Captain William James Rees
Master, Fanny, Barquentine
Died at Sea
Date of Birth: 1871
Place of Birth: Sunderland, County Durham
Date of Death: 13 February 1916 aged 45
Buried: Remembered on Seafront Memorial, Teignmouth.
Captain William James Rees age 45.
William was born in Sunderland, County Durham in 1871, son of Sterling Ann Rees and he was shown on 1871 census with his mother living in Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland. The 1881 census showed him at the same address.
He married Charlotte Emily Robbins of Teignmouth in 1891 at Thorne, Yorkshire, and they were living at Kingston-upon-Hull on 1891 census. In 1901 he was shown as Master aboard the vessel City of Winchester in Northfleet, Kent, and in 1911 he was boarding with Charlotte at he parents' house, 14 Teign Street, working as Master Mariner.
William was serving as the Captain on board the barquentine, Fanny, 193 tons, when the ship departed Glasgow for Brest with a load of coal. The Fanny was not heard from again on 11 February, it was believed to have been torpedoed on 13 February. The County Court assumed the date of death as 13 February 1916.
Remembered on Seafront Memorial, Teignmouth.
The widow, Mrs Rees living at 1 Myrtle Hill, received £300 compensation from the Shipping Federation.
