Shipwright Ambrose Bolton Laverty was born on the 7th of August 1887 in Hebburn, a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England, sandwiched between the towns of Jarrow and Gateshead. His father was also called Ambrose Laverty and was a riveter from Sunderland. His mother was Hannah Brannen, a labourer’s daughter from Newcastle. His parents married in South Shields in 1882 and the 1911 census tells us that they had ten children six of whom survived.

In 1891 the Laverty family were living at 14 Victoria Close, Hebburn. By this time there were four children:Ellen age 8; William age 6; Ambrose age 3; Kate age 15 months.

By the time of the next census on the 31st of March 1901 both of the girls had died. The family were living at 45 Ann Street, Hebburn. Ambrose was working as a telegraph messenger and his father was working as a boiler maker in the shipyard. His big brother William was office boy in the shipyard.

By the time of the 1911 census Ambrose had become a shipwright and was working in HM Dockyard in Plymouth, Devon. He was lodging with the Gould family at 55a North Street, Plymouth. He married one of the daughters in the family, Violet Gould, in 1911 in Plymouth.

He joined the Royal Navy on 4 July 1916 to serve for the duration of the war. He was rated as shipwright 2nd class and joined the crew of HMS Laurentic.

Ambrose is buried in the mass grave in St Mura’s churchyard, Fahan, County Donegal.
He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service in World War One.

 

Sources:-
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/12976/
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=7739
https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/hebburn/
http://www.newcastle.gov.uk
http://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/57054/South-Tyneside-Remembers-World-War-One
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891,1901, 1911.The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey, England
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services. ADM 188, 362 and 363. The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey, England.
Birth and death records General Register office, UK. http://www.gro.gov.uk