William Charles Parkhurst – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Connaught

Able Seaman William Charles Parkhurst – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Connaught

Early Life and Family Background

Birth and Parentage

John Parkhurst and Mary Howells
marriage certificate
St. Nicholas Church, Birhgton

William Charles Parkhurst was born in 1872 in Swansea, the son of John Parkhurst and Mary Howells, who had married in 1859 at St. Nicholas Church, Brighton, Sussex. His father’s trade in skilled carpentry and joinery placed the family within Swansea’s artisan class, closely linked to the town’s industrial and maritime growth.

1881 Census

The 1881 Census records the Parkhurst family living at 4 Windsor Street, Uplands, Swansea. John Parkhurst, aged 49, a carpenter and joiner by profession and born in Sussex, worked as a journeyman. His wife Mary, born in Pembrokeshire, was 56 years old. Two children were present in the household: Ann M., aged 20, and William, then a boy of 9.

1891 Census

By the 1891 Census, the family were still residing at 4 Windsor Street. John, now 59, had become a Pattern Maker, a skilled engineering trade. Mary was 66, and William, aged 19, was employed as an Ironmonger’s Apprentice, the only child still living at home. This record captures William at the beginning of his working life, before his later move into maritime employment.

William Charles Parkhurst and Susannah Bell
marriage certificate
Holy Trinity Church, Swansea

In 1899, William married Susannah Bell at Holy Trinity Church, Swansea. At this time, he was living at 30 Rhondda Street, indicating a move closer to Swansea’s busy maritime quarter.

 

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, William and Susannah were residing at 29 Victor Street, Shirley, Southampton, where William, aged 29, was employed as a Police Constable. Susannah, aged 27, died later that same year.

William Charles Parkhurst and Harriet Ruth Upward
marriage certificate
St. Mary's Church, Eling, Southampton

In 1904, William, by then widowed, married Harriet Ruth Upward at St. Mary's Church, Eling, Southampton. His occupation on the marriage certificate is recorded as Seaman, reflecting his transition from police work to life at sea—a common shift for working men in port cities such as Southampton.

At the time of the 1911 Census, William was absent at sea. His maritime career had by then become established, and he was working professionally aboard merchant vessels, leaving his wife Harriet at home while he undertook service away from shore.

Service at Sea – S.S. Connaught

William served as an Able Seaman aboard the S.S. Connaught, a British merchant steamship operating during the First World War. Able Seamen were experienced deck crew, responsible for essential seamanship duties, navigation tasks, cargo handling, and the safe running of the vessel under the direction of senior officers. The role required skill, discipline, and readiness to face the numerous wartime dangers at sea.

S.S. Connaught

The S.S. Connaught was lost on 3^rd March 1917 during the height of Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare campaign. The vessel was torpedoed in the English Channel by the German submarine UB-38, which operated extensively against merchant shipping along Britain’s southern approaches. The Connaught sank rapidly, and many of her crew—including Able Seaman William Charles Parkhurst—lost their lives.
With no survivors recorded from his position aboard the ship, William became one of the many merchant mariners who perished in home waters despite not serving aboard a warship.

German Submarine UB-38

The UB-38 was a Type UB II coastal submarine commissioned by the Imperial German Navy. Designed for operations in shallow waters, she was armed with torpedoes and a deck gun, making her highly effective against unarmed merchant vessels. Active throughout 1916 and 1917, UB-38 was responsible for sinking numerous Allied ships in the English Channel, including the Connaught. These submarines formed a key element of the German strategy to disrupt British supply lines and weaken its war effort.

Commemoration

S.S. Connaught
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial 

As William Charles Parkhurst has no known grave but the sea, his name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London. This memorial honours members of the Mercantile Marine and Merchant Navy who were lost during both World Wars without a known resting place. His name joins thousands of others whose lives were taken by the perils of submarine warfare.

Legacy

William Parkhurst’s life reflects the great mobility and adaptability of seafaring families in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. A Swansea-born son of a skilled craftsman, he worked in a variety of trades—from ironmonger’s apprentice to police constable—before committing himself fully to maritime service. His death aboard the Connaught underscores the dangers faced by civilian merchant sailors, who kept essential supplies moving across the seas despite the constant threat of mines and torpedoes.

William’s story forms part of Swansea’s wider maritime heritage, showing how local men could be serving far from home when tragedy struck. His service, sacrifice, and life journey—spanning Swansea and Southampton—remain an enduring testament to the courage and resilience of the Mercantile Marine during the First World War.