Robert Ernest Stafford of Grimsby; WW1 memorial plaque issued to next-of-kin 1917.

An original, bronze ‘plaquette’ measuring about 120mm in diameter.

Robert Ernest Stafford (1873-1917) was born in Bramley, Yorkshire. He was the son of George Stafford (1843-1886, a commercial traveller born in Northamptonshire) and Julia Stafford (1842-1901, née Sharpe, a nurse born in Ketton, Rutland). They married in Ketton, Rutland in 1863. George and Julia moved home regularly. They were in Leicestershire in 1865, Northamptonshire in 1866, Cumberland in 1871, Yorkshire in 1873, Lancashire in 1875 and Nottinghamshire in 1881. They had several children. Julia was a widow by the time she was in Grimsby in 1891 and living with a son and daughter. She lived at back of 194 Burgess Street then at 16 Ravenspurn Street, where Robert lived too in 1897.

Robert Ernest Stafford married Charlotte Elizabeth Burton (1874-1947) in Grimsby in 1897. The couple lived at 70 Wood Street and then 15 Duncombe Street. They had a son, Maurice Robert Stafford (1899-1900) and two daughters, Gladys May Stafford (1901-1901) and Ettie Stafford (1902-1918). Charlotte appears to have brought up her niece Edith Brown, later Hewson.

Robert Ernest Stafford (Service Number: 4589ES) was a Royal Naval Reservist and engineman on H.M. Trawler ‘Vivanti’, an Admiralty hired trawler in service as a minesweeper when she foundered off Fairlight, Hastings on 3rd March 1917. There were 13 casualties including Robert, who was aged 43. Remembered with honour at Chatham Naval Memorial in Kent.

The steam trawler ‘Vivanti’ GY.878 was built in 1915 by Cook, Welton and Gemmell Ltd. of Beverley for North Western Steam Fishing Co., Grimsby. She was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1916.

Note: It appears that Robert Ernest Stafford took out a patent on a detachable screw propelling device for small boats in 1907.