ERNEST WILLIAM HUNT
There is no evidence for Ernest William Hunt's residence in Portsmouth before 1911 though as a serving seaman with the Royal Navy for many years he must have been very familiar with it's landscape.
Records tell us that Ernest William was born in Hanover Square, London towards the end of 1881 but nothing else is known until the census of 1901 which found him aboard HMS Repulse serving as an Ordinary Seaman. He probably married about this time but his wife died within a short period as he was listed as a widower at the 1911 census when he was living at 23 Great Southsea Street in Southsea.
The address at Great Southsea Street seems to have been a lodging house run by Rose Bull, aged 30 years. Ernest William is listed as a 1st Class Petty Officer. Events then seem to have taken an unusual turn as in late 1911 Ernest William married Rose Beatrice Bull. They remained at the same house until the outbreak of the Great War but some time later Rose moved round the corner to 32 Castle Road which was described as 'apartments' by Kelly's Directory. It's not known whether this was before or after Ernest William's death.
All that is currrently known of Ernest William's naval career is that he was serving on HM Submarine E22 when she was torpedoed by UB-18 off Great Yarmouth on 25th April 1916. There were no survivors amongst her 30 strong crew.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission list Petty Officer Ernest William Hunt, (193302), Royal Navy, HMS S/M "22", died 25/04/1916. Has no known grave and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial (Panel 11). Husband of Rose Beatrice Hunt, of 32, Castle Rd., Southsea, Portsmouth.
Ernest Hunt is also commemorated on the St. Jude's Church WW1 Memorial and the Cenotaph. He is not listed in "The National Roll of the Great War", Section X.
Tim Backhouse
August 2014