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Roll of Honour

Hartlepool seafarers lost at sea

Corbett, Robert

Apprentice
47, Belmont Gardens or 10 Wesley St West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool
1901
26/8/1917

Robert Corbett was lost on the Marmion at just 16 years of age. Marmion was an Irvine built ship and was owned by Pyman also of Hartlepool and it was hit by a torpedo from U93 whilst enroute from New York to Bordeaux carrying general cargo.

Robert was the son of  Robert Corbett, a self employed plasterer born in North Ormesby around 1871, and his wife Mary, nee Mitchell, who had been born in Govan Lanarkshire about 1873. The couple were married in Hartlepool in 1893.

Young Robert had four sisters and in 1911, the family were living at 10 Wesley st West Hartlepool. Robert's paternal grandfather, Robert Senior's father, was Daniel Corbett who had been born in West Kilbride Lanarkshire around 1844. He was married to Elizabeth nee Fiddler, born in North Shields, and they married in 1864 in Guisborough area. In 1861, Daniel was an apprentice plasterer in Kilbride.

By 1881, Daniel and his wife were in Studley Road West Hartlepool and had 5 sons and a daughter, all born in North Ormesby, including young Robert's father Robert. Daniel  was a plasterer and his second son Daniel an appretice with him. By 1901, plasterer Daniel and Elizabeth were in Windsor St  and a further son, born in Hartlepool Charles was a plasterer. 

This family trade obviously continued. Before young Robert was born, his father Robert and mother Mary were in Osborne Road in 1901 with three young daughters. Robert's trade is not difficult to guess!

Robert died at a tragically young age and must never had the chance to learn the family trade. His mother Mary was informed of his death.