John Dermody
Engineer John Dermody – Mercantile Marine Reserve
John Dermody was born in 1879, the son of Daniel
Dermody and Mary A. Sullivan.
Early Life
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| 1881 Census |
At the time of the 1881 Census, Mary A. Dermody was living with her mother, Catherine Sullivan, at 17 Mill Street. Catherine, a 54-year-old widow, was listed as a housekeeper at home. Also in the household were her younger children, Catherine (17) and David (14), who was working as a general labourer. Living with them was Mary A. Dermody, then aged 23, with her own children: John, aged 3, and Margaret, aged 1.
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| 1891 Census |
By the 1891 Census, the family were living at 13 New Street and their surname was recorded as Dermondy. Daniel, 34, was employed as a fireman in a colliery, and Mary was 33. Their children were John, 13, working as a Tin Pulling Up Door boy; Maggie, 11; Daniel, 9; James, 6; Julia, 3; and baby Mary A., aged 9 months. Also living with them were Mary’s widowed mother, Catherine Sullivan, and her sister, also named Catherine.
Marriage and Family
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| 1901 Census |
In 1900, John married Elizabeth Driscoll. By the 1901 Census, the couple were living with Elizabeth’s widowed mother, Ann Driscoll, at 156 Llangyfelach Street, which was run as a sweet shop. Also in the household was Elizabeth’s sister. John, 23, was employed as a Stoker at the colliery, while Elizabeth was 22. They had one daughter, Patricia, aged 2.
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| 1911 Census |
By the 1911 Census, John and Elizabeth had moved to 14 Lamb Street. John, then 33, was employed as a Marine Engineer, while Elizabeth was 31. Their children at home were Patricia, 12; Donald James, 9; and John, 3.
Military Service and Death
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| South Wales Daily Post |
Burial
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| John Dermody Danygraig Cemetery credit - findagrave |
The funeral cortege travelled from his home at 14 Lamb
Street, where family and neighbours gathered to pay their last respects.
His coffin, borne with full honours, was draped with the Union Jack to
symbolise his naval service. Representatives of the Mercantile Marine Reserve,
as well as local seafaring colleagues, were present to accompany the family.
At the graveside in Danygraig, prayers were offered for his
widow Elizabeth and their children, who had lost both a husband and
father in the prime of his life. John’s grave joined the growing number of
wartime burials at Danygraig, each one a reminder of Swansea’s contribution and
sacrifice during the First World War.
The Herald of Wales also noted the solemnity of the
occasion, highlighting the gathering of both civilians and service personnel
who came together in shared mourning. His burial, alongside other servicemen
lost during 1917, illustrates the impact of the war not only on the
battlefields but also on the homes and harbours of Swansea.
Legacy
John Dermody’s story reflects the often-overlooked service
of the Mercantile Marine Reserve, men whose work kept Britain supplied
and its naval defences manned. Though he did not fall in battle, his death
while serving reminds us that wartime sacrifice took many forms. His grave at
Danygraig connects his family’s grief with the wider narrative of Swansea’s
wartime losses.
Together with other sailors buried in the cemetery — such as
Richard Williams, who also saw action at sea during the war — Dermody’s
name helps us remember that the war was fought not only in the trenches of
France and Belgium, but also on the seas, and in the quiet resilience of
families left behind.
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