 at their own home, 4 rooms at 17, Henry Street, Sunderland. Matthew was now employed at the ropery.

Over the next 10 years Jemima gave birth to the youngest of their surviving children, Mary in 1903 and Joseph 1905. In 1911 they were still living at Henry Street. Matthew was employed at the ropery as a millwright, their daughter Eleanor (23) was working as an office cleaner at the North Eastern Marine Engine Works, 19 year old Elizabeth was employed by the Steam Fishing Commissioners but worked from home as a net maker, Matthew Jnr (17) was a rivet catcher at the shipyards, John (10), Mary (8) and Joseph (6) were scholars. Wilson Broomfield had already left the family home and joined the Royal Navy.

Wilson had enlisted with the Royal Navy, April 26th 1909 for 12 years. Described as 5 feet 4¾ inches tall, brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion he was serving in 1909 aboard H.M.S. Nelson as K2521 Stoker II Class. Between 1909 and 1910 he served with several vessels including H.M.S. Hecla, Illustrious and St. Vincent and whilst aboard the latter was promoted to Stoker 1st Class between October 7th 1910-August 31st 1911.

!911-May 1914 he was not only several times at the shore base Victory II but also served aboard 6 different vessels. When war was declared with Germany, August 4th 1914, he was at the shore establishment H.M.S. Excellent on Whale island near Portsmouth in Hampshire, then transferred to Attentive II, the parent establishment for the Dover auxiliary small craft, aboard H.M.S. Nubian, September 1st 1914 where he remained until February 27th 1916.

Stoker Wilson Broomfield was married at West Ham, Essex in 1915 to Mary Frances Roe who was the daughter of William and Bridgett Roe, natives of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, who had settled at Grimsby, Lincolnshire, where her father was a twine spinner and she was born, October 3rd 1894.  

February 28th-April 2nd 1916 Stoker Broomfield was at the shore base Victory II before rejoining H.M.S. Nubian, April 3rd 1916.

H.M.S. Nubian was a Tribal-class destroyer. During the Battle of Dover, October 26th-27th 1916 which took place off Folkestone, H.M.S. Nubian mistakingly took a group of German boats to be British and under a hail of bullets she attempted to ram one of the enemy ships, whilst doing so she was torpedoed. 

The torpedo hit almost under the bridge and exploded, almost severing the ship in two. Severely disabled the Nubian was taken in tow but hindered by the bad weather the tow-ropes severed. H.M.S. Nubian ran aground on the South Foreland, near Dover, 2 of the crew died and 13 were reported missing, believed killed or drowned.

Some of the men lost washed up on the shore, the lifeless body of Stoker First Class K2521 Wilson Broomfield, who had drowned, was recovered and at the request of his family, who paid the expenses, his body was returned home to his native Sunderland, where he was laid to rest, November 3rd 1916, within Bishopwearmouth Cemetery, Chester and Hylton Road, Sunderland, Ward 2. Section A.C. 1438. He was 26 years of age.

Mary Frances Broomfield resident at 114, Elsenham Road, Grimsby, received a grant paid to her, September 13th 1917 and was awarded a pension, April 30th 1917 to be received weekly as of May 3rd 1917.

The all too brief marriage of Wilson and Mary Frances was childless.

Mary Frances Broomfield remarried in 1924 to Taylor Graham, a local man born at Grimsby in circa 1887, he was the son of labourer Jabez Graham and his wife Sarah Ann. Mary Frances gave birth, December 31st 1924 to their daughter, Eileen. 

Bereaved for a second time when Taylor Graham died in 1935, Mary Frances and her daughter were living in 1939 at 52, Haven Avenue, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, supported by her unmarried, elder brother, William N. Roe who was employed as an oil miller.

The death of Mary Frances Graham-Broomfield nee Roe possibly occurred at North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, in 1952, she was 56 years of age.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Wilson Bloomfield is remembered at Hendon on H123.02 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.