Wallace Paulson
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Wallace was the son of William Paulson and his first wife Sarah (née Broom). His father William was born in Eakring, Nottinghamshire, on 19 September 1855, the son of George and Rhoda Paulson. He was baptised at Eakring St Andrew on 21 October the same year. His mother Sarah Broom was born in Whalley, Derbyshire, in about 1862. His parents were married at Eakring St Andrew on 24 December 1885 (O/N/D Southwell) and had at least seven children: Edwin b. Eakring 20 August 1886 bap. St Andrew 10 October 1886, John William b. Eakring 6 October 1887 bap. St Andrew 11 December 1887, Rhoda Ellen Catherine (Catherine) b. Rufford 6 June 1890 (O/N/D Southwell) bap. St Andrew 13 July 1890, Wallace b. Eakring 11 December 1892 (registered 1893 J/F/M Southwell) bap. St Andrew 14 January 1893, Bertha b. Wellow 1894 (O/N/D Southwell) bap. Wellow St Swithun 27 November 1894, Miriam Maud b. Wellow 31 January 1898 (J/F/M Southwell) bap. St Swithun 16 March 1898 and Harold b. Rufford 28 June 1900 (J/A/S Southwell). William and Sarah were living in Eakring when their sons Edwin and John were baptised in 1886 and 1887 respectively. In 1891 William (35), an agricultural labourer, and Sarah (31) were living at Blooms Gorse Cottage, Inkersall, Rufford, with their three children, Edwin (4), John William (3) and Rhoda (under 1 year) who was referred to as 'Catherine' on later census. The family was living in Eakring when Wallace was born in 1893, in Wellow when Bertha was born the following year and Miriam baptised in 1898 then in Rufford by the time of Harold's birth in 1900. William, a stockman on a farm, and Sarah were still living in Rufford in 1901 at Rufford Lane Farm Six of their seven children were in the home on the night of the census: John (13), Catherine (10), Wallace (8), Bertha (6), Miriam (3) and Harold (under one year). Their eldest son, Edwin, was a horsekeeper on a farm in Walesby, Nottinghamshire. Sarah Paulson died in 1902 (O/N/D Southwell) aged about 40. William Paulson married secondly Charlotte Ellen Boddy (née Highfield) in 1910 (A/M/J Southwell). Charlotte Ellen Highfield was born in Walesby, Nottinghamshire, on 1 March 1878 (A/M/J Southwell), the daughter of Thomas and Charlotte Highfield; she was baptised at Walesby St Edmund on 5 May 1878. Charlotte married Joseph Simpson Boddy (b. 1870 Leeds) on 18 October 1898 at St Edmund and they had one child, Phyllis Ena b. 1906 (A/M/J Leeds). In 1901 Joseph and Charlotte were living in Headingly, Leeds, with Joseph's mother, who was a postmistress and stationer; Joseph and Charlotte were assistant postmasters. Joseph died on 26 November 1906 aged about 36. William and Charlotte had a daughter, Clara Ellen on 30 June 1910 (J/A/S Southwell) and in 1911 were living in Wellow with their daughter Clara, Charlotte's daughter Phyllis and four of William's six children by his first marriage: John (23) a farm labourer, Wallace (18) an engine cleaner for the Great Central Railway, Miriam (13) and Harold (10). Edwin (24) was a farm labourer for James Bingham, farmer, of Kersall, near Newark, and Bertha (17) was living in the Market Place, Ollerton, a general domestic servant in the household of William Appleby, a draper, and his wife Annie. Wallace joined the Royal Marine Artillery at the end of the year. Wallace's father and stepmother were living in Kersall, near Newark, when the CWGC record was compiled. The England & Wales Register of 1939 shows them living at East Park Cottage, Moorhouse, Newark; there was another occupant in the house (record closed). William died in 1945 (O/N/D Southwell) aged 90 and Charlotte Ellen died in 1969 (J/F/M Southwell) also aged 90. Of Wallace's six siblings: Edwin married Ethel Blackshaw (b. 18 January 1890) in 1911 (A/M/J Newark). In 1939 they were living at Pear Tree Cottage, Billesdon, Leicestershire; Edwin was a farm labourer/cowman. Also in the household were their children Grace Helena Paulson (b. 15 December 1915) and Leslie D Paulson (b. 1 March 1921) a brass foundry case maker; the record of one other person in the household is closed. Edwin died in 1962 (O/N/D Leicester). John William married Alice Key in 1914 (A/M/J Southwell. In 1939 John, a forestry worker, and Alice (b. 14 June 1890) were living on Wellow Road, Ollerton; the records of two other people in the household are closed. John William died in 1954 (O/N/D Southwell). Rhoda Ellen Catherine (Catherine) married Arthur Newton in 1913 (O/N/D Southwell). In 1939 they were living at 6 Walton Crescent, Chesterfield; Arthur (b. 4 March 1891) was a railway goods guard for LNER. Also in the household were their children Arthur P Newton (b. 11 April 1914) motor driver wholesale draper, Alan Newton (b. 23 March 1934) and their married daughter Dorothy Daddy (b. 26 February 1916) m. 1938, and her husband Kenneth A Daddy (b. 4 August 1914) a boot and shoe repairer. Two closed records. Rhoda died in 1967 (O/N/D Chesterfield). Bertha probably married George H Lawson in 1912 (J/A/S Newark). Miriam Maud married Albert Hall in 1916 (O/N/D Newark). In 1939 Arthur (b. 8 August 1895), a brewer's labourer, and Miriam were living at the Council House, Marsh Lane, Newark RD, with their children Cecil Hall (b. 29 April 1918) a ball bearing machinist and Freda Mary Hall (b. 9 December 1919) who worked in the fitter-up department of an engineering company. Miriam died in 1993 (J/F/M Newark). Harold probably married Violet M Metheringham (b. 7 May 1901) in 1926 (J/F/M Mansfield) and in 1939 they were living at 43 Byron Road, Basford RD; Harold was a colliery housekeeper. One record closed. Wallace's half-sister, Clara Ellen, married Cyril H Harrison (b. 25 May 1910) in 1936 (J/A/S Southwell) and in 1939 they were living on Main Street, Fiskerton.
HMS Natal Wallace enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery on a continuous service engagement on 18 September 1911, a few months before his 18th birthday. He enlisted in the rank of private but was rated Gunner 2nd Class on 18 August 1912 and Gunner on 23 November the same year. Wallace served in HMS Natal from 4 December 1912 and was killed on 30 December 1915 when HMS Natal exploded and sank at anchor in the Cromerty Firth with great loss of life. His body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.
HMS Natal (Captain Eric Percy Coventry Black RN) was an armoured cruiser, part of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. In 1915, with other ships in the squadron, Natal had been refitted at Birkenhead but by 17 December had returned to the squadron's anchorage in the Cromarty Firth. The ship's company had been taking advantage of Christmas in port and on the day of the explosion ratings had been playing football matches ashore while Captain Black had arranged a luncheon onboard with his wife, Violet, to which several officers and their wives, a civilian family and nurses from the Hospital Ship Drina had been invited. At 3.20pm a massive explosion occurred in the after-section of the ship and with no time to close any watertight doors the ship listed to port, capsized and sank within minutes. The number of people killed, including the captain and his guests, varies from 390 to 421. Examination of the wreck showed that the explosion was internal and not the result of either a torpedo attack by German U-boat or detonation by submarine-laid mine. The subsequent court-martial concluded that the loss of the ship was the result of an internal ammunition explosion beginning in either the rear 9.2 inch shellroom or the 3-pounder and small arms magazine, possibly due to faulty cordite. However, speculation about the cause, including sabotage, continues. The wreck lay in a position 57°41.243’N, 004°05.310’W in a depth of 15 metres and the hull was for many years still visible at low water. Much of the ship was salvaged at the time but some of the remains were blown up in the 1970s to reduce the hazard to navigation. In 2002 the wreck and a 100 metre radius around its position was designated a protected military wreck.
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