William Henry Newton
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William Henry was the son of Alfred and Annie Fisher (née Meads). Annie Meads was born in Clay Cross, Derbyshire, in about 1873, and was married to Alfred in 1891. Alfred provided the information on the 1911 Census that he and his wife had been married for 19 years and had had 11 children, 10 of whom were still living. In 1901 Alfred and Annie were living at 2 Kirkstead Terrace(?), Hyson Green, with their four children, Harriett Ethel (8 b. Clay Cross Derbyshire), William Henry (5), Frank (3 b. Hyson Green) and Gertrude (1 b. Hyson Green). Ten years later in 1911 they were living at 13 Gauntley Street, Hyson Green; Alfred was a coal miner (hewer). They had ten children; Harriett Ethel, William Henry, Frank, Gertrude, Kate (9 b. New Basford), twins Annie (or Fannie) and Elizabeth (7 b. New Basford), Alfred (5 b. New Basford), Frederick (2yr 6m b. Hyson Green) and John (6m b. Hyson Green). Also in the household was Alfred's widowed mother-in-law, Catherine Meads (69). William's mother, Annie, probably died in Nottingham in 1921 aged 48. His father Alfred died on 14 March 1952, home address Fisher Street, Hyson Green. Probate was awarded to his married daughters, Harriet Ethel Slack and Gertrude Garner.
Royal Marine Artillery, HMS Aboukir. William Henry enlisted in the RMA on 7 July 1913. He was killed when HMS Aboukir was sunk by German submarine U-9 on 22 September 1914. His body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Admiralty and Secretariat Papers 1914-1944. p30, Adml 8400/395 1914: Identity and disposal of effects of bodies of seamen washed ashore in Holland, late crew members of HMS Ships Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy. 8395/334, 1914: Nominal list of survivors from HM Ships Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue received at Harwich (ratings) Admiralty 23 September 1914. The Royal Navy Day by Day, 2005, (p366) 28 August 1914, Battle of Heligoland Bight ships included HMS Aboukir. (p398) 22 September 1914, HM Ships Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue sunk by U-9 off the Maas lightvessel (52-18N, 03-41E). Cressy and Hogue had stopped for Aboukir survivors. The number of men lost, at 1,459, was more than at Trafalgar.
Chelsea Street Baptist Church minutes Sunday October 4th 1914, resolved: 'That a message of sympathy be sent to Miss Ethel [Harriett Ethel] Newton and family on account of the untimely death of Miss Ethel’s brother who was lost with the Aboukir, the British Cruiser which was sunk by a German submarine.' (Nottinghamshire Archives ref. NC/BP/44/3) Nottingham Evening Post 26 and 28 September 1914 Photographs of those missing from HMS Aboukir. Nottingham Evening Post, 28 September (photograph): 'Gunner WH Newton of 81 Fisher Street, Nottingham.' William's photograph was published alongside that of another Aboukir casualty, Stoker 1st Class FJ Smith of Mafeking Terrace, Nottingham.
