George Henry Trengrove – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Ravensworth

Engineer George Henry Trengrove – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Ravensworth

Early Life and Family Background

George Henry Trengrove was born in 1859 in Feock, Cornwall, the son of Michael Trengrove and Joanna Edwards, who were married in 1857.

1861 Census

At the time of the 1861 Census, the family were living at Common Downs, St. Feock, where Michael, aged 27, was employed as a Shoemaker, and Joanna, aged 34, kept the home. Their children were John Michell and George Henry, both aged 2. Also present was a 15-year-old “daughter-in-law,” Philippa Jane Edwards.

1871 Census

By the 1871 Census, the family remained in Feock. Michael, now 38, continued to work as a shoemaker, and Joanna was 42. Their children—John M. and George H., both aged 12—were recorded as “working at home,” while nine-year-old Emily A. attended school.

Move to Wales

1881 Census

By 1881, George had moved to Swansea, where he was recorded as a lodger at Hill Field House on Neath Road, living in the household of widow Lucy Rees. At 22, he was employed as a General Labourer, beginning the gradual transition toward engineering work that would later define his maritime career.

Family Life in Swansea

1891 Census

By 1891, George had married Mary Elizabeth Gage, and the couple were residing at 10 Dillwyn Street, Swansea. George, aged 32, worked as a News Agent, while Mary Elizabeth, aged 23 and originally from Somerset, managed their home and growing family. Their children at that time were Herbert M. (4), Alice M. (3), Harold (2), and infant George E. (3 months). A young servant, Elizabeth Clark, aged 14, was also living with them.

The Trengrove family later made their long-term home at 13 Lan Street, Morriston, where they remained active members of the local community.

Service at Sea – Engineer, S.S. Ravensworth

George later entered the Mercantile Marine as an Engineer, a skilled and physically demanding role requiring expertise in engine maintenance, boiler operation, and the safe running of machinery deep within a ship’s hull. His final posting was aboard the S.S. Ravensworth, a vessel engaged in wartime transport during a period of heightened danger to merchant shipping.

S.S. Ravensworth

The S.S. Ravensworth was a British merchant steamer operating during the First World War, carrying essential cargoes through increasingly perilous seas. On 15^th September 1917, the Ravensworth was lost after a collision at sea, the exact circumstances of which remain a mystery. In the chaos of wartime operations—crowded shipping lanes, blackout conditions, and limited communication—such unexplained losses were tragically common.

The ship foundered with several crew members aboard, including Engineer George Henry Trengrove, who lost his life in the disaster.

Commemoration

George Henry Trengrove
Ballantrae Parish Churchyard
credit - findagrave

Unlike most Swansea merchant seamen lost during the First World War, George Henry Trengrove was recovered and laid to rest. He is buried at Ballantrae Parish Churchyard in Ayrshire, Scotland—one of the few local burials for a Welsh mariner lost at sea. His grave stands as a personal and lasting memorial to his service.

Legacy

George’s death aboard the Ravensworth reflects the immense risks faced by merchant engineers, who worked deep within the ships that kept Britain supplied during wartime. His life, bridging Cornwall and Swansea, represents the many men who left their homes to serve at sea, often unnoticed by history. Today, his service is preserved both in his resting place at Ballantrae and in the broader remembrance of the Merchant Navy’s sacrifices during the First World War.