William James Slater

Boy 1^st Class William James Slater – Royal Navy

Early Life

William James Slater was born in 1900 in Swansea, the son of James Slater and Mary Jones, who had married in 1889 in Swansea.

1901 Census

The 1901 Census records the family living at 100 Llangefelach Street, Swansea. James and Mary, both aged 37, were raising their children. James was employed as a Fireman at the Silver Works. Their children at home were Emily, 14; Elizabeth, 8; and six-month-old William.

Also present in the household were James’ sisters: Ann, 60, a widowed Charwoman, Elisa, 49, and Celsey, 45, both married. Two lodgers, Jossie Jones, 26, and George Jones, 28, a Fireman, were also recorded at the address.

Goal Records

In 1902, James Slater faced prison after being convicted of a Breach of the Education Act.

1911 Census

By the time of the 1911 Census, James and Mary were living at 29 Powell Street, Swansea. James, now 48, was employed as a Labourer. Their youngest daughter, Alice, 8, was at home – but notably William was not listed in the household.

1911 Census

Instead, 10-year-old William was recorded as an inmate at St. Joseph’s Industrial School, Chorlton upon Medlock, Manchester. His sister Elizabeth, 17, was also placed in an institution – the St. Elizabeth’s Industrial School, Exeter Street, Salisbury.

Naval Service

Royal Navy Registers of Seaman's Services

When William later enlisted with the Royal Navy, his civilian occupation was recorded as Collier. His naval career began in March 1918, when he was posted as a Boy 2nd Class on H.M.S. Powerful.

H.M.S. Powerful

H.M.S. Powerful

Launched in 1895, H.M.S. Powerful was a protected cruiser built for long-range service across the Empire. By the outbreak of the First World War, her active combat role had ended, and she had been repurposed as a training ship for boy sailors. It was here that William received his first naval training, preparing him for sea service.

On 17^th June 1918, William was transferred to H.M.S. Canada.

H.M.S. Canada

H.M.S. Canada

H.M.S. Canada was a super-dreadnought battleship originally built for the Chilean Navy under the name Almirante Latorre, but purchased by Britain at the outbreak of war in 1914. Commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1915, Canada joined the Grand Fleet, the main British battle force.

She took part in the Battle of Jutland, where she served in the 4th Battle Squadron, engaging German battlecruisers and battleships. Though William joined the ship after these events, H.M.S. Canada remained an important unit of the fleet through to the end of the war, carrying out patrols and fleet exercises.

Serving aboard such a vessel marked a significant step in William’s naval career, though tragically it was to be cut short.

Death and Burial

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage, and Death Records

The British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage, and Death Records note that William died of disease on 19^th July 1918, aged just 17 years old.

William James Slater
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Following his death, his body was returned to Swansea, and William was buried at Danygraig Cemetery, where his grave remains part of the collective memory of Swansea’s young men lost in the war.

Legacy

William’s story is particularly tragic: a childhood spent partly in an industrial school, his brief service in the Royal Navy, and his death before he reached adulthood. His service on H.M.S. Powerful and H.M.S. Canada links him to the larger story of the Royal Navy during the First World War. His name and grave stand as a reminder of the youthful sacrifice made by so many in 1918, even those who never reached the battlefield.