Roll of Honour

Arthur Ernest Rumsey was born in St Helier, Jersey around  1878 . The 1881 Census of St. Helier shows Arthur  living with his parents John and Grace Rumsey. John Rumsey was born in England and a Master Mariner. There are 8 children, another 6 boys in addition to Arthur who is recorded as Ernest and a daughter aged 7 months.

By 1891 still in St. Helier Arthur is a Blacksmiths Apprentice and there are 4 more children in the family. Father John is presumably at sea.

Arthur Rumsey married Sarah Annie Patterson on the 22^nd March 1905 in Newport Monmouthshire. His father on the certificate was given as James, a Master Mariner. Arthur gave his address as Newport, but Sarah gave hers as Heaton Newcastle on Tyne. A long way from home ! How did they meet? 

In 1911 Arthur was at sea and an Engineer. He had sailed on the 29^th March 1911 (courtesy of the census) His wife Sarah and their family were living at 6 Western Hill, Sunderland . Sarah Annie is aged 31 and born in North Shields. Sarah was born in North Shields in 1880 the daughter of Robert (Sailmaker) and Ann Patterson. Arthur and Sarah have two daughters in 1911, Vera Annie aged 5 born North Shields and Georgina Grace aged 3 born Sunderland .

The death record says his father was James as does the marriage certificate, but the census says John. His mother is Grace on the 1881 census and Georgina G. on the 1991 but all other evidence points to the same family. At her son's death, she was given as Georgina Grace.

Arthur was a 2^nd Engineer on SS Manchuria ,a Gray’s built and West Hartlepool owned ship, when it was hit by a submarine off Ushant while carrying iron ore from La Goulette to West Hartlepool.

Sarah Annie, his wife by then was at 1 Crimdon St West Hartlepool and was informed of her husband’s death.