Lieutenant Commander Henry James Bray
D.S.C. R. N. R.
This Ship’s Anchor with Inscribed brass plate can be found in St. Edwards Church.
The brass plate is inscribed with
"The late LT Commander HENRY BRAY, Organist at this Church for many years and who retired 1956."
Henry Bray was born at 1, Bynner Street, Shrewsbury on 19th September 1882, the son of William Thomas and Sarah Sophia Bray (nee Millington) He was baptised Henry James Bray on 15th October 1882 at St Julians, Methodist, Shrewsbury. His father was a Carpenter.
William Thomas Bray married Sarah Sophia Millington in Holy Trinity Church, Shrewsbury on 8th September 1870. William was 22 and Sarah was 23.
No trace of the family can be found on the 1891 census.
In 1901 the only Henry J Bray born in Shrewsbury around the same time is a boarder living at No.8 St. Anns Street, Chester. His occupation is Draper.
Henry was apprenticed aboard a Merchant Navy sailing ship in 1901 and travelled the world.
Henry married Suie (Susannah) Price in Holy Trinity Church, Shrewsbury on 15th July 1908. Henry was 25 and Suie was two years his senior at 27.
From the marriage certificate Susannah says she was born in c1881. Her father was Edward Price, his profession was Engine Driver.
The Price family are together in 1881 living at Longden Coleham, Shrewsbury. On this census Susannah's age is given as 2 years old, giving an actual birth year of 1879. The only birth to be found at the GRO (General Registry Office) between 1878 and 1882 in the Atcham (Atcham covered Shrewsbury registration district) is a birth in the June quarter of 1879. Therefore I suspect Susannah told a lie on their marriage by knocking a couple of years off her age.
Edward, Susannah's father, died in 1882 aged only 35.
Henry climbed the ladder quite quickly during his time in the Merchant Navy. On 5th of October 1905 he became 2nd Mate, the certificate was awarded in Melbourne, Australia. He became 1st Mate on 20th August 1908 at Liverpool.
His physical description was 5 foot 8 inches tall, brown hair, dark-brown eyes and of a dark complexion.
On 11th April 1909 Susannah gave birth to their only child, a daughter, Mary
On 25th June 1910 Henry gained a ''Certificate of Competency' as Master of a foreign going ship. He eventually commanded his own ship.
From 1910-14 Henry was master of the four-masted barque ‘Holt Hill’
Holt Hill built by Russell & Co, Glasgow 1890
Captain Henry Bray with his dog Ollie aboard the Holt Hill
On the 1911 census Susannah is at home with her widowed mother Mary and brother Edward. She has her daughter Mary with her, but the daughter has now become Ethel? Their address is 1, Carline Fields, Belle View, Shrewsbury.
1, Carline Fields, Belle View, Shrewsbury, is the same address that Henry gives when he receives his certificates.
Susannah Mary Henry
Otago Daily Times - 23rd October 1913
BRITISH BARQUE'S EXPERIENCE. - SEVEN WEEKS IN A GALE,
The steamer St. Albans, which arrived at Sydney on the 11th inst. from the East, brought news of the British barque Holt Hill's long passage from Iquique to Victoria, B.C. She was exactly 82 days out from Iquique, which can hardly be compared with her former voyage to Victoria from the West Coast, when she made the run in about 45 days.
By the time she reached latitude 3, N., she was held in the grip of the doldrums for many days, and when she eventually caught the trade, everything was against her in making fast time during the remainder of the passage. Head north winds were dead against her, and for a month the Holt Hill scarcely made the speed of the proverbial tortoise. Captain H. J. Bray stated that the Holt Hill was 18 days in making about 300 miles during the latter stages of the passage.
Prior to her arrival at Iquique, the Holt Hill, then bound from Port Albert, Wales, to the former port, with a cargo of patent fuel, experienced an adventurous passage. For seven weeks she battled against a northwest gale, which at times reached hurricane force, off Cape Horn, without making any apparent headway. She was carried away out of the usual course as far as 61.18 south. Tremendous seas swept the decks of the vessel and it was by the greatest of good fortune that none of the crew were swept overboard, as the huge combers flopped over the forward bulwarks. Topsails were carried away, and two members of the crew were flung headlong into the scunners, sustaining serious injuries to their scalps and hands. Tons of water were shipped while the windjammer was being battered by the gale, and for several weeks the crew of the vessel had forgotten what a dry deck looked like.
While at Iquique Captain Bray lost one of his men.
(Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal which is part of Atacama Desert.)
At the outbreak of war in 1914, Henry resigned from the Merchant Navy and joined the Royal Navy.
During the First World War Henry served as a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve and in 1916, while commanding the armed trawler ‘Searanger’, helped to sink the German submarine ‘U-74’ which was on a mine-laying expedition in the Firth of Forth. Henry was awarded the DSC for this action.
14 JULY 1916
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have received with much satisfaction from the officers in charge of the Auxiliary Patrol areas at home and abroad reports on the services performed by the officers and men serving under their orders during the period 1st January, 1915, to 31st January, 1916. These reports show that the officers and men serving in Armed Yachts, Trawlers and Drifters of the Auxiliary Patrol during the period in question have carried out their duties under extremely arduous and hazardous conditions of weather and exposure to enemy attack and mines with marked zeal, gallantry and success.
To receive the Distinguished Service Cross. Lieut. Henry James Bray, R.N.R.
Henry was awarded no less than 6 medals. From left to right:
Distinguished Service Cross,
1914-15 Star,
British War Medal 1914-18,
Victory Medal 1914-18,
Medal for Military Valour,
Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-1918.
He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant Commander in 1919.
Dundee Evening Telegraph - 16th February 1921
Grave of U74
Submarine's End Off Aberdeenshire Coast.
In the Prize Court today £500 prize bounty was awarded for the sinking of three German submarines in the war. The U-boat 34 was betrayed by the quantity of vivid phosphorescence surrounding her. Lieutenant James Kenneth Brook, D.S.O., R.N.R., said he was able, near Gibraltar, to fire on her and sink depth charges over her from H.M.S. Privet.
Lieutenant. Henry James Bray, D.S.C. R.N.R. told how a trawler flotilla closed upon the submarine U74 off the Aberdeenshire coast, and so damaged her that she could not submerge. She eventually sank.
A similar concerted attack disposed of the NC66 off the Lizard. Commander Godfrey Herbert, D.S.O., said a hydroplane showed that she was inactive, and she was on a bottom from which she could never rise again. Sir Henry Drake said these were remarkably effective and capable services.
For more on Henry's part in the battle see HERE (scroll down to CHAPTER XII - FISHING-CRAFT ON WAR SERVICE, 1915-16 and the sub heading 'A SURPRISED ENEMY')
Henry retired to Knighton, where he managed the local labour exchange, gave piano lessons, and played the organ in the church. He retired from playing the church organ when he was 74 in 1956.
In 1943 Henry was awarded the Long Service, Special Constabulary medal.
Kington Times - 25th July 1936
PRESENTATION
At the Swan Hotel, Knighton, on Friday, Knighton Special Constables presented to Lieut-Commander H. J. Bray (section commander), a pair of pipes in case, with a tobacco pouch, suitably inscribed in gold lettering, as a token of their esteem and of their appreciation of his services. Mr C. F. Pugh presided, and referred to the valuable services Lt-Commander Bray had given as Sectional Commander of the Special Constables for the past eight years. The Chief Constable had expressed he appreciation of the services of the Knighton "Specials" and their commander, and they all hoped Mr. Bray would continue in office for many years. Admiral C. S. Townsend made the presentation, and Lt.-Commander H. J. Bray, in replying, said he could assure them that it did not require any gift to recall happy memories and pleasant relations with the Knighton "Specials." Votes of thanks to Admiral Townsend and the Chairman were accorded. Mr. Parker sang several songs, Lt.-Commander H. J. Bray providing the pianoforte accompaniments.
Henry died on 2nd December 1959, aged 77, at the Anchorage, Victoria Road, Knighton.
Probate
Henry James Bray of the Anchorage, Victoria Road, Knighton, Radnorshire. died 2nd December 1959. Probate London 5th February 1960 to Barclays Bank Limited. (Barclays Bank Limited, Trustee Department, 44-46 Castle Street, Shrewsbury, Salop)
Effects £6201 2s 2d
(The Anchorage, Victoria Road has been renamed, it is now known as the Manse, Victoria Road.)
Suzannah died 10 years later on 14th August 1969. Her age at death is given as 85 years.
Mary, their daughter's death is registered in Shrewsbury. She died on 25th January 1979.
HENRY JAMES BRAY Commander DSC. R. N. R. died 2nd December 1959 aged 76 years
Also his wife SUSANNAH died 14th August 1969 aged 85 years
Also MARY BRAY their daughter Born 11th April 1909 Died 25th January 1979
Just to confirm my hypothesis re. Susannah's birth year.
One of the witnesses on their marriage certificate is Rhoda Price. Rhoda was one of Susannah's sisters. On the 1881 census, another of her sisters was Elizabeth.
The baptisms of all 3 sisters took place on 8th March 1882 at Holy Trinity Church, Shrewsbury. The records show dates of birth for each of them. Parents Edward & Mary Price of 22 Sutton Street. Edward was an Engine Driver.
So in reality, Susannah being born in 1879 would have been 90 years old when she died in 1969. Not 85.
My gratitude goes to Keith Owen for the following information.
"I am just going to tell you a couple of things from my memory. As you state, Henry lived at the Anchorage, Victoria Road. I remember the anchor or one very like it, which you picture in the church, was once outside the front door of his house. In the hallway of the house was a lot of ship memorabilia. One of the other things Henry did was to run the first picture house in Knighton. He played piano for the silent films which were shown above what is now the Knighton hotel. This was before it was taken on by the Browns. After Henry retired his daughter ran the labour exchange, whether or not it was her birth name, she was always known as Betty Bray. The labour exchange at this time was situated in the old Wesleyan Chapel in West Street, I can not remember when the labour exchange moved to Ystrad House but I know that Betty Bray was still working in West Street in 1962."