Lieutenant
Thomas CAMPBELL
Navy
Died: 29th August 1918 - Age: 29

Commemorated:

1. Grave:Liverpool (Anfield) CemeteryVII. C.E. 1762.
2. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.118
3. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour59A GQS
4. Memorial:Liverpool Masonic Hall War MemorialCol.1. Hope St.
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Early Life :

The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.

Thomas Campbell was initiated into James T Callow Lodge No 3596 at Hope Street, Liverpool, on 20 January, 1917, after his proposal and application had been agreed by the Committee on 2 January 2. He was described as being a Master Mariner, of Shernock Green, Agnes Road, Blundellsands, and had been proposed by James Munro Watson, seconded by Thomas Gaston both founding members. He was passed to the Second Degree on 17 February, 1917, and raised on 17 March to Master Mason. His Grand Lodge Certificate was issued on the 30 May, of the same year.

Thomas was the son of James and Martha Catherine Campbell nee Harding, with his parent’s marriage being recorded in the December quarter of 1879 in the West Derby registration district. James Campbell spent his working life at sea, and at least six of Thomas’s siblings were all born aboard ship, Martha Catharine on 3 November 1880 on the “Galiles”, James 2 March 1882 on “Hope”, Florence Harding 8 October 1884 on “Florence”, Edith 27 August 1886 on the “Patrick”, Mildred Glengarry in 1892 on “Glengarry” and Helena in 1894 on the “Balmoral”. Clearly it is difficult to trace Thomas and his family with them being out of the country so often and the census returns have been an invaluable source.

Thomas was born 17 November 1888 in Bootle, and he is found in the 1901 census at 9 Ashleigh, Walton on the Hill, Liverpool, aged 12, with his mother, five sisters, and two brothers. In the previous census of 1891, only Martha, Florence and James could be located, this was at 11 Promenade, Maughold, Isle of Man staying with a cousin, Catherine Langlands. However, the later 1911 census shows a large proportion of the family together at 14 Marlborough Road, Tuebrook, Liverpool, and it was here in later in that year that Thomas’s mother Martha Catherine died aged 46 years.

Thomas Campbell first went to sea around age 14 serving on the Huntsdale for one year ten days from 28 July 1902 to 5 October 1903. On 18 March 1904 he started his maritime apprenticeship on sailing barques for 4 years. On completion he spent a month and 6 days as 2nd Mate.

On 6 May 1909 Thomas was awarded his certificate of competency, numbered 041366, at Liverpool for Second Mate on foreign going square rigged vessels. It confirms his address as 14 Marlborough Road, Liverpool and birthdate as 17 November 1888, and he is described as 5 foot 9 inch, fair complexion and auburn hair with light brown eyes. He has a tattoo of a ship and flags on his right arm. This was not unusual for sailors if this period as tattoo could be used as means of identification if body found after ship wreck, or loss overboard.

After examination at Liverpool on 19 December 1910 Thomas is successful in achieving his certificate of competency (numbered 006089) to serve as a First Mate aboard foreign going steamships. It also notes his previous certificate for service on square rigged vessels.. His address is still at 14 Marlborough Road. His naval record also has Thomas gaining a certificate as Master, numbered 317, at Calcutta, India.

Thomas married Margaret Barney Watson, registered for the September quarter of 1914 in West Derby registration distinct. Margaret was born 21 October 1889 and was baptised at St James parish church in Toxteth Park on 10 November, the daughter of Samuel and Harriet Emma Watson, the residential address given as 12 Enid Street, and Samuel’s occupation that of manager (Cotton Warehouse). Interestingly in the June Quarter of 1915 Thomas’s sister Mary Catherine married Margaret’s brother James Munro Watson. After their marriage, Thomas and Margaret lived with her family at her mother’s house, 8 Agnes Road, Blundellsands, on the northern outskirts of Liverpool.

In February 1914 Thomas is shown aboard the White Star liner “Cymric” on staff duty and he joined the Royal Naval Reserve number 002479, 1 September 1914 and given rank as Probationary Sub-Lieutenant and confirmed as full commission as Acting Lieutenant on 6 January 1915, seniority counting from 1 September 1914. He had been sent to Portsmouth on 30 September 1914 and on 5 November posted for active service to HMS City of Belfast, which had been commissioned into the Royal Navy as an armed boarding steamer. Built at Birkenhead in 1892 and launched January 1893, for the Barrow Steam Navigation Company were she was used for the Isle of Man and Belfast route, before being sold to the Midland Railway in 1907.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: HMS President 

HMS President is the home of the London Division of the Royal Naval Reserve. It has been a shore establishment near Tower Bridge overlooking the entrance to St Katharine Docks since 1988. Ships that have been previously renamed HMS President whilst serving as the home of the London Division of the Royal Naval Reserve include: HMS Buzzard, a Nymphe-class screw sloop launched in 1887 and renamed HMS President in 1911. She was lent away in 1919 and sold in 1921.

Action : Naval Campaign 

Naval Campaign is defined as to include all sea operations where attrition rates are in ones and twos and which do not fall within specific naval battles such as Jutland, Coronel, Falklands etc. This includes Merchant Navy losses.

Detail :

In July 1915 Thomas joins HMS Europa, a Diadem class cruiser and sails via Malta and Mudros for service in the Gallipoli campaign, operating as a flagship. On 9 October he is admitted to Navy General Hospital in Alexandria, then embarked aboard HM Hospital Ship Asturias. He was issued with a silver war badge, number 44, for services rendered on the list up until 31 December 1916. His Commanding Officer wrote "I am very pleased with the work of this Officer who has always given me complete satisfaction, etc. signed G C Frederick Capt. RN."

Returned to England he is under HMS President 11 February 1917, and sent to Liverpool for service as 'shipping intelligence staff'. Thomas died of pulmonary tuberculosis on Thursday 29 August, 1918, and was laid to rest in Anfield Cemetery, Plot, VII. CE. 1762. The burial took place on 31 August and he was laid to rest in the Watson family grave

The index to Wills and Administration for 1918 has; Campbell, Thomas of Snanock-green, 8 Agnes Road, Blundellsands, Master Mariner, Lieutenant Royal Naval Reserve died 29th August 1918. Probate 17th December 1918 to James Munro Watson warehouse keeper and Harriet Emma Watson widow. Effects £168.10s.1d. Thomas’s wife, Margaret Barney Campbell never re-married and died at Liverpool in 1983 aged 94 years.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : James T. Callow No. 3596 E.C.West Lancashire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
20th January 1917
17th February 1917
17th March 1917
 

Thomas Campbell was initiated into James T Callow Lodge No 3596 at Hope Street, Liverpool, on 20 January, 1917, after his proposal and application had been agreed by the Committee on 2 January 2. He was described as being a Master Mariner, of Shernock Green, Agnes Road, Blundellsands, and had been proposed by James Munro Watson, seconded by Thomas Gaston both founding members. He was passed to the Second Degree on 17 February, 1917, and raised on 17 March to Master Mason. His Grand Lodge Certificate was issued on the 30 May, of the same year.

Thomas is commemorated on the Liverpool Masonic Hall Memorial, Hope Street, and on page 110 in the Roll of Honour Book published by United Grand Lodge in 1921, as Campbell, Thomas Lieut. R.N.R.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2021-02-25 09:44:10