William Charles Tuttle

A Master with Trinity House Vessel Alert (London), William died on 6th of March 1945 at the age of 61.

William was born at Lowestoft on 24 December 1883, a son of Harry and Ann Elizabeth Tuttle.

William attended Christchurch School and, on 17 February 1890, became a pupil at Saint Margaret’s School, and his family lived at 2 White Horse Street. In 1891 his family lived at 18 Wrayburn Street, West Derby, Liverpool. By 1901 they had returned to Lowestoft, and lived at 22 Factory Street, and William was a seaman. 

In 1904 William lived at 172 Stafford Road, Southtown, Great Yarmouth, and this was his home for the rest of his life. In 1906 William married Ethel May Stone: this was registered in the Mutford district. 

William joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 1 July 1904 and he continued to serve until 1924. He was called out for service on 3 August 1914 and served on Defensively Armed Merchant Ships throughout World War One. He was demobilised on 14 February 1919.

From September 1919 to January 1921, he was a Fog Signal Driver in the Dredger Lightship at Great Yarmouth. From January 1921 to July 1921, he was a Fog Signal Driver in the Dudgeon Lightship at Great Yarmouth. From July 1921 to January 1924, he was a Lamplighter with the Swarte Bank Light Vessel at Great Yarmouth. In January 1924 he joined the Trinity Service.   

In 1939 William was a Master of a Lightship with the Trinity Light House Service. William died at Hellesdon Hospital, Norwich, on 6 March 1945. 

William’s brother-in-law, Thomas Cropley, served in the Royal Naval Reserve and died in 1917.