Michael Casey

Stoker Michael Casey – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Tiger

Early Life

Michael Casey, who was born in 1870, was the second child of Martin Casey and Margaret Davies.

1881 Census

At the time of the 1881 Census, the family was living at 104 Llangyfelach Street. Martin, then 34, was employed as a Copperman, while Margaret was 33. Their children were William, 13; Michael, 11; Catherine, 6; Martin, 3; and 6-month-old Margaret Ann.

1891 Census

The 1891 Census records the family still at 104 Llangyfelach Street. Martin, now 41, was working as a Furnaceman, and Margaret was 40. Their children were Catherine, 16; Michael, 18, employed as a Labourer at the Steel Works; Martin, 13; and 10-year-old Margaret A. Also, present was daughter-in-law Elizabeth, aged 19.

Goal Records

That same year, Michael was sent to prison for seven days for trespass and removing sand on soil, his age being recorded as 16. Later in 1891, Michael married Sarah Edith King.

1901 Census

By the time of the 1901 Census, the family was living at 34 Brynmelyn Street. Michael, now 27, was employed as a Fuel Worker, and Sarah, 26, kept the home. Their children were William, 9; Maggie, 4; Sarah, 4; and Catherine, 9 months. Also in the household was Catherine, Michael’s 12-year-old sister.

1911 Census

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 1 Mill Street. Michael, 39, was still employed as a Fuel Worker, while Sarah, 36, kept house. Their children included William John, 19, a Mason’s Labourer; Margaret, 15, employed as a Domestic Servant; Sarah Edith, 13; Catherine, 11; Martin, 8; Michael, 8; Thomas, 5; and Richard, aged 1.

Naval Service

Michael served with the Royal Naval Reserves, ranked as a Stoker. Stokers were vital to the running of warships, tasked with shovelling coal into the ship’s furnaces, enduring extreme heat and exhausting labour to keep the engines running.

He was assigned to H.M.S. Tiger, one of the Royal Navy’s most powerful battlecruisers.

H.M.S. Tiger – Wartime Role

H.M.S. Tiger

H.M.S. Tiger was the most heavily armoured British battlecruiser of the First World War. Though not ready when war broke out in 1914, she was soon commissioned and assigned to the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron (1st BCS).

Tiger’s combat record was mixed. She fought at the Battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915 while still newly commissioned, where her performance was hampered by gunnery issues. At the Battle of Jutland in May 1916, Tiger came under intense fire and sustained many hits, but her armour held, and she emerged with only light damage. In 1917 she provided distant cover during the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight, before spending the remainder of the war patrolling the North Sea.

Serving aboard Tiger placed Michael among the stokers whose unseen labour below decks powered Britain’s naval supremacy during the conflict.

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage, and Death Records

Michael Casey died on 27^th September 1918. The British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage, and Death Records give his date of birth as 11^th October 1876.

Burial

Michael Casey
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Following his death, Michael Casey’s body was returned to Swansea, where he was buried at Danygraig Cemetery. His funeral followed the traditions of a naval burial, with comrades and local veterans in attendance. Such ceremonies often included a firing party, the carrying of the Union Flag over the coffin, and the solemn notes of the Last Post, symbolising the service and sacrifice of those who had given their lives for king and country.

Casey’s interment at Danygraig carried particular significance: he was the last naval burial of the First World War at the cemetery. His grave stands as a reminder not only of the men who served on the frontlines of the great naval battles but also of the stokers and engine-room ratings whose relentless toil beneath the decks was essential to the Royal Navy’s war effort.

Legacy

Michael Casey’s story reflects the hidden sacrifices of naval service. While ships like H.M.S. Tiger are remembered for their role in great battles such as Dogger Bank and Jutland, it was men like Casey—stokers labouring in the heat and noise of the boiler rooms—who kept those ships moving and fighting.

His burial as the final naval interment of the war at Danygraig Cemetery highlights Swansea’s maritime connections and the community’s contribution to the wider naval struggle. Today, his grave continues to honour both his service and the enduring link between the port city and the sea.