Tom was born on the 23rd April 1890 in Pudsey, Bradford, Yorkshire to parents
Charles Henry and Caroline Parratt. The eldest boy, he was second born of 3 children and 11 months later he was recorded on the 1891 census, the family residing at number 22 Chapeltown in the village of Pudsey, Yorkshire.
In the 1901 census Tom was aged 10, at school and the family lived at Fairfield Road South in Hilderthorpe; sadly 6 years later his mother Caroline died aged just 42. This seemed to break the family as by 1911 the widower Charles was boarding at a house along with his daughter Rose and both boys had begun their lives, both boarding in different houses. Tom worked as a Gas Fitter and lived with a family at 108 Hilderthorpe Road, Bridlington.
He left his job and joined the Navy on 20th August 1912, recorded as 5'2" tall with brown hair, grey eyes, a burn on his right temple and a scar on his right wrist.
After 8 months of training at HMS PEMBROKE II Tom joined HMS VANGUARD on 13th March 1913, rising to Stoker 1st Class on 24th July 1913. He spent 3 days in the ship’s cells on 7th November 1913 but his character improved over the next two years to become an Acting Leading Stoker on 29th July 1915. Two months later on 18th September his rating reduced back to Stoker 1st Class.
He served during the Battle of Jutland and earnt the Star, Victory and British medals which were awarded to his father along with his pension.
He was 27 when killed.
(#63 - 766/843)
Sources:
1891, 1901 & 1911 England Census - Ancestry.com
FreeBMD
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 898
CWGC Register
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece 010 (1914 - 1919)
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 ADM 171; Piece: 117
WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; Pension Record Cards; Reference: 182/0947/TUR-TWE
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