This man is a candidate for addition to Keighley's Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery's Heritage Fund, our project intends to submit about 120 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it's new names is planned for November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.
Stoker First Class. HMS Indefatigable, Royal Navy. Service No. SS/114190.
Early life:
Leonard was born on 9th May 1892 in Bradford. Parents William and Ellen Robinson. William was a Blacksmith labourer. His parents had been married in 1872 and in the 1891 census they already had six children when Leonard was born. They were living at 5, Mason Street at Little Horton in Bradford and Leonard was baptised at St, James' Church in Bradford on 17th June 1892. His father was working as a carter at that time.
By 1901 they were living at 14, Barley Street at Ingrow in Keighley and William was a stonemason's labourer. Leonard was eight years old and probably at school.
By the 1911 census Leonard was 19 years of age and still living at 14, Barley Street, Ingrow, Keighley with his parents. He was a fitter for a wringing machine maker.
Royal Navy service:
On 11th June 1913 whilst employed as an iron fitter, Leonard enlisted in the Royal Navy (for 5 years) as a Stoker 2nd class.
He trained at HMS Vivid II - Naval Barracks at Devonport (Plymouth). Character: Very Good. Ability: Satisfactory. His Navy medical states that his details were, height: 5' 4, 7/8". Chest: 36. Hair: Brown, Eyes, Blue. Complexion: Fresh.
On 17th November, he transferred to HMS Conqueror an Orion class battleship.
After one full year on 11th June 1914 he was promoted to Stoker 1st class. On 3rd November, he transferred to HMS Vivid II. He was brought up for a disciplinary hearing on 10th November, having been absent for 21 days and his punishment was 14 days in the cells.
On 27th July 1915, Leonard was transferred to HMS Indefatigable. On 17th November he received another punishment of 14 days in cells for being drunk and disorderly.
On 31st May 1916, he was on board HMS Indefatigable when she took part with the Grand Fleet when they went in action against the German High Seas Fleet at Jutland.
Leonard was killed in action during the sinking of HMS Indefatigable in the battle when she slipped below the surface at 4.03 pm:
H.M.S. Indefatigable - Jutland Bank, 31st May 1916.
Extract from the Official History; "Naval Operations" by Sir Julian S. Corbett. 1923.
At the other end of the line the duel between the Indefatigable and the Von der Tann had been growing in intensity till, a few minutes after 4.0, the British ship was suddenly hidden in a burst of flame and smoke. A salvo of three shots had fallen on her upper deck and must have penetrated to a magazine. She staggered out of the line, sinking by the stern when another salvo struck her; a second terrible explosion rent her, she turned over and in a moment all trace of her was gone. All but two of her crew of 1019 died.
HMS Queen Mary was sunk half an hour later followed by HMS Invincible two hours after that.
14 British ships and 6,000 Royal Navy men lost their lives in the battle, but the German High Seas Fleet (which lost 9 ships and 2,500 lives) would never put to sea again during WW1.
Keighley Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Magazine no 86, dated July
1916.
Sun Street Wesleyan Methodist Chapel:
We regret to record the death of another of our old scholars. Mr Leonard Robinson, of Ingrow, went down with the "Indefatigable" in the recent naval battle. An impressive memorial service was held on June 18th, conducted by Mr T. E. Smith and Mrs. Liddemore, there was a very good attendance.
Keighley News June 24, 1916, page 6:
MEMORIAL SERVICE.
A service in memory of 1st Class Stoker Leonard Robinson, of Ingram Street, Ingrow, who went down with the Indefatigable during the naval engagement off the coast of Jutland on May 31, was held at the Sun Street Mission on Sunday evening last. The speakers were Mrs. Liddemore and Mr. E. T. Smith, and a number of appropriate hymns were sung. There was a good congregation, including the relatives and friends of the sailor. Stoker Robinson before joining the Navy three years ago was associated with the Sun Street Mission.
Remembrance:
Stoker Leonard Robinson is remembered on the Ingrow War Memorial at St John's Church, The Sun Street Methodist Mission war memorial at Cliffe Castle Museum, and on the Ingrow Council School war memorial which is on display at Ingrow Primary School.
They would have received his medals after the war and a bronze memorial plaque and scroll bearing his name.
In the 1921 census they were living at 3, Ingram Street, Keighley. William was still working at almost 69 years old as a warehouseman for Robert Clough's clothing manufacturers at Grove Mills. Ellen was aged 73 and on home duties.
Records suggest that William died early in 1924 and Ellen died at the end of the same year.
Information sources:
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
1891 England Census
England & Wales births 1837-2006
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
1901 England Census
1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library
Royal Navy records
Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Magazines. Bound copies at Keighley Library, reproduced with permission from the Methodist Church archive.
"Naval Operations" by Sir Julian S. Corbett. 1923.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
GRO Deaths, Navy, All ranks indices (1914 - 1921.)
1921 Census
England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007