Edward Caygill (1899-1917)

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Edward Caygill (1899-1917)

Bishop Auckland miner served as an ordinary seaman in the Royal Navy

Edward Caygill was born in Bishop Auckland on 26 July 1899. His father was coal miner Robert Henry Caygill (1874-1937) from Shildon. His mother was Gertrude Mary Caygill nee Jeffries (1879-1929), a coal miner’s daughter originally from Norfolk. His parents married in 1898 in Shildon and Edward was their eldest known child with four brothers and two sisters. In 1891 the Caygill family lived at 4 Garden Street, Shildon. By 1911 they had moved to 27 Double Row, Eldon.

Edward joined the Royal Navy on 31 July 1917 to serve for the duration of hostilities. He was rated as an ordinary seaman with the service number J75031. On 31 December 1917 he was taking passage on the Merchant Fleet Auxiliary (MFA) vessel Osmanieh when it was mined and sunk off the Egyptian coast at the entrance to Alexandria Harbour. He was buried in Hadra New Military Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt. He is remembered locally on the Statue 1914-18, Shildon and on a plaque on the Memorial Cottages 1914-18, Eldon. These cottages were built as a memorial to the workmen of Eldon Colliery who fell in the Great War and were originally used as housing for disabled soldiers.

Edward Caygill was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service in World War One.

Civil Parish: Eldon

Birth date: 26-Jul-1899

Death date: 31-Dec-1917

Armed force/civilian: Navy

Residence: Bishop Auckland (Birthplace)
4 Garden Street, Shildon (1901 census)
27 Double Row, Eldon (1911 census)

Employment: Coal miner (1917 service record) – Eldon colliery

Family: Parents: Robert Henry Caygill (1874-1937), Gertrude Mary Caygill nee Jeffries (1879-1929)
Siblings: William Caygill (b 1902), Sidney Walton Caygill (b 1904), Frank Caygill (b 1907), Fred Caygill (b 1908), Edith Annie Caygill (1910-1912), Laura Caygill (b 1912)