Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Have been trying to get a photograph of my relative William Herbert May who was on board
S.S. Mariston when the ship was sunk by a U Boat in 1917.
I have been in touch with Southampton Archives who gave me various official numbers regarding crew lists etc but because records for 1917 were lost in WW2 it is becoming a hard task, information I found are as follows: Official number of S.S. Mariston is 137786.
Glasgow Appropriation books RSS TNA Catalogue BT 110/359/24, BT99/3389.
Trying to check crew lists, Ships Captain lists are becoming a nightmare.
William's name is on the Tower Hill Monument in London and various war memorials in Bootle
But we still dont have a photograph of him, can you help in any way ?

Many thanks
Member no 8345
Membership no

I have checked my newspaper picture indexes and there is no entry for him. There is no listing in the Bootle Times index either sorry.

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I know how difficult it is to find records for our military ancestors when so much is lost, I think you must also have tried the National Archives? some people that I know have actually been to Kew and had some success, but as you have said it is very hard work.

My suggestion was going to be to check the newspapers but Katie has already done this for you. I hope somebody can think of another resource to check.

Many thanks for your help, I think I will try the National Archives again.
I may have another querie soon
Kind regards
Jim
member8345

Hi Mary
I am still searching for the elusive picture of William Herbert May but I have found that his name is on the War Memorial at St Matthews C of E School Bootle.

I found these details on a web site called www.merseysiderollofhonour.co.uk
The site shows extracts from the Walton Times From 23 April 1920 to 20 May 1921
telling the story of how the memorial was finally dedicated in 1921.

Hope this information may be useful to other Mersysiders who lost loved ones in the Great War
Kind regards
Jim

Great success Jim, thank you for letting us know. I have placed a link to the site on our Websites Board so others will be able to find it easily.

Do you have a date of birth for William?

longsword wrote:Do you have a date of birth for William?

Hi Longsword,
Information in the 1910+1 census and the death registration point to this birth:

Births Sep 1900: May, William Herbert - W.Derby 8b 405

Death: MAY, William H
Date of death: 15 July 1917
Age: 16
Place of death: At Sea
Place of birth: Liverpool
Ship's name: Mariston
Series:BT334 - Registers and Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths of Passengers and Seamen at Sea
Box:0071

Page:21

Hi Dickiesam
I have tried various ways to find William's date of birth but can only get the year he was born and his date of death.
William was my Grandmothers Sisters son
I may pay a visit to the Maritime Museum or the new library.

Many thanks
Scouse273

Don't forget to check the day and time when you go, the Maritime Archives are open only Tuesday - Thursday 10.30am to 4.30 pm.
http://forum.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk ... 16&t=13054

scouse273 wrote:Hi Dickiesam
I have tried various ways to find William's date of birth but can only get the year he was born and his date of death.
William was my Grandmothers Sisters son
I may pay a visit to the Maritime Museum or the new library.

Many thanks
Scouse273

If you know his parents then this is probably him in 1901:

RG13 Piece: 3468 Folio: 6 Page: 4
Address: 40 Tees Street, Kirkdale, Lancashire
MAY, William Head 28 1873 Ships Storekeeper - Liverpool
MAY, Mary Ann Wife 26 1875 Bootle, Lancashire
MAY, Mary G Dtr 2 1899 Bootle, Lancashire
MAY, Wm Herbert Son 0 (8 MOS) 1901 [sic, but should be 1900 for 8 mths old!] Liverpool
MAY, Robert Father Widower 52 1849 Corn Porter - Ireland
MAY, Gertrude M Sister 16 1885 Match Factory Hand - Liverpool
MAY, Robert Brother 13 1888 Liverpool

The GRO reference I previously posted has to be him. It's the only one that fits.

Baptism:-

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J9B2-H38


Blue

Many thanks to everyone who has helped me find William May's birth date.
I have ordered a birth certificate from the National Archives and hopefully I can finally obtain a photograph of William

Kind regards
Jim Creaby

I don't wish to be the bearer of bad news but there will be no Seaman's card with a Photograph for William Herbert May in the BT350 series. These Cards go from 1918 to 1921, and As William was Lost at sea in 1917 he will not have one of these cards. Sorry to give you this news. BT 349, Bt 348 and BT 350 are On F@M?P site.

As a footnote. The Special Series BT350 which includes pictures of Merchant Seamen were started in 1918 and it was seen as a good way to identify Seamen. From 1858 to 1917 the powers that be thought Crew Lists were the best way to keep track of Seamen.

Feel so sad now.