Post by KG on Jun 11, 2018 12:16:51 GMT
William Storm Harrison
Swansea
Discharge number: S17231
Date of Birth: 11 April 1883
William Storm Harrison was born in 1883 in a small fishing village, Robin Hoods Bay near Whitby, Yorkshire. His father was lost at sea when he was 6 and he was sent to the Royal Seaman's orphanage in London. He went to sea at the age of 14 and went whaling in the South Atlantic from 1905 to 1918 pausing only to marry a girl from Swansea in 1909.
After being torpedoed during the 1st World War he returned to South Georgia to collect 30,000 barrels of whale oil which had increased in price from £4 a barrel in 1914 to £36 a barrel in 1917. His ship was blown up by a mine in the 2nd World War and he was involved in organising the harbour of Le Havre during the D-day landings.
After 52 years at sea his last voyage was in 1950 to bring timber from Archangel to Hull.
He died in 1959 in his adopted home town of Swansea.
LINK
Letter: Ancestor’s ship struck by Texan tornado
LINK 2
Swansea
Discharge number: S17231
Date of Birth: 11 April 1883
William Storm Harrison was born in 1883 in a small fishing village, Robin Hoods Bay near Whitby, Yorkshire. His father was lost at sea when he was 6 and he was sent to the Royal Seaman's orphanage in London. He went to sea at the age of 14 and went whaling in the South Atlantic from 1905 to 1918 pausing only to marry a girl from Swansea in 1909.
After being torpedoed during the 1st World War he returned to South Georgia to collect 30,000 barrels of whale oil which had increased in price from £4 a barrel in 1914 to £36 a barrel in 1917. His ship was blown up by a mine in the 2nd World War and he was involved in organising the harbour of Le Havre during the D-day landings.
After 52 years at sea his last voyage was in 1950 to bring timber from Archangel to Hull.
He died in 1959 in his adopted home town of Swansea.
LINK
Letter: Ancestor’s ship struck by Texan tornado
LINK 2