Owen was born on 18th December 1885 in Sligo, Ireland to parents John and Sarah but by the 1891 census the family had moved to Salford in Lancashire and lived at 2 Heaps Buildings. Owen was six years old and had two younger siblings as well as an older brother (not mentioned). Within 10 years the family had moved again and in 1901 were recorded residing at 10 William’s Place, Harpurhey, Lancashire. Owen was then aged 15, had left school and worked in the cotton trade. Several months after the census had been taken Owen left his civilian life and joined the Navy on 18th May 1901 as a Boy 2nd Class attached to HMS Black Prince until 15th October 1902, rising to Boy 1st Class on 6th Feb 1902. He was 5'1" tall with black hair and grey eyes, had a small scar on his forehead; the remainder of his service history follows:-
HMS AGINCOURT - 16/10/1902 - 07/01/1903
HMS JUPITER - 08/01/1903 - 21/06/1904, rising to Ordinary Seaman on 18/10/1903
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS - 22/06/1904 - 17/01/1905, rising to Able Seaman on 31/10/1904
HMS WILDFIRE - 18/01/1905 - 22/03/1905
HMS PEMBROKE I - 23/03/1905 - 05/06/1905
HMS REPULSE - 06/06/1905 - 23/03/1906
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS - 24/03/1906 - 23/04/1908, serving ten days in cells and hard labour for 42 days
HMS PEMBROKE I - 24/04/1908 - 24/08/1908
HMS VICTORIOUS - 25/08/1908 - 12/09/1908
HMS AGAMEMNON - 13/09/1908 - 26/09/1910, serving a total of 27 days in cells
HMS PEMBROKE I - 27/09/1910 - 24/04/1911, stationed in Chatham during the 1911 census
HMS AFRICA - 25/04/1911 - 04/03/1912, serving 10 days in cells
HMS LONDON - 05/03/1912 - 17/02/1914
HMS PEMBROKE I - 18/02/1914 - 30/03/1914
HMS VANGUARD - 31/03/1914 - 09/07/1917. Owen served during the Battle of Jutland.
Owen’s pension was claimed by his mother following his death, as were his Star, Victory and British war medals. He is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
(#153 - 456/841)
Sources:
Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958
1891, 1901 & 1911 England Census
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 376
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: Piece 008; Piece Description: Piece 008 (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 242/8; Scan Number: 1211
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 107
British Newspaper Archives - Manchester Evening News
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