O P Peppin possible Merchant Navy

[chaz]

just thumbing through my family tree I am wondering about a great uncle of mine. I remember him , just, as we bought the house of his wife back in 1970.

Oscar Percival Peppin born in 1890 in Watchet, Somerset. died in 1966 in Chippenham. as born and resided in Watchet the 1911 census has him and his elder brother Clifford as Tailor's.

As Watchet had a harbour and I can remember paintings of ships in their house and Aunties flat, I would possibly have thought he would have been a Sailor.

therefore, could someone with access have a look for Oscar Percival (we knew as Percy) Peppin. in either Royal Navy or Merchant Navy records.

1914 he would have been 24 and Clifford 29.

thanks

[PRC]

The 1915 Crew List site had two entries for a Percy Peppin which between them cover the whoie of 1915. Percy Peppin was born Watchet and was then 26. He served aboard what looks to be a small tramp steamer, the Express which seems to have been regularly travellng between Watchet and South Wales. It had a crew of three including him.

 

Crew agreement for the first six months of the year here: https://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/document/116077#&gid=1&pid=1

And the second six months here: https://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/document/116078

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[Michael Lowrey]

No, not a tramp steamer, rather the Express in question was a small sailing vessel — a 40 nrt ketch built in 1861 in Swansea. In 1914 and 1915, the managing owner is listed as William J. Norman of 19 Jubilee Ter., Watchet, Somerset.

[MerchantOldSalt]

There were several sailing vessels called EXPRESS around the time, but as the one in question is the only one Ketch rigged then this picture is of her entering Watchet Harbour, inside the breakwaters under scandalized mainsail, the small boat probably taking lines ashore.

Tony

 

Tony

[PRC]

10 hours ago, Michael Lowrey said:

No, not a tramp steamer, rather the Express in question was a small sailing vessel — a 40 nrt ketch built in 1861 in Swansea.

 

1 hour ago, MerchantOldSalt said:

There were several sailing vessels called EXPRESS around the time, but as the one in question is the only one Ketch rigged then this picture is of her entering Watchet Harbour, inside the breakwaters under scandalized mainsail,

 

Thank you gentlemen – proof if ever it was needed that finding the information isn’t the same as understanding it. And what a wonderful picture.

 

The first “Account of Crew and Official Log Book” shows all three crew as new to the boat, with Walter Allen and Percy Peppin joining on May 25th 1915 and William Sully on June 3rd. Percy Peppin had last served in 1914 on what looks like the "Gineva" or "Ginevra" of Poole.

 

The “Express” had been laid up at Watchet before they joined and remained so until her first trip to Penarth Harbour on June 7th 1915.

 

The second “Account of Crew and Official Log Book” shows the boat completed twenty voyages to and from ports in the Bristol Channel only. The three crew members were to remain with the “Express” into the next six month period.

 

I couldn't see any Royal Navy ratings \ Royal Naval Reserve or Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records in the National Archive Catalogue for an Oscar \ Percival \ Percy Peppin, and no Medal Index Card in the British Army records.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Edited 30 March , 2020 by PRC
Typo

[Michael Lowrey]

Ginevra was another small, old ketch — 41 nrt, built in 1857 in Cowes — again with a Watchet connection. Though registered in Poole, the managing owner was John Norman of Watchet, Somerset. Not sure if William J. Norman and John Norman are related but given the size of Watchet, it would come as no surprise if they were.

[chaz]

gents,

I thank you for your assistance. it was an outside chance he had service and as usual no talk about war or medals when I was young.

Will notify Ancestry that they have transcribed Sailor as Tailor