BORN HULL 28/03/1878. SON OF WILLIAM STEVENSON NEEDLER (1849-1917) AND ANNIE APPLEBY (1858-1899), OF 349 HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL. SON OF A FURNITURE SHOP MANAGER. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS AND ONE SISTER.
A MASTER SEAMAN. HE JOINED THE MERCHANT NAVY ON 12/06/1895. RECEIVED HIS MASTERS CERTIFICATE, ON 02/02/1904.
MARRIED JESSIE MAUD BILLETT, AT HULL, IN 1908. BECAME A FREEMASON AT MINERVA LODGE, ON 28/12/1910.
SERVED IN THE MERCANTILE MARINE, AS CAPTAIN OF THE “CLIFTON HALL”. REPORTED AS DIED OF A FEVER, ON 30/09/1917, AGED 39, IN THE ASCENSION ISLANDS. (PHOTO IN HULL DAILY MAIL, 05/10/1917) *
HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS AFTER HIS DEATH ON 30/11/1917 (LONDON GAZETTE), “IN RECOGNITION FOR ZEAL AND DEVOTION TO DUTY SHOWN IN CARRYING OUT TRADE DURING THE WAR.”
HE LEFT £408 IN HIS WILL TO HIS WIDOW JESSIE AT 8 DESMOND AVENUE, BEVERLEY ROAD, HULL (PROBATE ADDRESS)
