BORN HULL 13/12/1891. ONLY SON OF RICHARD JACKSON KAY (1860-1938) & HARRIET HARSLEY (1862-1892), OF 97 HESSLE ROAD, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). SON OF A BOAT HOUSE KEEPER. HIS MOTHER DIED WHEN HE WAS AN INFANT . WORKED AS AN APPRENTICE ENGINE FITTER FOR THE GREAT NORTHERN STEAM FISHING COMPANY (1911 CENSUS) DROWNED OFF NORTH OF IRELAND COAST, ON 13/01/1915, AGED 23. HE WAS LOST WITH ALFRED FISHER, OF 30 FRANKLIN STREET, HULL. THEIR STORIES WERE REPORTED IN THE HULL TIMES, ON 30/01/1915.
S/S Viknor 5.347 tons; 421×50 ft; Built by Robert Napier in 1888 as the Atrato for the Royal Mail Steam Co. Ltd. S/S Atrato was a beautifully designed passenger ship, more resembling a luxury yacht than a liner. She was used in the service between England and the West Indies and could carry up to 280 passengers. Bought by Viking Cruising Co. Ltd. in 1912, she was renamed Viking. At the beginning of WWI, she was requisitioned by the Admiralty, equipped with armament and renamed HMS Viknor. She was mainly used as a cruising patrol ship. On 13th January 1915, while on patrol, she sank in heavy weather without any distress call. It was assumed that she was sunk by a mine, belonging to a minefield laid by the Germans. Not a single soul of the 295 crew was saved. Many of the bodies were washed ashore days after the sinking. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?11823
On December 28th, 1914, the British steel cargo THE VIKING left Tyne and went missing. She was not heard of ever since, except some wreckage that washed ashore on the North Ireland coast. Note: Lloyds has this one wrongly with her ex-name ‘The Viking’. ref. used:Lloyd’s of London, Lloyd’s Register of Shipping Allen Tony 26/06/2007 Vicnor Hms. Armed Merchant Cruiser, Captained by Cmdr E O Ballantine was mined approximately 11 miles west of Tory Island, Co Donegal, Ireland. Was formerly called Atrato of the Blue Star Line, Built in 1914. 22 Officers Dead and 173 crew. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?11823
