People on board

ROBERTS, Richard

Richard Williams was born in 1874 to Owen Williams and Ann Hughes in Llechynfarwy, Anglesey, one of their five children. Owen was a Farm Labourer as was Richard’s older brother Owen in the 1881 census, and Richard himself, in 1891. He married Catherine Williams in Holyhead in 1900 and in the following year’s census they were living in Lligwy Street in Holyhead. He gave his occupation as ‘Railway Brakesman’. In 1911 there were four children in the family and they were living with Catherine’s mother, Mary Williams, who had a shop at 55 London Road. Richard’s occupation at that time was ‘Carter Town’. Three more children were born in the following years.

Richard was an accomplished musician and conductor of a children’s choir, winning prizes at the local Eisteddfod, and unsurprisingly his children also had musical abilities.

Prior to joining the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company about 1912 he worked as a Vanman for Llewellyn Jones of Denbigh House, a bakery and shop that supplied the mailboats with provisions.

His name is recorded on the Tower Memorial in London and on the War Memorial in Holyhead. He was awarded the Mercantile Marine Medal and the British War Medal.