Thomas Henry James Bawden (1864-1948)

One of my paternal grandfathers:

Thomas Henry James Bawden

Seaman, Coastguard and Insurance Salesman

Thomas Henry James Bawden was born at 5 Sea Side Terrace, South Stoneham, Southampton on 29 April 1864[1]. He was the second legitimate son of Elizabeth Susanna Evens and William James Bawden. By the time of the 1871 census[2] the family was housed at 4 Granby Street, Devonport and Thomas had two younger brothers. His father was not recorded to be at home but rather was a patient in the RN Hospital, Plymouth[3].

On 29^th December1879 he signed onto the Royal Navy for a period of 10 years[4]. His date of birth is given as 28^th December 1861 making it appear that he was just 18 upon joining up. The fact that he was somewhat younger is borne out by his height at joining being recorded as 5ft, whereas 10 years later he was apparently 5ft 4ins. Other physical characteristics noted in 1871 are that he was of dark complexion with brown hair and hazel eyes. Come 1871 his eyes and hair were recorded as being black and he had acquired a scar on his right leg in the shape of a wood arrow. The records also state that at the time of joining up his occupation was that of a baker.

Before signing on, from 11 July 1877, he was a boy rating on HMS Implacable, Pegasus and Growler[5].

He served on a range of vessels, some for very short periods of time and some which he returned to more than once. The list includes Growler, Kestrel, Victor Emanuel, Iron Duke, Vigilant, Cambridge, Belleisle, Defiance, Rover, Ruby and Ajax[6]. At the time of the 1881 census he was an ordinary seaman on board HMS Iron Duke, an iron-clad frigate, which was anchored in Hong Kong harbour at the time[7].

It is difficult to decipher some of the notes in his naval records but it is clear that he managed to earn three good conduct badges, each of which would have afforded him an extra 1d pay per day[8]. It looks as though at one time he was a coxswain, 2^nd class, which is a petty officer rank; and he may also have been an acting coast guard[9] before he was discharged into the Coast Guard Service upon completion of his 10 years[10].

On 15 September 1883 he married Elizabeth Sullivan at the Church of St Mary and St Boniface, Plymouth[11]. At the time he was serving on HMS Cambridge[12] and his place of residence is recorded as 80 Pembroke Street, Devonport. They had three children, their two daughters surviving into adulthood but their son, Henry John, died of meningitis aged just 8[13].

Elizabeth died in 1890 at Greystones in Ireland where Thomas was employed as a coast guard[14]. He was posted to St Mawes in November of that year and married Sarah Roskelly at the parish church in St Veep on 3 February 1891[15]. They are recorded as living at Marine Parade, St Mawes in the 1891 census[16] and their only son, George Charles, was born in the village in December. Ten years later Thomas is still in the Coast Guards rated as a commissioned boatman and living in Axmouth[17].

It would appear that Thomas was pensioned out of the Coast Guard service in late 1902 at which time he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve[18]. In 1910 on his daughter, Christina’s marriage certificate, his occupation is given as a lodging house keeper[19]. However, in the 1911 census he is recorded as an insurance collector for the Royal London Mutual Insurance Co and he and Sarah are living at St Just, Naseby Road, Winton, Bournemouth[20]. By 1939 they had moved to 16 Waterloo Road[21]. Sarah died in 1944 and Thomas committed suicide by gassing himself on 12 February 1948[22]. Interestingly both the National Register and his death certificate maintain the fiction of his having been born in 1861.

Although my father would have known his grandfather until he was in his twenties he had very little to say about him. He did say Thomas was a very gruff man who had been unpleasant, if not cruel, towards Sarah[23]. He also recalled that Thomas’s effects, totalling £1672 1s 2d[24], were inherited by his daughter Mabel, despite my grandmother caring for him in his last years[25]. Mabel was supposed to “make it alright”, but never did.

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[1] Birth registration GRO reference 1864 Jun S Stoneham 2C 44.

[2] 1871 England and Wales census RG10/2133/93/47.

[3] Ibid RG10/2127/99/16.

[4] Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services ADM/188/117/101050.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] 1881 England and Wales census RG11/5639/88/21.

[8] “The History of Good Conduct Badges and Pay in the Royal Navy”, P Benyon, http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Cond_of_Serv/GCBs.html accessed 25 November 2017.

[9] These posts are my interpretation of the various abbreviations in his service record.

[10] Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services ADM/188/117/101050.

[11] Marriage registration GRO reference 1883 Sep Plymouth 5B 496.

[12] HMS Cambridge was a gunnery training ship located off Plymouth (Joan Wilcocks, letter 80). See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cambridge accessed 25 November 2017.

[13] Death registration GRO reference 1892 Sep Truro 5C 77.

[14] Death registration GRO (Eire) reference 1890 Jun Rathdown 3 692.

[15] Marriage registration GRO reference 1891 Mar Liskeard 5C 93.

[16] 1891 England and Wales census RG12/1827/40/19.

[17] 1901 Engalnd and Wales census RG13/2019/76/1.

[18] Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services ADM/188/117/101050.

[19] Marriage registration GRO reference 1910 Dec Totnes 5b 384.

[20] 1911 England and Wales census RG14/5877/95/2/46/91.

[21] 1939 National Register RG101/2243C/010/28.

[22] Death registration GRO reference 1948 Mar Bournemouth 6B 179.

[23] Conversation with Charles Roskelly Bawden 11 January 2010.

[24] England and Wales National Probate Calendar 1948 373.

[25] Undocumented conversation with Charles Roskelly Bawden.