William Ahearne

 

William Ahearne

William Ahearne
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

Stoker William Ahearne served in the Royal Naval Reserve aboard H.M.S. Goliath. William was 41 years old when the H.M.S. Goliath sank on 13^th May 1915. He is commemorated at the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth.

H.M.S. Goliath 

H.M.S. Goliath was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy, belonging to the Canopus class. Designed for deployment in Asia, Goliath and her sister ships were built to be smaller and faster than their predecessors from the Majestic class, while maintaining the armament of four 12-inch (305 mm) guns.

Muâvenet-i Millîye

H.M.S. Goliath participated in operations against German East Africa, including the blockade of the German light cruiser SMS Königsberg in the Rufiji River. From March 1915, it was part of the Dardanelles Campaign and supported the landings at Gallipoli in April. On 13^th May 1915, the H.M.S. Goliath was sunk in Morto Bay off Cape Helles by three torpedoes from the Ottoman destroyer Muâvenet-i Millîye. Out of her crew of 750, 570 were killed in the sinking.

William Ahearne was born in 1877, in Ebbw Vale, was the son of John and Mary Ahearne.

At the time of the 1881 Census, 20 Marsden Street was recorded as the residence of the Ahearne family.

1881 Census

John, aged 28, is employed as a General Labourer. His place of birth is recorded as County Waterford, Ireland. Mary A., aged 23, was born locally in Swansea. They have children.

Michael, aged 6; William, aged 4; John, aged 2; and Patrick, aged 6 months. All children except William were born in Swansea.

John Ahearne had died by the time of the 1891 Census.

1891 Census

The remaining family members were residing at 106 Llangyfelach Street, Swansea.

Mary, aged 36, works as a Phosphate Worker. Her children are

Michael, 16 years old, is employed as a General Labourer. William, 14 years old, works as a Copper Worker. Patrick, 10 years old, attends school.  

Also present is sister British Ahearne, aged 22, who is employed at the Phosphate Works.

William married in 1896 Mary Ann James.

The 1901 Census does not contain any records for William and Mary Ann Ahearne. Therefore, information regarding their residence would need to be sourced from the 1911 Census.

1911 Census

William and his family lived at 5 Anne Street.

William, aged 33, was employed as a ship's fireman, while Mary Ann was 38 years old. Their children were

Mary Ellen, aged 14; James, aged 12; Winney Fred, aged 7; William, aged 9, and Annie aged 5 months.

Following William’s death on board H.M.S. Goliath, his name was commemorated in the UK British Army, and Navy, Birth, Marriage and Death Records.  The records make William only 39.

UK British Army, and Navy, Birth, Marriage and Death Records