William Charles Hill – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Seagull
Stoker 1st Class William Charles Hill – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Seagull
Early Life and Family Background
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| William Charles Hill |
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| William Charles Hill and Martha Emma Williams marriage certificate Holy Trinity Church, Swansea |
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| 1901 Census |
According to the 1901 Census, the Hill family were living at 30 Vernon Street, Hafod, Swansea. At this time, William C. Hill, aged 32, was working as a Ship’s Cook, while his wife, Martha E. Hill, aged 30, was at home. Their household included six children: David Thomas, aged 9; Mary J., aged 8; Elizabeth Ann, aged 6; Eleanor, aged 5; Morris W., aged 3; and the youngest, William C., aged 1.
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| 1911 Census |
The family remained at 30 Vernon Street for the 1911 Census, although William Charles (the father) was absent from the household. Martha Emma, aged 40, was undertaking household duties, and living with her were their children: David Thomas, 19, a clerk; Mary Jane, 18, who assisted with household duties; Elizabeth Ann, 16, employed as a general servant; Eleanor, 15, a dressmaker’s apprentice; Morris William, 13; William Charles, 11; and Vida Mary, 9. The younger children continued to attend school at this time.
Military Service and Death
William Charles Hill (the son) later served as a Stoker
1st Class in the Royal Navy, aboard H.M.S. Seagull.H.M.S. Seagull
The H.M.S. Seagull on which William Charles
Hill served was a Sharpshooter‑class torpedo gunboat, launched in 1889
and later converted into a minesweeper in 1908–1909. She
displaced 735 tons, measured 230 feet in length, and operated
with a crew of around 90 men, carrying out essential minesweeping duties
for the Royal Navy during the First World War. On 30th September
1918, the Seagull was tragically lost following a catastrophic
collision with the merchant steamer SS Corrib in the Firth
of Clyde. At the time of the incident, the Seagull was outward
bound, while the Corrib, travelling upriver in ballast, struck her
in what was effectively a head‑on collision. The impact caused the Seagull
to sink rapidly, despite the Corrib sustaining only minor damage
and continuing to Glasgow after rescuing survivors. The wreck’s final resting
place—later confirmed in the year 2000—lies at a depth of approximately 96
metres, near Wemyss Bay. A total of 53 crew members lost their
lives, including William Charles Hill, while only 21 sailors survived
the disaster. This tragic loss occurred just weeks before the end of the First
World War and marked the end of a vessel that had served the Royal Navy for
nearly three decades.
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| British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records |
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| William Charles Hill Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth credit - findagrave |
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