Lieutenant
Harold Mowbray BIBBY
Navy
Died: 24th February 1917 - Age: 24

Commemorated:

1. Memorial:Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon23
2. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.116
3. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour45B GQS
4. Memorial:Liverpool Masonic Hall War MemorialCol.1. Hope St.
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Family :

The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.

Harold was the son of Arthur and Mary Emma Bibby, (nee Harold) whose marriage was recorded in the West Derby registration district for the March Quarter of 1893. Harold was born on the following Christmas Eve, 24 December 1893 and baptised on 11 February 1894 at St Cyprians Church, Edge Hill, Liverpool, with the family at this time residing at 36 Milroy Street, and his father’s occupation given as “bookkeeper”.

The 1901 census shows the family, minus the mother, Mary Emma, residing at 1 Hilary Park, Onchan, Douglas, on the Isle of Man. Alfred is employed as the Distinct Manager for the Liverpool Courier, with the children being Harold M age 7, Alfred R age 6, Douglas B age 3 and Mary E Bibby sister in law aged 20. All are recorded as born in England except Douglas, who, obviously, was born in Douglas. The Liverpool census shows Harold’s mother, Mary Emma as being a patient at the Royal Infirmary in Pembroke Place, a housewife. Sadly she died two years later, registered for the June Quarter of 1903 in West Derby. Looking at the 1911 census, Alfred has been remarried for six years to a lady born in Coatbridge, Scotland aged 39, called Mary, and has another child Annie McLean Bibby, aged four and a half.

Although Harold’s family were known to have lived at some period at 44 Oxford Road, Bootle, his father owned two tobacconist shops in the vicinity, at 101 Derby Road, and 91 Stanley Road. It is at the Stanley Road address that Arthur Bibby was residing at the time of the 1911 census. Arthur was also a member of Sir Walter Raleigh Lodge and his son, Harold’s brother, Albert R Bibby, of the same address, was initiated into the lodge in November, 1918.

Harold was indentured into the Merchant Navy on 2 December 1908 for a period of four year. This was spent with the Lamport and Holt Line of Liverpool and aboard the SS Cervantes. This vessel was captured by the German light cruiser the Karlsruhe on 8 October 1914 and scuttled with explosions while on a voyage from Callao to Liverpool. However Harold had left the vessel after over four years service aboard previously due to promotions.

He had received his certificate of competency as a Second Mate, numbered 007707, on 16 May 1913. It was also noted that he had achieved the “Higher form of Vision” test at the same time. he is given as residing at 91 Stanley Road, Bootle, with blue eyes, dark hair and complexion and 5 foot 7 inch in height. On 15 January 1915 he is issued with his First Mate certificate and on 22 July 1916 he attains his certificate of competency as a Master. His address is now given as 44 Oxford Road, Bootle.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: HM Yacht Verona 

An armed yacht of with a draught of 417 tons, 155 feet in length, with a width of 24 feet. The "Verona" was built at Paisley, on the famous River Clyde, in 1890, by Fleming and Ferguson shipbuilders. Originally named "Imogen", the design of this opulent yacht was rather revolutionary, so much so that two articles were published in the "The Engineer" magazine, one in the issue of 18th July 1890, and the second on the 3rd October, of the same year. Although built as a wedding present by the original owner, it had nine later owners before passing to the Admiralty on 7th November 1914, for use as an Auxiliary Patrol Yacht. She patrolled as an Auxiliary Patrol Yacht in the Peterhead area during 1914 and 1915 before moving to Cromarty in the Moray Firth in 1916. There she was suitably equipped to attack any U-boat she might meet, with small guns on her counter-stern and two more at the bow, near her long bowsprit. Later she was modified to take a single depth-charge, which was simply rolled over her stern.

Action : Naval Campaign 

Naval Campaign is defined as to include all sea operations where attrition rates are in ones and twos and which do not fall within specific naval battles such as Jutland, Coronel, Falklands etc. This includes Merchant Navy losses.

Detail :

HOWARD MOWBRAY BIBBY, LIEUTENANT, RN HM YACHT "VERONA". Howard Bibby was in command of the Verona. On 30th November, 1914 Howard is listed as a Temporary Sub-Lieutenant with the Royal Naval Reserve, and in the list of April 1915 is shown aboard the Vanessa. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 24 July 1916 serving aboard the yacht Verona.

At the time it was believed that when the “Verona” did not return from patrol it may have hit a mine, which had been laid off Portmahomack. Divers later discovered the wreck of the yacht, ten miles north of Lossiemouth, and confirmed that it was indeed mined; having broke in two, and sank in 45 metres of water. The date for the “Verona’s” loss was Saturday, 24th February, 1917, and the wreck is now a designated war grave. She sank in less than a minute. Harold was just 24 years of age, when he lost his life, along with three other officers, and nineteen men, with at least one of these crew members, James Sherratt Powell, also being a Liverpudlian.

Bibby, Harold Mowbray of Oxford road, Bootle Lancashire Lieutenant RNR died 24th February 1917 at sea. Administration 17th April 1917 Alfred Bibby tobacconist. Effects £314.18s.7d.

He is additionally commemorated on; Bedford Road Old Boy’s Memorial, inside Bedford County Primary School, Quarry Road, Bootle, Merseyside; the Bootle War Memorial, Stanley Road and
Panel 3 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Sir Walter Raleigh No. 2837 E.C.West Lancashire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
8th January 1916
13th March 1916
10th June 1916
 

Harold Mowbray Bibby was initiated into Sir Walter Raleigh Lodge No 2837 on 8th January, 1916, resident at 44 Oxford Road, aged 22, a Chief Officer in the Mercantile Marine. He was passed to the Fellowcraft degree on 13th March, and raised as a master mason on 10 June with his Grand Lodge Certificate issued on 5 July 1916

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2021-02-20 10:15:05