Ernest James Beamish

A Trimmer with H.M. Trawler Resono, Ernest died on 26th of December 1915 at the age of 33. 

Ernest was born at Kessingland on 9 July 1882, a son of Alfred and Mary Ann Beamish. In 1891 his family lived at Elms Cottages, London Road, Kessingland, and this was still their address in 1901. By 1896 Ernest was working as a ‘fisher lad’.   

On 3 January 1905 Ernest married Lily Jane Norris. In 1911 they lived at 7 Witley Road, Carlton Road, Pakefield, and Ernest working as a herring fisherman. Note the 1911 Census clearly shows that address at Witley Road. Later Lily lived at 13 South Elmham Terrace, Victoria Road, Oulton Broad, Suffolk.

Ernest was lodging at 18 Duke Street, Grimsby, when he joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 18 August 1914. Ernest served on the trawler Leonora. On 1 April 1915 he joined the trawler Ameer and subsequently joined the Resono.  

On 26 December 1915 the Resono was patrolling off Harwich, near the Sunk Light Vessel. The trawler struck a mine and exploded. Eleven crew, including Ernest, were killed and three saved. 

Ernest is commemorated on the war memorial at Saint Margaret’s Church. 

Ernest's brother-in-law, Thomas Read, served in the Royal Naval Reserve, and died in 1917. His brother-in-law, Alfred Brown, served in the Royal Naval Reserve and died in 1917.