Courthorpe Carrington – Merchant Navy, S.S. British Petrol

Chief Steward Courthorpe Carrington – Merchant Navy, S.S. British Patrol

Early Life

Courthorpe Carrington was born in 1909 in Birkenhead, the son of William Carrington and Elizabeth Davies, who had married in 1893 in Chester. His father died in 1910, leaving Elizabeth to raise their children alone.

1911 Census

At the time of the 1911 Census, the family was living at 8 Nest Bertha Street, Birkenhead. Elizabeth, then 36, was recorded as head of the household. Her eldest son William, aged 15, was working as an apprentice gardener, while Minnie (11) and Edwin (8) were both attending school. Also present were Hannah, aged 4, and the youngest child, Courthorpe, then just 2 years old. The census reflects a young widowed mother supporting a large family through difficult circumstances.

Growing Up

1921 Census

By the 1921 Census, the family had moved to 35 Mona Street, Birkenhead. Elizabeth Ann, now 48, remained the head of the household. Minnie, aged 21, was employed as a barrel painter, while Edwin, 18, worked as a pork butcher’s assistant. Hannah, now 14, undertook household duties, and Courthorpe, aged 12, was still attending school. These records show a family in which the older children contributed to the household income, helping to support their mother and younger siblings.

Marriage and Adult Life

Courthorpe Carrington and Beatrice Maud Sweetman 
marriage certificate
St. Catherine’s Church, Gorseinon

In 1934, Courthorpe married Beatrice Maud Sweetman at St. Catherine’s Church, Gorseinon, marking the beginning of his life in South Wales. He does not appear on the 1939 Register, almost certainly because he was already serving at sea with the Merchant Navy.

Service in the Merchant Navy

S.S. British Petrol
credit - wrecksite

Courthorpe rose to the rank of Chief Steward, a senior and responsible position aboard ship, overseeing provisions, catering, and the welfare of the crew. He served aboard the S.S. British Petrol, a tanker operated by the British Tanker Company, later part of BP (British Petroleum).

Built in 1922, the British Petrol was one of many tankers tasked with transporting vital petroleum supplies across the world—cargo that made her a high‑value target during the Second World War. Tankers such as hers were especially vulnerable: their cargo was highly explosive, and their slow speed made them easy prey for German U‑boats and enemy aircraft. Throughout the early 1940s, the British Petrol undertook repeated hazardous voyages, often sailing independently or with minimal escort protection due to wartime shortages. Her work was essential to the Allied war effort, supplying fuel for the Royal Navy, merchant shipping, and military operations.

The ship’s loss, like that of so many wartime tankers, reflects the extreme dangers faced by Merchant Navy crews during the Battle of the Atlantic.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Courthorpe Carrington
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Chief Steward Courthorpe Carrington, of 31 Bryneithin Road, Gorseinon, lost his life on 15^th June 1940 following the sinking of the S.S. British Petrol. As with many Merchant Navy casualties, he has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which honours the thousands of merchant seafarers who died at sea during both world wars