Robert White – Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S. Vivid

Stoker Robert White – Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S. Vivid

Robert White, born in 1873 in Swansea, is the earliest recorded military burial at St Peter’s Church, Cockett. Very little is known about his early life, and surviving records do not identify his parents. Census material is sparse, but available documents show that Robert married Jane, and the couple lived at 23 Powell Street, Swansea.

Service with the Royal Naval Reserve

Robert enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve and served aboard H.M.S. Vivid, holding the rank of Stoker—a demanding role responsible for the hard physical labour of tending a ship’s boilers and maintaining steam power.

Circumstances of Death

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

According to the British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, Robert died on 4 January 1915 aboard the Edinburgh Castle, after being found unconscious alongside the ship and taken aboard. The circumstances of his collapse were not detailed, but his death was formally recorded by naval authorities.

Burial at St Peter’s, Cockett

Burial Register

Burial Register

Robert White
St. Peter's Church, Cockett, Swansea
credit - findagrave

The Burial Register notes that Robert was buried on 10 January 1915, with his abode listed as “The Royal Naval Barracks.” His grave marks the first military burial at St Peter’s Church, Cockett, and stands as an early reminder of Swansea’s naval losses during the First World War.