Permission to come aboard

[weeKnightingale]

Hello to all who sail here, permission to come aboard.

First, just a little background about me. I have always loved the sea. I have made several trans Atlantic crossings. Also I have spent a semester at sea sailing around the world. I earned my initiation into Neptune's realm by crossing the equator. My mother was from Glasgow, Scotland and my dad was in the Polish Navy during WWII serving on the famous destroyer ORP Blyskawica.

My mother's brother my uncle was also born in Glasgow , Scotland. He was a Merchant Seaman in the 40's.
He died at the Seaman's Hospital in Greenwich, Kent in 1953.

My question is this: Where would they have buried a Merchant Seaman from that hospital? Is there a special cemetery where Merchant Seamen are buried?


My uncle's information: R109897 ROBIN, Arthur John born 20/03/1915 Glasgow, Scotland
died 25/04/1953 at Seaman's Hospital Greenwich, Kent

I know this question may seem strange but is there a cemetery near in the area that may have been used? My cousin and I would like to find his grave site. I know it is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack but it is worth a try. Any ideas are better than none at all. I live in Southern California and unfortunately unable to travel. My cousin plans on visiting the UK and would like to attempt to find his father's grave.

I have been reading through the many requests here. You are a wonderful group of dedicated shipmates. Thank you for maintaining such a great website honoring the experiences and menories of so many adventurous seamen.

Best wishes,
Karola

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Karola,
Would just like to give you a warm Welcome to this very good site!
Here you will find lots of info,good Crew and with luck also find a few old Shipmates!
So sit back,relax and just enjoy the trip!
Hope we will have you here for a long time!
A site truly worthy of the British Merchant Navy!

You are of course more than Welcome abaord here with us,and i hope that you wil get some info that you are looking for!

It would be good if you can give us Your Uncles Full name and poss date of Death!
This would make it easier for us all to help you!

There are many Cemetaries and Crematoriums in and around Kent,so its hard to pin point any at this stage! But with a name well i am sure someone would come up trumps!

As diedin Hospital i dont think that he would have been buried in any special place for Merchant Seamn,but i may be wrong!
Anyway will wait and see if you post a name etc first!

There is this one that has some MN Seaman buried there!

MAIDSTONE CEMETERY, Kent

Also here but there are quite a few!

St James Cemetery Dover Kent

I wonder if this was the Hospital he was in ?

The Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital

The Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital, previously the Infirmary, maintained the tradition of care for former seamen, but now for the merchant marine rather than the Royal Navy.

The hospital became a National Health Service hospital specialist unit, still ministering to sailors, but was closed in 1986. It fell into an advanced state of decay and disrepair, necessitating wholesale replacement in 1998-1999 of timber and plasterwork, irretrievably damaged by wet and dry rot, during the programme of renovation and conversion to a library by the University of Greenwich in 1998 and 1999.

Cheers

[weeKnightingale]

Thank you Castleman,
I realize I am asking almost an impossible quest. I appreciate all the information. Great even a photo of the hospital. Just the fact that you mentioned the cemeteries is a start.

My uncle's information: R109897 ROBIN, Arthur John born 20/03/1915 Glasgow, Scotland
died 25/04/1953 at Seaman's Hospital Greenwich, Kent

Thank you,
Karola

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Karola
I will look more into it Tomorrow ,its 12.30 am now so i am very late to bed haha!
I saw his Birth Cert on Scotland People,but they want 10 GBP for it!
Now i have to see ifi can get a Death Cert somewhere,that will have the place of Burial! Well hopefully!
Cheers

1915 ROBIN ARTHUR JOHN M GORBALS GLASGOW/LANARK 644/17 0427

[jimmys]

I do note your relative was born in Gorbals, Glasgow and died in London.

There was a long tradition in Gorbals,Glasgow of family burial plots where all the members of a family were buried in the same plot. Your uncles body could have been brought home for family burial it was a very regular thing fifty years ago.

regards
jimmy

[weeKnightingale]

Hello Jimmy,
Thank you for your suggestion. That is a very good possibility. However I'm not sure if Gorbals is correct? I know I visited my grandfather's grave with my mother but I was such a wee girl. That was a very long time ago! Most of the known family are now deceased. So the search goes on.

Best wishes,
Karola

[Mike Newell]

Hi Karola, Seamen who died in the Greenwich Hospital may have been buried here;
Situated near a busy main road, the East Greenwich Pleasaunce - a formal, tree-lined garden - is a quiet haven that contains a burial ground for around 3,000 sailors who spent their last days at the local Royal Hospital Greenwich. This included some Merchant seamen.
Mike

[weeKnightingale]

Hello Mike,

Thank you so much for your suggestion. This sounds like a good possibility. Not knowing the area it helps to get ideas from you. The burial grounds sound fitting and very honorable for our brave Sailors and Merchant Sailors. I'm keeping positive thoughts that we will find my Uncle's resting place. If not at least we have tried our best and he will know that. I'm sad that so many years have gone by and there are so few traces or documents to search.

Best wishes,
Karola

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Karola
Dont know if this will help at all but looks like this is his Seamans Pouch kept in Kew!
Wonder if they may have a record of where he was Buried??
Worth emailing and asking!

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...CATID=-3271650

Death of

Robin A J
Greenwich Registration District Aged 38 for June Quater 1953 Ref.5c 497

Dont know if this will assist either!
Cheers

[weeKnightingale]

Hello Castleman,
Oh you are a sweetheart! What a find! We will pursue this and there maybe something interesting. I feel that we are on a very positive course. I hope our lucky stars are shining bright.

Thank you,
Karola