William Edward Orme
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
It is likely from documentary evidence that William Edward was the son of John Barrows and Maria Rose [also Rose Maria] Orme (nee Watmough). John Barrows was born in Nottingham in 1856 and Maria Rose in Laneham, Nottinghamshire (birth registered J/F/M East Retford). They were married in 1886 (J/A/S Nottingham) and according to the 1911 Census had had six children of whom only five had survived childhood, a son having died in infancy. Six children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: William Edward b. 19 May 1887, Henrietta (Hettie) b. 1886, George b. 1892, Kate b. 1894, Albert b. 1900 d. 1903 and Sarah birth registered 1904 (J/F/M). All the children were born in Nottingham. In 1891 John a bricklayer's labourer, and his wife were living at 1 Rigley's Terrace, Nottingham, with their two children William (3) and Henrietta (2). By 1901 John, now a general labourer, and Rose were living with Rose's widowed father, George Watmough (75, b. Tuxford) at 501 Berridge Road, Hyson Green. Also in the household were William a general labourer, Henrietta, George (8), Kate (7) and Albert (8 months) who died two years later in 1903. There was also another child in the house, Harry Orme (3), who was described as George Watmough's grandchild. No other records have been traced for this child who does not appear on the 1911 Census with the Orme family, and it seems unlikely that he was John and Rose's son. John and Rose had their sixth child, Sarah, in 1904. William joined the Royal Navy in 1903 and was serving in HMS Bramble in the China and East Indies at the time of the 1911 Census. His brother, George, who had been a coal miner at Clifton Colliery, had joined the Royal Garrison Artillery (32832) in March 1910 when he was 18 years old. He named his next of kin as his parents John and Rose Orme, 14 Durban Terrace, New Basford, and his brother 'E. William' who was serving in the Royal Navy. In 1911 George was serving with the 40th Company RGA at Dover Castle. There is a note in his army service documents that he deserted while serving in the UK in April 1910 but was apprehended a week later. He later served abroad, including Singapore and Hong Kong, but again there is a note on his record that he deserted on 30 January 1913 while serving in Singapore. The surviving documents in his army service record do not make it clear whether he was apprehended and returned to his unit or whether he later served in the war. John and Rose were living at 14 Durban Terrace, Fisher Street, Nottingham, in 1911 with their two youngest surviving children, Kate a lace hand, and Sarah. Henrietta (22) had married the previous year (1910) and was living with her husband, James Harold Monks (22, b. Staveley Derbyshire), a leather dresser, and their daughter Ellen (under 1 month). Also in the household was a boarder, Walter Smith (25). William married Helen [Nellie] Gertrude Clark in 1912. William had just been drafted from HMS Hawke to HMS Excellent, a shore establishment in Portsmouth. William's wife was born in Nottingham in 1889, the daughter of William Clark and Jane Fearn Clark. She had three siblings, Emily, George and Ada Mary (Mary). In 1911 her father, a lace maker, mother and two of their children, Helen a lace dresser, and Ada Mary an ironer, were living at 22 Bateman Street, Hyson Green. At the time of William's death in 1916 he and his wife were living at 10 Cyril Avenue, Bobbers Mill, Nottingham. According to the notices of William's death in the local paper he and Helen had one son, Willie, and there is a record of the registration of the birth of a William G. Orme (mother's maiden name Clark) in Portsmouth in December 1913; William Edward was serving at HMS Excellent at the time and it might be that Helen had joined him in Portsmouth during his time ashore. It seems likely that Helen remarried as there is a record of the marriage of a Helen G Orme to George W Stanford in 1917 (O/N/D Nottingham).
HMS Shark William joined the Royal Navy in 1903 at the age of 16 and entered on a 12 year engagement on his 18th birthday, 19 May 1905. He served in the following ships and shore establishments: HMS Ganges, 5 September 1903-26 October 1904 (Boy 2nd Class, Boy 1st Class 5 April 1904); HMS St Vincent, 27 October 1904-4 May 1905; HMS Edgar, 5 May 1905-10 September 1905 (Ordinary Seaman 19 May 1905); Victory I, 11 September 1905-8 January 1906; HMS Hermes. 9 January 1906-30 September 1908 (Able Seaman 1 October 1906); HMS Edgar, 1 October 1908-13 November 1908; HMS Excellent, 14 November 17 January 1910; HMS Edgar, 18 January 1910-17 March 1910; HMS Bramble, 18 March 1910-28 March 1912; HMS Hawke, 29 March 1912-1 June 1912; HMS Excellent, 2 June 1912-11 January 1913; HMS Revenge, 12 January 1913-14 May 1913; HMS Seagull, 15 May 1913-2 December 1913; HMS Excellent, 3 December 1913-10 January 1914; HMS Hecla (Shark), 11 January 1914-31 May 1916 (Leading Seaman, 20 November 1914). His Naval record was annotated, ‘NP4305/1916. DD 31st May 1916. Killed in action.’ William's body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. HMS Shark was an Acasta-class destroyer built in 1912 at the Wallsend yard of Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson and launched on 30 July 1912. She joined the 4th Destroyer Flotillaon completion. During the Battle of Jutland, the 4th Flotilla was attached to Admiral David Beatty's Battle Cruiser Fleet based at Rosyth, and assigned to cover the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron. During the battle, at around 6 pm, Shark led an unsuccessful torpedo attack by the flotilla on the German 2nd Scouting Group. The other three destroyers escaped with little damage, but Shark was crippled by gun fire. The forecastle gun was completely blown away with most of its gun crew shortly before the captain, Commander Loftus Jones, declined an offer of assistance from the destroyer Acasta. Soon afterwards the aft 4 inch gun was also destroyed and the bridge wrecked. Jones and three seamen continued working the midship gun, engaging nearby German destroyers and leading to the sinking of V48. The German destroyers closed on the ship and returned heavy fire, during which Jones lost a leg. Shortly before 7 pm he ordered the ship to be abandoned and around thirty of the crew managed to get onto the rafts. Seven were picked up six hours later by a Danish ship, but one died soon afterwards. Although there are reports that Jones went down with the ship survivors told his wife that he was put onto a raft. At 7 pm, the destroyer was sunk by a torpedo launched by the German torpedo boat S54 and which hit her abreast of the aft funnel. In March 1917, Jones was gazetted with a posthumous Victoria Cross. The wreck site is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. (Wikipedia)
Note: RN&RM War Graves Roll DOB 19 May 1887, RN Registers of Seamen's Services DOB 10 May 1887 but this document records his 12 year engagement beginning on 19 May 1905, his 18th birthday. Nottingham Evening Post, 13 June 1916, 'Nottingham Men Lost at Sea.' Photograph with caption: ‘Leading seaman and second gun layer W E Orme (Shark), 6 Cyril Avenue, Bobbers Mill, aged 29.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) The photograph is a poor reproduction but the only one found to date of William Orme. Nottingham Evening Post, Roll of Honour, 13 June 1916: ‘Orme. Killed in action, May 31st, in the North Sea battle, William Edward Orme, aged 28 years, leading seaman of HMS Shark. Nobly did his duty. His loving face and smile will never be forgotten. From his sorrowing wife and little sonny Willie, of 10, Cyril-avenue, Bobber’s Mill, and dearly loved son-in-law of Mr and Mrs W Clark, and George.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, Roll of Honour, 13 June 1916: Orme. Killed in action, May 31st, in the North Sea battle, William Edward Orme, aged 29 years, leading seaman of HMS Shark. Duty nobly done. From his sorrowing sister and brother, Pem and Dick, little Willie and Evelyn.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 31 May 1917: ‘Orme. In loving memory of my dear husband, William Edward Orme, who was killed in the Jutland Battle, May 31st, 1916, late of HMS Shark. His duty nobly done. Beautiful memories left behind. From wife, little sonnie Willie, Mrs Clark and family.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 31 May 1918: ‘Orme.In loving memory of William Orme lost in the Jutland battle on May 31st 1916. Cherished memories. Nellie, Willie [son], and Mrs Clark and family.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 31 May 1918: ‘Orme. In loving memory of William Edward Orme, who was killed in the Jutland battle, May 31st 1916, the dearly loved son-in-law of Mr and Mrs Clark, George (in Egypt). Ever in our thoughts.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Another Nottingham sailor, Stoker 1st Class John George Beresford, also died in HMS Shark (St Ann's District Virtual Memorial).
