BORN HULL 05/10/1896. SON OF JOSEPH EDWARD BLOWERS (1874-1936) & CATHERINE THERESA FRY (1877-1949), OF 102 FLINTON STREET, HULL (1911 CENSUS), 76, FLINTON STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS) AND 86, SUBWAY STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). LOST AT SEA ON 22/05/1917, AGED 20.
The Hull steam trawler EPWORTH (H386) was requisitioned for war service as minesweeper in November of 1914. On 22/05/1917 the HMT EPWORTH (FY379) foundered following a collision in the North Sea with the loss of the skipper and ten crew.
PEOPLE ON BOARD HMT ‘EPWORTH’
1. BLOWERS, JOSEPH EDWARD , Trimmer (no. 2860TS), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
2. BROWN, CHRISTOPHER (26), Deck Hand (no. 3000DA), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Husband of Edith Brown, of 1, Slipway, Bridlington,
3. GREGORY, THOMAS JOHN (35), Trimmer (no. 3ST), HMT Epworth, Son of Thomas Gregory, of 5, Nelson St., Swansea; husband of Susan Gregory, of 9, New Orchard St., Swansea, Memorial: Plymouth Naval Memorial
4. GULLIVER, MONTAGUE EDWIN ALLEN (30), Skipper, HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Husband of Alice Maud Gulliver, of 28, Pyrenees Terrace, Brixham, Devon, Memorial: Plymouth Naval Memorial
5. HARDING, CLIFFORD JAMES (23), Signalman (no. Wales Z/776), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, †22/05/1917, Son of Eli and Polly Harding, of 20, Blaendore Rd., Pontypool, Memorial: Plymouth Naval Memorial
6. HAY, ALFRED , Second Hand (no. 517SA), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
7. MACDONALD, MURDOCH (45), Seaman (no. 1900C), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Son of David and Dolina MacLeod MacDonald, of Polin, Kinlochberry; husband of Sidney C. MacDonald, of Polin, Kinlochberry, Lairg, Portsmouth Naval Memorial
8. MORRISON, ANGUS (40), Deck Hand (no. 11772DA), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Son of Donald and Mary Morrison; husband of Marion Morrison, of Polin, Kinlochberry, Lairg, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial
9. OSBOURNE, JOHN SEPTIMUS (44), Engineman (no. 904ES), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Son of the late Francis and Sarah Jane Osbourne, of Hull, Yorks; husband of Ann Maria Osbourne, of 7, Floral Grove, Eton St., Hessle Road., Hull,
10. SMITH, ROBERT WATT (33), Engineman (no. 3064ES), HMT Epworth, Son of Elizabeth Smith, of 20, Regent Quay, Aberdeen, and the late John Smith.
11. WARD, JOHN WILKIN (28), Deck Hand (no. 13760DA), HMT Epworth, Royal Naval Reserve, †22/05/1917, Son of Henry and Martha Ward, of Barton-on-Humbet, Lincs,.
