Person:William Rimmer (1)

William Rimmer was born on 6th December 1885 in Southport, on the Lancashire coast. He appears in the 1891 census in Southport with his family, which appears to have been a union of two Rimmer families following the marriage of a widower called John Rimmer and a widow called Jane Rimmer the previous year, each bringing children from their first marriages. As both had sons called William, this William is labelled "William Rimmer No.2" in the census.

By 1901, William was working as a telegraph messenger. In 1903, just before his eighteenth birthday, William joined the Royal Marines in Liverpool. He served in the Marines for nine years, leaving in 1912. He spent some time based around Plymouth, where he married a local woman named Louisa May in 1909, when he was described as a corporal. The 1911 census finds William on board the HMS Cornwallis, which was docked at Malta on census night. Louisa was back home in Plymouth with her parents. William and Louisa had two sons after he left the Marines.

William rejoined the Marines at the start of the First World War, serving until 1916, in which year he was also mentioned in despatches for "zeal and devotion to duty".

William's next sighting is not until the outbreak of the Second World War. By this time, he had moved with Louisa and their sons back to Southport. Louisa's nephew later recalled that William at this time worked as a market gardener, particularly growing tomatoes. The 1939 Register finds Louisa, one of their sons and his wife living at 15 Cavendish Street in Southport. William was not recorded in the register, having rejoined the Marines the previous month, actually a few days before war was declared. He was 53 by this time. He served for over five years until towards the end of the war, leaving the Marines just a couple of weeks before his 59th birthday.

After the war, William and Louisa moved to 42 Hampton Road in Southport. Louisa died in 1963, aged 76. William survived her by over four years. He died on 13th March 1968, aged 82.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. William RIMMER, March Quarter 1886, Ormskirk Registration District, Volume 8b, page 854, mother's maiden name Howard

   Most likely birth entry given date of birth of 6 Dec 1885 quoted in Royal Marines service record. Birth certificate needs to be obtained to confirm.

2. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 3037; Folio 37; Page 12, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 70 Tulketh Street, Southport, Lancashire
   John Rimmer, head, married, male, 46 [1844/5], Carter, employed, b. Southport, Lancashire
   Jane Rimmer, wife, married, female, 43 [1847/8], b. Wrightington, Lancashire
   Margaret Rimmer, daughter, single, female, 18 [1872/3], Dressmaker, employed, b. Southport, Lancashire
   William Rimmer, son, male, 16 [1874/5], Errand boy, employed, b. Southport, Lancashire
   Robert Rimmer, son, male, 14 [1876/7], Errand boy, employed, b. Southport, Lancashire
   Mary Rimmer, daughter, female, 10 [1880/1], Scholar, b. Southport, Lancashire
   Ellen Rimmer, daughter, female, 8 [1882/3], Scholar, b. Southport, Lancashire
   William Rimmer No.2, son, male, 5 [1885/6], Scholar, b. Southport, Lancashire
   Charles Blundell, lodger, married, male, 41 [1849/50], Butcher, employed, b. Southport, Lancashire

3. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 3538; Folio 86; Page 24, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 69 Shakespeare Street, Southport, Lancashire
   John Rimmer, head, married, male, 57 [1843/4], Highway Labourer, worker, b. Southport, Lancashire
   Jane Rimmer, wife, married, female, 53 [1847/8], Sick Nurse, b. Wrightington, Lancashire
   Margaret Rimmer, daughter, single, female, 28 [1872/3], Dressmaker, own account, b. Southport, Lancashire
   Ellen Rimmer, daughter, single, female, 18 [1882/3], b. Southport, Lancashire
   William Rimmer, son, single, male, 15 [1885/6], Telegraph Messenger, b. Southport, Lancashire

4. ↑ United Kingdom. UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1853-1928.

   Summary:
   Name: William Rimmer
   Date of Birth: 6 December 1885
   Where Born: Southport, Lancashire
   Trade: Telegraph Messenger
   Religion: Church of England
   When enlisted: 21 September 1903
   Where enlisted: Liverpool
   Next of Kin: [various addresses crossed out and hard to read] Brother John / Sister Mary, 10 East St. / Wife Louisa 21 John St., Plymouth / 15 Cavendish Road, Birkdale
   Served 21 Sep 1903 to 14 Mar 1912
   Re-enlisted and served 12 Aug 1914 to 6 Jun 1916
   Re-enlisted and served 25 Aug 1939 to 18 Nov 1944
   Note: Mentioned in Despatches 4 May 1916 for Zeal & Devotion to Duty
   DD: 13.3.68

5. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 34973; Page 24, 2 Apr 1911.

   Vessels, Mediterranean: H.M.S. Cornwallis, positioned at Grand Harbour, Malta at midnight on 2 Apr 1911
   William Rimmer, 25 [1885/6], married, Corporal - Royal Marines, b. Southport, Lancashire

6. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. William RIMMER, March Quarter 1968, Southport Registration District, Vol. 10f, page 782, aged 82 [1885/6]

7. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   1968
   RIMMER William of 42 Hampton Rd Southport died 13 March 1968 Probate Liverpool 4 June. £305.