Frederick John Woollard – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Laurentic

Seaman Frederick John Woollard – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Laurentic

Early Life and Family Background

Frederick John Woollard was born in 1877 in Swansea, the son of Frederick Woollard and Ann Kidwell, who had married in 1876. The family lived in the busy industrial districts of Swansea, where Frederick’s father worked in trades connected to the town’s commercial and maritime life.

1881 Census

By 1881, the Woollard family were living at 4 Evans Terrace, Swansea. Frederick’s father, aged 24, was employed as a Butcher, while his mother Ann, aged 22, cared for their young family. Their children were Fred John (4), Catherine (2), and Maria (10 months).

1891 Census

In 1891, the family had moved to 19 Graig Terrace, Swansea. Frederick’s father, now 34, was working as a Cattle Dealer, and Ann, aged 30, continued to raise their growing family. Their children were Frederick (14), already working as a Boiler Maker; Catherine (12); Maud (10); Mary E. (8); Hugh (6); and Sarah (4).

1901 Census

By 1901, the Woollards were living at 12 Watkin Street, Swansea. Frederick’s father, aged 43, was employed as a Labourer, and Ann, aged 42, remained at home. Their children included Frederick John (24), serving as an Able Seaman; Catherine (22); Maria (20), a Domestic Servant; Emma (18), a Wool Spinner; Hugh (17), a General Labourer; Sarah (15), also a Wool Spinner; and the younger children Ernest (10), Grace (7), Minnie (5), and Samuel (2).

Marriage

In 1906, Frederick married Catherine Tomlinson, née Carroll, a widow.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the couple were living at 2 Arthur Street, Brynhyfryd. Frederick, aged 34, was working as a Dock Labourer, and Catherine, aged 31, was managing the home. Their children were Frederick (3) and Mary (1). Also present were Frederick’s stepson William Woollard (13) and Catherine’s brother William Carroll (37).

Service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Frederick later enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.N.V.R.), a branch made up largely of civilian sailors, dockworkers, and tradesmen who volunteered for wartime service. He served as a Seaman aboard H.M.S. Laurentic, a vessel with a remarkable and dramatic history.

H.M.S. Laurentic – From Luxury Liner to Wartime Tragedy

H.M.S. Laurentic

Built in 1909 by the White Star Line, Laurentic began life as a luxury passenger liner, famed for her speed and comfort. She became internationally known in 1910 when she carried the fugitive murderer Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen and his companion Ethel Le Neve across the Atlantic. The ship’s wireless operator transmitted messages that exposed their presence, leading to Crippen’s arrest—the first successful use of wireless telegraphy to capture a criminal.

Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen

With the outbreak of the First World War, Laurentic was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and converted into an armed merchant cruiser. In January 1917, she was entrusted with a secret mission to transport a vast consignment of gold bullion intended to secure Britain’s overseas wartime credit.

The Sinking of H.M.S. Laurentic – 25^th January 1917

On 25^th January 1917, Laurentic entered the icy waters near Lough Swilly, unaware that the German submarine U‑80 had recently laid mines in the channel. At around 5 p.m., the ship struck two mines in quick succession. The explosions were catastrophic, and the freezing conditions made survival almost impossible. Laurentic sank rapidly, and more than 350 officers and men were lost—one of the worst naval disasters in home waters during the war.

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal 

Frederick had been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, a prestigious honour granted to sailors who completed many years of service with an exemplary record. The award required a long period—typically 18 years—of continuous, disciplined service, free from serious offences. It was regarded as a mark of professional reliability, loyalty, and character, and receiving it reflected the high esteem in which Frederick was held by his superiors.

Death and Commemoration

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

Frederick John Woollard
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

According to the British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, Seaman Frederick John Woollard was among those who perished when H.M.S. Laurentic sank on 25^th January 1917. As he has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, which honours those lost at sea during the First World War. His service and sacrifice form part of both Swansea’s wartime heritage and the wider story of the Royal Navy’s losses during the conflict