Roll of Honour

Hartlepool seafarers lost at sea

Aird, Percy

Rank(s) : Fireman/Trimmer

Town/Country of birth : West Hartlepool

Date of birth : 11/1/1887

Date of death : 30/11/1941

Percy was the son of John and Elizabeth Aird (nee Forcer who married at Holy Trinity Church in 1874).

His birth was registered in the March qtr 1887 in Hartlepool .

1891 the family lived at 10 Silver Street, Holy Trinity area, Hartlepool and in 1901 the family had moved to 12 Beacon Street , Hartlepool and Percy was working at the shipyard as a Rivet Catcher.

In 1903 Percy Aird joined the Durham Light Infantry – No.7404 stating he was18 years and 10 months, making him born c1885. In 1907 he was declared temporarily unfit

In 1908, 4^th May he Percy joined the Royal Navy and on the 1911 census was listed at the Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham, born c1887 and a Stoker. Later in 1911 he was dismissed from the Royal Navy, His record shows detention for 12, 21 and 30 days for absence and also a chage of theft.

His 1918 Merchant Seamen’s Record shows him born 11^th January 1885. The 11^th January is probably correct but should say 1887 and he has lied making himself a couple of years older!

By 1921 his Merchant Seamen’s Record shows him age 34, born c1887

In 1929, December qtr he married Mary Ann Catterson in Hartlepool and a son Percy was born in 1930.

He was lost on 30^th November 1941 on the steamship Empire Newcomen and is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial.