William Robert Meadows

A Mate with Trawler Boy Sam (Lowestoft), William died on 12th of May 1916 at the age of 36. 

William was born at Lowestoft on 6 May 1880, a son of Alfred and Jane Hannah Meadows. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft, on 6 June 1880. In 1881 his family lived at 6 Clapham Road, Lowestoft. William attended Clapham Road School before, on 14 November 1887, becoming a pupil at Saint Margaret’s School. By 1891 his family’s address was 228 Clapham Road. Later his mother lived at 4 Osborne Street, Lowestoft.

In early 1901 William married Lucy Maria Botson. They lived at 3 Erskine Place, Factory Street, Lowestoft, and William was a fisherman. By 1911 their address was 16 Edinburgh Road, and later they lived at 49 Worthing Road, Lowestoft. 

William was the Mate on the sailing trawler Boy Sam, LT 1014. The trawler sailed from Lowestoft on 12 May 1916, intending to fish at Haisborough Sands. The trawler was due back at Lowestoft on 19 May 1916, but did not return. 

One website suggests that the Boy Sam was with the trawler Boy Percy and that both of them were scuttled by the German submarine UB-29 and that all of the crews took to lifeboats and were then lost at sea. However, the loss of the Boy Percy took place off Southwold. This is not consonant with the Boy Sam heading for Haisborough Sands. 

William's brother in law, James Gower, died in 1917 in the loss of the trawler Reliance.