ALFRED THORNTON

From May through to September 2026, Andrew will be fulfilling his dream to hike the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats! You are all warmly invited to follow Andrew’s epic journey on his Facebook page, “Andrew Beal LEJOG” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577588795730

As Andrew hikes the 1,300+ miles, he will raise funds for the Ipswich War Memorial Project to help finance our future exhibitions and research of the brave Ipswich men and women who lost their lives in conflict. If you would like to make a small donation, please click on the link: https://gofund.me/5d4a50570

Thank you for your love and support. Andrew & Helen – I.W.M.P.

Photographs courtesy of Glenda Thornton

Born: 12th October 1886, Marylebone, London.

Baptised on the 19th October 1886, at St. Mark’s, St. John’s Wood, Westminster – family home at 8, Swinbrook Road.

Died: 22nd August 1916; age 29; Killed in the loss of a vessel in the North Sea. Body not recovered for burial.

Residence: Prospect Bungalow, Brittania Road, St. James, Ipswich.

Occupation: a Labourer.

Enlistment Location: Chatham, Kent. Signed up for 12 years – 12^th October 1904. Height: 5ft 3ins, fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. Height at aged 18 years old – 5ft 5ins.

Service:

Northampton – Boy 2^nd Class – 13^th September 1903 – 20^th December 1903

Calliope – Boy 2^nd Class – 21^st December 1903

Calliope – Boy 1^st Class – 23^rd December 1903 – 22^nd March 1904

Pembroke I – Boy 1^st Class – 23^rd March 1904 – 18^th April 1904

Grafton – Boy 1^st Class – 19^th April 1904

Grafton – Ordinary Seaman – 12^th October 1904 – 4^th November 1904

Bonaventure – Ordinary Seaman – 5^th November 1904

Bonaventure – Able Seaman – 20^th October 1905 – 7^th May 1906

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 8^th May 1906 – 24^th August 1906

Actaeon – Able Seaman – 25^th August 1906 – 19^th October 1906

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 20^th October 1906 – 21^st February 1907

Leander – Able Seaman – 22^nd February 1907 – 26^th June 1907

Blake – Able Seaman – 27^th June 1907 – 5^th November 1907

Pembroke – Able Seaman – 6^th November 1907 – 17^th November 1907

Dido – Able Seaman – 18^th November 1907 – 21^st September 1908

Minerva – Able Seaman – 22^nd September 1908 – 17^th October 1910

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 18^th October 1910 – 25^th November 1910

Vernon – Able Seaman – 26^th November 1910 – 24^th April 1911

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 25^th April 1911 – 2^nd August 1911

Andromarche – Able Seaman – 3^rd August 1911 – 19^th June 1912

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 20^th June 1912 – 25^th June 1912

Thames – Able Seaman – 26^th June 1912 – 14^th October 1912

Bonaventure – Able Seaman – 15^th October 1912

Bonadventure – Leading Seaman – 1^st July 1913 – 1^st February 1916

Dolphin – Leading Seaman – 2^nd February 1916 – 14^th February 1916

Maidstone – Leading Seaman – 15^th February 1916 – 22^nd August 1916.

Rank: Leading Seaman; Service Number: 228151

Regiment: Royal Navy – H.M.S. E16.

Medals Awarded: Messina Medal.

Memorial Reference;

Panel 15.

Chatham Naval Memorial,

Kent.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of the late William & Elizabeth Thornton of Notting Hill, London; husband of Violet E. Thornton, of 4, Nacton Crescent, Nacton Road, Ipswich.

CENSUS

1891   51, Rackham Street, Kensington, Middlesex.

Alfred was 4 years old and living with his parents & siblings.

William Thornton, 42, a Labourer, born Paddington, Middlesex.

Elizabeth Thornton, 41, born Marylebone, Middlesex.

Sarah Thornton, 13, born Paddington, Middlesex.

Charles Thornton, 11, born Marylebone.

Louisa Thornton, 9, born Kensington.

Georgina Thornton, 7, born Kensington.

Amy Thornton, 2, born Kensington.

1901   37, Southam Street, Kensington, Middlesex.

Alfred was 14 years old, an Errand Boy. He was living with his parents & siblings.

William, 52, a Painter’s Labourer.

Elizabeth, 51.

Amy, 12.

Henry Thornton, 9, born Kensington.

1911   Fountain Lake, Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Alfred was 24 years old, an Able Seaman in the Royal Navy. He was on board the Vernon, Torpedo School Ship.

On the 17th December 1914, in Sunderland, Durham, Alfred married Violet Emma Spalding, a dressmaker – costumier, born October 1887, Pulham St. Mary, Norfolk – daughter of Thomas Sands Spalding, a coachman and groom, and Eliza Spalding (nee Day), of 33, Ann Street, Ipswich.

Violet and Alfred had one son:

Alfred Thomas Thornton, born February 1916, Ipswich.

H.M.S. E16. The submarine sailed from Harwich on 18th August 1916. Her sister submarine E38 sighted E16. 35 miles east of Great Yarmouth. E38 on the 22nd August sighted a group of enemy warships. Splashes were seen on the surface, and reports from German craft that they had engaged a submarine, after seeing a periscope. The wreck of E.16 was found in 2001 by a German diver, Rolf Schuett, at Heligoland Bight near Terschelling Islan,d Holland, where a large hole was found, indicating a mine or torpedo strike. The Submarine had a crew of 31; all perished.

‘VERNON’

H.M.S. E16.

H.M.S. E16.