Alfred (known as Bertie) was born on 27th June 1887 in Paddington, London to parents Alred, a porter and mother Sarah and was next recorded on the 1891 census living at 48 Knowsley Road, Battersea along with his three sisters. Alfred was recorded on the 1901 census living with two of his sisters and father at 34 Gladstone Street, Battersea - Alfred was then a widow, after Sarah had died in December 1898.
He joined the Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 22nd August 1904, leaving his job as a bottle washer and signing up for a 12 year service. He was recorded as 5’4” tall when fully grown, with brown hair, hazel eyes and scars on his knuckle and 2nd finger of his right hand.
His service record follows -
HMS PEMBROKE I - 22/09/1904 - 12/10/1904
HMS NORTHAMPTON - 13/10/1904 - 14/11/1904
HMS HAWKE - 15/11/1904 - 30/04/1905, rising to Boy 1st Class
HMS PEMBROKE I - 01/05/1905 - 08/05/1905
HMS GOLIATH - 09/05/1905 - 20/10/1905, rising to Ordinary Seaman on 27/06/1905
HMS PRINCE OF WALES - 21/10/1905 - 28/05/1906
HMS PEMBROKE I - 29/05/1906 - 04/11/1906
HMS MAGNIFICENT - 05/11/1906 - 15/02/1909, rising to Able Seaman on 04/12/1907
HMS AFRICA - 16/02/1909 - 18/04/1910
HMS PEMBROKE I - 19/04/1910 - 02/05/1910
HMS BACCHANTE - 03/05/1910 - 14/03/1910
HMS PEMBROKE I - 15/03/1910 - 11/04/1912, recorded on the 1911 census aboard HMS Bacchante, anchored in Malta.
HMS CRESSY - 12/04/1912 - 01/09/1912
HMS GLORY - 02/09/1912 - 10/02/1913
HMS PEMBROKE I - 11/02/1913 - 25/02/1913
HMS HALCYON - 26/02/1913 - 15/07/1913
HMS PEMBROKE I - 16/07/913 - 30/03/1914
HMS VANGUARD - 31/03/1914 - 09/07/1917
Alfred married Daisy Lavinia Jackson in September 1912 and had a son, Alfred Frederick born on 06/11/1914. His Star, Victory and British war medals were issued to his widow along with his pension, following his death.
#301 - 781/843
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD
1891, 1901 & 1911 England Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 410
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 010 (1914 - 1919)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
CWGC Register
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/10; Scan Number: 0847
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 ADM 171; Piece: 117
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 183/0956/VIR-WAD
Image courtesy of Karen Kendillon-Hollis