Ldg Smn Joseph HART, HMS Natal, died 30.12.15

[Guest Pete Wood]

Here is the info held by CWGC

Name: HART, JOSEPH

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Leading Stoker

Regiment: Royal Navy

Unit Text: H.M.S. "Natal."

Age: 25

Date of Death: 30/12/1915

Service No: K/744

Additional information: Son of the late George Henry and Johanna Hart, of Cubitt Town, Poplar, London.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: 11 .

Cemetery: CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL

After the First World War, an appropriate way had to be found of commemorating those members of the Royal Navy who had no known grave, the majority of deaths having occurred at sea where no permanent memorial could be provided. An Admiralty committee recommended that the three manning ports in Great Britain - Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth - should each have an identical memorial of unmistakable naval form, an obelisk, which would serve as a leading mark for shipping. The memorials were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, who had already carried out a considerable amount of work for the Commission, with sculpture by Henry Poole. After the Second World War it was decided that the naval memorials should be extended to provide space for commemorating the naval dead without graves of that war, but since the three sites were dissimilar, a different architectural treatment was required for each. The architect for the Second World War extension at Chatham was Sir Edward Maufe (who also designed the Air Forces memorial at Runnymede) and the additional sculpture was by Charles Wheeler and William McMillan. Chatham Naval Memorial commemorates more than 8,500 sailors of the First World War and over 10,000 from the Second World War.

[Guest Pete Wood]

HMS Natal. Built at Barrow by Vickers and Launched on the 25th November 1905 finally completed on the 5th March 1907. Like her sister ships she joined the 5th Cruiser Squadron. in 1907 until transferring to the 2nd cruiser Squadron in 1909. Escorted the Royal yacht Medina in 1911 to 1912. She also had the duty to Carry the Body of the the US Ambassador to Great Britain, Whitelaw Reid back to New York. At the outbreak of war she joined the Grand Fleet and in January 1915 was refitted at Cromarty. It was at Cromorty on the 31st December 1915 due to Faulty Cordite which caused an Internal Explosion which destroyed the cruiser with 404 lives lost. (out of a crew of just over 700 ).

There are some good pics on a local (Cromarty) Black Isle website showing photos of the ship and graves of the sailors who were washed ashore

Here is a picture of the HMS Natal

[christine liava'a]

HMS NATAL

Location: CROMARTY

World War I

Military Maritime Grave

The armoured cruiser Natal was a unit of the 2nd Cruiser squadron. On December 30th 1915, she was lying in Cromarty harbour when a fire broke out on board. Within a short time her magazine exploded and she sank almost immediately. Of her complement of 815 men the loss of life was heavy, amounting to 421 officers and men.

[christine liava'a]

Cubitt Town is part of the Isle of Dogs, Stepney, London

Cubitt family and Cubitt town

[Alison Arnold]

Here are the family in 1901.

George HART age 31 occ general labourer

Johanna Hart age 29

Joseph Hart age 10

Agnes Hart age 8

Denniss Hart age 2 months.

All were born in Poplar, London apart fron George who was from Ipswich in Suffolk.

Her is George on the 1881 census living at 7 Stebondale Terrace London.

George Hart age 32 occ Dock Labourer born Ipswich Suffolk

Emma Hart age 30 born Ipswich Suffolk

George H Hart age 11 Scholar born Ipswich Suffolk

Eliza Hart age 7 Scholar born Ipswich Suffolk

Walter Hart age 5 Scholar born Poplar

William Hart age 3 born Poplar

Emma E Hart age 1 born Poplar

So somewhere between Eliza and Walter being born George Hart moved his young family to London.

Ali