Name
William George Casbolt
1/11/1875
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/11/1914
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Leading Seaman
170576
Royal Navy
(RFR/PO/B/1879). H.M.S. "Bulwark."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Panel 1
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial to the missing at sea.
UK & Other Memorials
Broxbourne Town Memorial, St Augustine’s Church Memorial, Broxbourne, Individual plaque, St Augustine’s Church, Broxbourne, Broxbourne C of E Primary School Memorial
Pre War
William George CASBOLT was born in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire,
on 1st November 1875, son of William Casbolt a Bricklayer, later a
Builder & Licensed Victualler and Ann Elizabeth Casbolt (nee Bailey). The
only son of four children.
William Snr. Married his first wife Ann Elizabeth Baily in
July 1872, at Sain Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, London/Surrey.
1881 Census records William Jr. aged 5, a school, living
with his parents, three sisters, Elizabeth (7), Emily (2) and Florence (1), the
family are living with his widowed grandmother Marther Bailey (a Licenced
Victualler) at the White Bear PH, High Street, Broxbourne, Herts.
His mother Ann Elizabeth Casbolt died in1883, aged 39.
William Snr. remarried in November 1886, to Margaret Wilks, at Saint Antony,
Nunhead, Southwark, London/Surrey.
1891 Census records William Jr. aged 15, as crew aboard the
Training Ship “Mercury” moored offshore, at St Helens, Isle of Wight. The TS
“Mercury” was a civilian training ship that trained boy from school leaving
aged for service in the Royal Navy. His father William and stepmother Margaret,
sisters Elizabeth (17) and Florence (11) are still living at the White Bear PH,
his father is recorded as a Builder & Licenced Victualler. His father
William died in 1892, aged 52.
His Royal Navy Service Record, records William Jr. joined
the Royal Navy as a Boy Sailer in November 1893, enlisting as an Ordinary
Seaman on 1st November 1895, at Portsmouth, for twelve years and
issued with the service number 170576. William Jr. retired from the Royal Navy
in September 1906, joining the Royal Fleet Reserve, Portsmouth.
1911 Census records William Jr. aged 35, single and a
boarder with Albert and Lucy Hazelden, at 1 Rose Cottage, Stoke Fields,
Guilford, Surrey. His occupation is given as a Tyre Fitter. His sister
Elizabeth in now the Landlady of the White Bear PH, sister Florence is still
living at the White Bear PH, they have a live-in Domestic Servant Elizabeth
Chappel.
In September 1911, William Jr. re-enlisted in the Royal Navy
as a Leading Seaman retaining his old service number.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war in August 1914, William Jr. was
serving with the Royal Navy. In November 1914, he was serving aboard the
Battleship HMS” Bulwark”, on the 26th just before 8am HMS “Bulwark”
was at anchor at Sheerness Harbour, a large internal explosion blew the ship
apart, only 14 sailors of a crew of 750 survived the explosion, William Jr’s
body was not found, he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, to the
sailors lost at sea. Panel 1.
Additional Information
His next of kin was recorded as his sister Miss Elizabeth M.
Casbolt, of The White Bear Inn, Broxbourne, Herts.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Richard Barber
