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Roll of Honour

Hartlepool seafarers lost at sea

Cheney, Stephen Hulme

Able Seaman
Ellenton House, Stockton Road, West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool
25/2/1896
24/8/1918

Lost on the steamship Auckland Castle, of Newport.

Stephen Cheney (the additional Christian name of Hulme or Hulone is sometimes recorded), was born on February 25th, 1896, and was baptised at All saints Church, Stranton, West Hartlepool, on March 18th that same year. His parents were John Henry Cheney, a Labourer originally from Jersey and Agnes Cheney (nee Dempster) who was born in Darlington, living at No.25, Crossley Street, West Hartlepool. The 1901 census showed the family living in Adelaide Street where Amelia Wood,John Henry's married sister from Jersey a servant and three boarders also lived.

The 1911 Census shows Agnes to be the Head of the family and of 'Private means' (although still recorded as 'Married'), and living with her daughter Daisy (aged 17, a Confectioner's Assistant), and her son Stephen (aged 15, a Skate Boy at a Roller Rink). at No.7, Adelaide Street, West Hartlepool.
The Census record also shows three other people living in the house - 'Visitor' Mary Wood, aged 41 from West Hartlepool, listed as a Domestic Servant, and two Boarders, Gilbert W. Harrison, aged 52 from Bishop Auckland, and James Mason, aged 27 from West Hartlepool, both listed as Ship's Firemen. Perhaps it was their tales of life at sea that influenced Stephen’s later decision to join the Merchant Navy?

 

The Tower Hill Memorial records Stephen as ‘son of John Henry Cheney, of Ellenton House, Stockton Road, West Hartlepool, and the late Agnes Cheney (nee Dempster).’