Person

Robert Clint was born on 13 April 1882 in South Shields. His father was bottle-maker William Clint (1853-1926) from Wallsend, Northumberland. His mother was Jane Clint, who was born in 1862 in South Shields. His parents married around 1874 and had at least eight children, made up of five girls and three boys. In 1891 the Clint family lived at Fenwick Row, Seaham. In 1901 they were living at Ivy Cottage, Dawdon and in 1911 they were living at 4 Candlish Terrace, Seaham.

Robert had followed his father’s occupation as a bottle maker before he joined the Royal Navy on 20 January 1915 to serve for the duration of hostilities. He was initially rated as a stoker 2nd class with the service number K24229. He was rated as a stoker 1st class on 14 October 1915. On 30 December 1915 Robert was serving on the crew of HMS Natal when it was sunk by an internal explosion near Cromarty, Scotland. A total of 390 crew and civilians were killed in the explosion but Robert, who was on the mess deck aft, was listed amongst the men saved that day.

On 17 April 1918 Robert was serving on the submarine depot ship HMS Titania in Blyth, Northumberland. He was recorded as having accidentally drowned. A court of enquiry held on HMS Titania on 30 April 1918 concluded “the court are of the opinion that he committed suicide by jumping overboard while temporarily insane. No disciplinary action seems called for”.

Robert was buried in Seaham Harbour Cemetery, Princess Road, Seaham. He was remembered locally on the Pulpit and Screen 1914-18 St Hild and St Helen’s Church, Seaham and on the Roll of Honour 1914-18 Bottle Works, Seaham.

Robert Clint was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service during the First World War.

Civil Parish: Seaham

Birth date: 13-Apr-1882

Death date: 17-Apr-1918

Armed force/civilian: Navy

Residence: Fenwick Row, Seaham (1891 census)
Ivy Cottage, Dawdon, Seaham (1901 census)
4 Candlish Terrace, Seaham (1911 census)
9 Robert Street, Seaham (1918 service record)

Family: Parents: William Clint (1853-1926), Jane Clint (b 1862)
Siblings: Elizabeth Clint (b 1878), John Clint (b 1880), Jane Clint (b 1884), Margaret Clint (b 1888), William Clint (b 1890), Sarah Clint (b 1892), Mary E Clint (b 1895)

Military service:

K24229
Royal Navy
Stoker
HMS Natal
HMS Titania

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Seaham Harbour Cemetery, Princess Road, Seaham
Pulpit and Screen 1914-18 St Hild and St Helen’s Church, Seaham
Roll of Honour 1914-18 Bottle Works, Seaham

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham