Commemorated: | |||
Awards & Titles: | |||
Early Life :
Arthur was born in Sculcoates, Hull in 1884 the son of Benjamin and Mary Ann Drake (nee Gravel), who had married in 1881.They found at Charlotte’s Terrace, Walmsley Street, Sculcoates, Kingston upon Hull in the 1891 census, but it is the census of 1901 which gives the best picture for Arthur’s family. Indeed, he may well have been recorded twice, once at the family home, and also as a domestic page in Sculcoates for Mr and Mrs Wilson of Westbourne Avenue. At the Drake household at 17 Mona Terrace, Sculcoates, father Benjamin age 56, is a Cab Driver, Groom, who was born in Norfolk, at Rookland St Peter. His wife Mary Ann is age 42, born at Epworth, Lincolnshire. Arthur, 17, is a Butler domestic, born in Hull, his six siblings, probably at school, if old enough, are listed as Rhoda E 15, Florence G 12, Charles E 8, Harold 6, Edith M 4 and Walter 3.The census of 1911, on which Arthur cannot be found, shows the family home as 19 Chestnut Grove, Park Road, Sculcoates, with Benjamin and Mary with four of their children, Ernest 18, Edith May 16, Walter 15 and Annie 10. It also has the extra information that Mary has had fourteen children, of which nine are still living.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: S.S. Hilarius |
The "S.S. Hilarius" was owned by R.P. Houston & Co, Houston Line, of Liverpool. She was built in 1894, as the "Afghan Prince" by Robert Stephenson & Co. at Newcastle with a tonnage of 3261grt, a length of 344ft 7in, a beam of 43ft 1in and a service speed of 9.5 knots for the Prince Line Steam Shipping Insurance Association. Pictured is her sister ship "S.S. Saxon Prince", The Afghan Prince was sold to R.P. Houston & Co and renamed "Hilarius" in 1900. The vessel survived war service, and in 1919 was acquired by N.G. Livanos and renamed as "Livanos". |
| Action : Natural Causes |
Natural causes is attributed those deaths due to causes that were not directly associated with the war. Included in this are wartime deaths resulting from, for example, theSpanish Influenza pandemic and its associated pneumonia problems and other attributions such as age and exhaustion. It also groups those who through Post Traumatic Stress committed suicide as a result of their experiences.
Detail :
The records of Neptune Lodge say that “Arthur Drake, drowned, 29.1.18.” The Marine Death’s for 1918 give Arthur Drake of 44 Hollybank Road, Birkenhead, born at Hull, aged 35 years, on the night of 29/30 January while serving on S.S. Hilarius, and that he died in Dakar Harbour, Senegal, West Africa. On one report cause of death is given as suicide.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Neptune No. 1264 E.C. | West Lancashire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
28th July 1916 | 2nd April 1917 | 7th May 1917 |
Arthur was aged 33 years when proposed for membership to NEPTUNE LODGE No 1264, Liverpool. He was initiated on 28 July 1916 proposed by William Varley Stansfield, seconded John Graham, and is described as being a “Chief Steward” residing at 76 Bridge Street, Birkenhead. Arthur would be passed to the Second degree on 2 April 1917, raised to the degree of Master Mason on 7 May, and his Grand Lodge Certificate was issued on 15 September 1917.
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