Marine Lightship Officer died 1933 aged 28 - anyone studying lightships ?

[wyrleybart]

Walter Edward Bartlett was born in Sidcup in 1905, father died 1910 with mother and siblings on 1911 census, left home and became a merchant seaman for the Blue Funnel line until 1927 when I have lost track of him

In 1927 a Walter Edward Bartlett aged 22(ish) married Dorothy Beatrice Bull in North London. Walter's father Albert (correct name) was deceased (also correct) so Fanny Bartlett (correct name) was witness to the marriage. Walter's occupation is listed as "Marine Lightship officer" which I believe required shipping experience.

I have contacted a tree owner on Ancestry to enquire about the Walter Edward Bartlett she has in her tree married to Dorothy Beatrice Bull. She believes that Walter Edward Bartlett died of food poisoning after eating contaminated food from already open cans, but this is a family story.

Tried scanning old newspapers for news of a death of a 28 year old Lighthouse officer caused by food poisoning, but nothing turned up. Does anyone on here know much about Lightships on maybe the Thames estuary and the Essex and Kent coastline ?

Thanks in advance for any input   
 

[solidrock]

I think all the uk lightships were maintained and operated by Trinity House.

https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses-and-lightvessels

[philipsearching]

Tried scanning old newspapers for news of a death of a 28 year old Lighthouse officer caused by food poisoning, but nothing turned up.

Where does the age of 28 come from?

With a birth year of c1905 and a death year 1927-1940 FreeBMD has two deaths:
BARTLETT Walter, age 27, Mar qtr 1932 Woolwich vol 1d p1520
BARTLETT Walter E, age 28, Mar qtr 1933 Edmonton vol 3a p928

Walter married Dorothy B BULL Sep qtr 1927 Edmonton vol 3a p1737 so the 1933 Edmonton death would fit.  It is highly unlikely that inquest records from that period would still exist, so ordering the death certificate might be the only option if no newspaper articles can be found.


I don't have subscriptions to any sites with newspapers, so I tried a g00gle search for
walter AND bartlett AND 1935 AND edmonton AND naval OR lighthouse OR lightship OR poison
but found nothing.

Philip

[philipsearching]

I think all the uk lightships were maintained and operated by Trinity House.

https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses-and-lightvessels

Trinity House have a database of lighthouse keepers from 1841-1910, on http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Lighthouses but according to the Genuki website:
The project has now terminated, and no further updates are being made to the database. and
Most of the pre-1939 records of the Corporation of Trinity House, the general lighthouse authority for England and Wales, were destroyed in the bombing of its headquarters at Tower Hill during World War II.

So unfortunately, Trinity House is unlikely to have surviving records (but there's nothing to lose by asking them!)

Does anyone on here know much about Lightships on maybe the Thames estuary and the Essex and Kent coastline ?

The map on the Trinity House website found by solidrock shows seven lightships now in existence off South East England.  I don't know how many there were in the 1930s, but it is fairly safe to say they would have marked either sandbanks or shipping channels.


Philip

[wyrleybart]

Thanks for the very prompt replies.

After posting I realised my mate was still up so asked him to do a search in old newspapers using various combinations of words - nothing.

As you say, unfortunately robably not a lot of help from Trinity House due to their loss of records. Will plug away at this but m pretty confident i have finally discovered the unfortunate fate of the chap.

Thanks for your help

[carol8353]

Dorothy is in Enfield in 1939.

Looks like she re-married in 1942.

Marriages Sep 1942 
 
Bartlett    Dorothy B    to Leaper   in Edmonton    3a   2726    

Leaper    William J   to Bartlett   in  Edmonton    3a   2726   

[wyrleybart]

Thanks Carole.
Yes Dorothy seems to have lived to a ripe old age finally passing away in Colchester.