Thomas Pepper
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Thomas Pepper was born on 6 October 1898 at Sneinton, the son of Henry and Ellen Pepper (née MacDonald/McDonald).
His father Henry was born in 1874 at Radford, Nottingham. His mother Ellen, the daughter of Bartholomew McDonald and his wife Ellen (née Garvican), was born on 18 November 1874 at Sneinton and baptised at Meadows Our Lady & St Patrick RC on 10 January 1875.
Henry and Ellen were married on 5 August 1896 (reg. Nottingham 1896 JAS). They had seven children, three of whom died in infancy or early childhood, including two daughters, Ellen b. 20 March 1901 bap. St Patrick RC 28 April 1901 (parents Henry & Ellen MacDonald, 2 White Street) d. 1901 (JAS) and Rosetta b. 1907 (AMJ) d. 1907 (OND).
Their surviving children were James, Albert, Thomas and Silas. James Henry Macdonald was born on 8 June 1895, bap. St Patrick 21 July 1895, parents Henry Pepper Macdonald-sic and Helen-sic MacDonald; Albert b. 1896 (OND), Thomas b. 6 October 1898 and Silas b. 14 August 1904 (JAS), bap. St Patrick 11 September 1904 (parents Henry Pepper and Ellen MacDonald, 23 Lake Yard).
Henry, a framework knitter, and Ellen, a lace clipper (at home), were living at 2 White Street in 1901. Also in the home were their three sons, Henry, Albert and Thomas, and their two-week old daughter, Ellen who died in infancy.
Henry and Ellen had moved to 23 Lake Yard by the time of their son Silas's birth in 1904.
Their daughter Rosetta was born in 1907 (reg. AMJ) and Ellen died aged 33 on 6 April at 16 Lake Yard, Island Street, Nottingham. Rosetta died later that year.
By 1911 Henry and his four sons were living at 3 Lake Yard, Nottingham. Henry was a bricklayers' labourer, James MacDonald [surname] (15) a painter and decorator, Albert (14) a card hand (printer), and Thomas (12) and Silas (6) who were school age.
The later CWGC record gives Henry's home address as 7 Lavender Street, Dame Agnes Street, Nottingham.
Henry was recorded on the 1921 Census living in Bargoed, Gelligaer, Glamorganshire, with his wife Eliza (née Good, m. 1921 reg. AMJ Merthyr Tydfil), and his son Silas (16). Henry was a general labourer (Hoppers New Coke Oven) and Silas was unemployed, previous employment general labourer (Nottingham Electrical Telegraph Works). Eliza Pepper died in 1938 aged 71 (b. abt. 1867) and Henry in 1950, aged 75; both deaths were recorded in the East Glamorgan registration district.
Silas married Margaret J Nilsen in 1930 (reg. Merthyr Tydfil) and their son John H. was born in 1934. They were recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register in Gelligaer, Glamorganshire: Silas (b. 14 August 1904), a masons' labourer, Margaret (b. 1904) and John. Silas died in 1976 (reg. Merthyr Tydfil).
James Henry MacDonald married Florence M Betts in 1919. They were recorded living on Miall Street, Nottingham, on the 1939 England & Wales Register: James (b. 3 August 1895), an engineers' labourer, his wife and their two daughters, Florence and Glenda. James died in 1972 (JFM Nottingham, b. 3 August 1895).
Albert of 2 Frederick Place, Lower Eldon Street, Nottingham, married Alice Edis Rowbotham at Sneinton parish church in May 1926; one of the two witnesses was his brother, James Henry MacDonald. The couple were living on Denewood Close, Nottingham, in 1939; the records of two other members of the household remain closed but were probably those of their two daughters, Dorothy and Iris. Alice died in March 1946 and Albert in 1978 (JAS Nottingham).
Thomas's service and personal details and date of death have been taken from the CWGC record.
Ordinary Seaman Thomas Pepper served in the Mercantile Marine, last ship SS Daybreak (reg. West Hartlepool), a steam cargo ship/defensively armed merchant ship (DEMS), owned by Elvidge & Morgan (Cardiff).
Thomas died on 8 November 1916 and his name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial.
The circumstances of his death have not yet been confirmed but one is that he may have drowned at Bakarista (Bakaritza), a port on the Northern Dvina River, Archangel, Russia.
The port of Archangel was severely damaged, shipping lost and with heavy casualties, both civilian and military, following the explosion of an ammunition ship shortly after midday on 8 November 1916.
However, there are on-line records that SS Daybreak, on passage to North Russia with military supplies, was attacked by German submarine in the Barent Sea/North Russia on 8 November 1916 with the loss of two casualties, OS John Ross and OS Thomas Pepper (killed). One website relating to an eyewitness account of one of the ship's survivors of 8 November, records the attack by the German submarine and the names of the two casualties, Ross and Pepper, the latter being 'drowned in the attack.' SS Daybreak reached the Port of Archangel the same day but anchored offshore thus surviving the worst of the explosions and ensuing fires. (Appledore History Group, www.facebook.com/groups/186611818115978/posts/6817000255077068)
SS Daybreak was sunk by German submarine U-87 on 24 December 1917 about 1NM east of the South Rock light vessel, Ireland, while on passage in convoy from Huelva, Spain, to the Clyde (Glasgow). Twenty-one crew, including the Master, lost. U-87 was sunk in the Irish Ship by HMS Buttercup and patrol Vessel PC-56 on 25 December 1917; lost with all hands (44). www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?64879Owner (and others). The website includes the name of Thomas Pepper in SS Daybreak's 1917 casualty list. However, websites have noted the discrepancy in the list of names of the crew lost in 1917, which include Thomas, as it conflicts with other records of the date he died.
CWGC Additional information: Son of Henry Pepper, of 7, Lavender St., Dame Agnes St., Nottingham. Born at Nottingham.
Note: No reports about Thomas's death on either 8 November 1916 or 24 December 1917 have been found in local newspapers.
Additional research and information Peter Gillings. Further research/record updated RF (April 2026)
Photo of Thomas Pepper
Tower Hill Memorial, London courtesy of the cwgc