Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.133 | |
| 2. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 22B GQS | |
| 3. Memorial: | Liverpool Masonic Hall War Memorial | Col.3. Hope St. | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Early Life :
Born Whitby.Education & Career :
James Reed gained his:
Second Mate's Certificate 030161 on the 5th March, 1896.
First Mate's Certificate 030161 on the 30th October, 1897.
Master's Certificate 030161 on the 5th March, 1900.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: Not Yet Known |
- |
| Action : Accident |
Accidents were a minor factor in the casualty list. Our definition is deaths resulting from activities that were not directly associated with 'active service'. We have excluded Naval Accidents which are seperately identified because of their numbers and impact. Many accidents involved the aviators, operating at the the limits of technology.
Detail :
James' detail has been particularly difficult to find, the date recorded in the Masonic record being the key. His death was initially reported in the Hull Daily Mail 3rd January, 1918 - "In the midst of life we are in death. REED. - December 30th, 1917, accidentally drowned whilst on duty, James Reed, master mariner, dearly beloved husband of Annie Reed (nee Adamson), aged 44 years. Funeral at Western Cemetery, Friday 2.30."
A little more detail is recorded in the Whitby Gazette 11th January, 1918. "SUDDEN DEATH OF A WHITBY SHIP CAPTAIN. - The sad intelligence has been receive that Captain James Reed, younger son of Mr. J. Reed. joiner, Park Place, Whitby, met his death at sea on December 30th. He was in command of a steamer. Captain Reed served his apprenticeship on the Whitby brig, General Havelock. He was forty-four years of aged and leaves a wife and seven children. The funeral took place on Friday (last week), at Hull, where he has made his home since his marriage."
The article mentions that he is "on duty", suggesting he was on the sea in the steamer he commanded and perhaps fell overboard. From 1915, he had an association with Toxteth Lodge, Liverpool and may very well have been serving around the coast of the United Kingdom, but with his marital home back in Hull.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Toxteth No. 1356 E.C. | West Lancashire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
17th February 1915 | 14th July 1915 | 24th May 1916 |
James Reed is listed as a 40 year old, Master Mariner from Hull when he is initiated into Toxteth Lodge No. 1356 in Liverpool, 1915. Although no explicit war service is recorded, the final annotation in the contribution record shows that he was "Drowned 30th Dec/17."
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley