On Tower Hill Memorial, London, is the name of Second Engineer William Noble serving on S.S. Hartburn with the Mercantile Marine who died 15/10/1917.
In Heworth St Mary Churchyard is a family headstone which reads:-
Sacred
to the memory of
Joseph son of George
and Elizabeth Noble
of the Felling Shore
died November 11th 1842
aged 53 years
James Noble
Great grandson of the above
died 18th December 1865
aged 1 year and 10 months
Elizabeth Noble sister in law
of the above Joseph
died 5th Sept. 1845 aged 50 years
William Noble her husband
died 8th July 1866 aged 73 years
John Noble son of the above
William and Elizabeth Noble
died 3rd June 1903 aged 65 years
Hannah Noble
wife of the above John Noble
died 8th October 1905 aged 61 years
Also William Noble
son of the above John Noble
and beloved husband of Ellen Noble
who was lost at sea by enemy action
in S.S. Hartburn
19th Oct. 1917 aged 49 years
Also John son of the above
died 30th Aug. 1946 aged 72 years
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Noble was born at Felling, Gateshead, historically in County Durham in 1868, one of 6 known children, 3 sons and 3 daughters offspring to John Noble, native of Felling, born December 12th 1839 and his wife Hannah Hurst born 1843 also of Felling, whom he married, October 11th 1867 in the district of South Shields, Northumberland. His parents lived at 30 Holly Street, Heworth in 1871, his father worked as joiner/carpenter. Living at 52, Ridley Terrace, Heworth, in 1901 William’s brother John was working as an engine fitter, Joseph as a shipwright, William by now had left home having married Ellen Bates in 1893 in the district of Gateshead. He was now 25 years old and a marine engineer, living with his wife and three oldest children, sons John, Wilfred and Thomas Cecil at 4, Elmfield Terrace, Heworth. By 1911 his wife had given birth to a further 2 children, William Leonard and a new born, as yet unnamed girl, only 20 days old, now living at 5, Ashfield Terrace, Pelaw.
On a date unknown William Noble joined the Mercantile Marine becoming a Second Engineer aboard the ill-fated SS Hartburn, ship number 110356, built on the river Tyne by Blyth Co. Ltd., owned at the time by A. Capel, Swansea. Whilst sailing from Manchester to St. Helens Roads with a cargo of hay and railway trucks she was sunk by a torpedo from the German U Boat UC 62, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Max Schmitz, on October 15th 1917 ten miles south from Anvil point, Swanage, Isle of Purbeck in Dorset.
Second Engineer William Noble was one of only three persons aboard who were lost. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the names on Tower Hill Memorial, London, he was 49 years old. Recipient of the Mercantile Marine War Medal which was established in 1919 and awarded by the Board of Trade, with the permission of HM King George, to reward mariners of the Merchant Navy, who whilst only trained as peacetime mariners continued their service during hostilities, had made one or more voyages through a war or danger zone during the course of WW1.
His widow Ellen died at County Durham in 1954. His father John had died in June 3rd 1903 aged 64 years, he preceded his wife who died October 8th 1905, both in the district of Gateshead.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop’s Local Advertiser 24/11/1917 reports: Our Roll of Honour.
William Noble, lost at sea on Oct. 15th in his 49th year. Husband of E. Noble, 9 Ashfield Terrace Pelaw.
William Noble is remembered at Felling on F32.22, at Heworth on H92.03 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
