Benjamin Robert Blake

An Able Seaman with HMS Eaglet, Benjamin died on 9th of November 1918 at aged 29. 

Benjamin was born at Langley, Norfolk, on 28 November 1888, a son of Jane Blake. In 1891 he lived at Langley with his grandparents Benjamin and Frances Blake. His mother married Stephen Grimson and in 1901 Benjamin lived with them at Toft Monks, Norfolk. In 1911 Benjamin was the Fourth Hand on the trawler Boy Russell, LT 346, at Padstow.   

Benjamin joined the Metropolitan Police on 31 March 1913. On 29 July 1914 Benjamin married Florence May Snowling at Saint John’s Church. Benjamin was a policeman, living at 1 Holdernesse Road, Upper Tooting. They lived in Tooting at Glenburnie Road and after Benjamin’s Florence moved to Lowestoft, her hometown, and lived at 53 Lawson Road. In 1922 she married Sidney Howe. 

During the First World War Benjamin took leave of absence from the Metropolitan Police in order to join the Mercantile Marine. He signed a T.124X agreement which meant that he was able to be drafted to various Merchant Fleet Auxiliary ships. By November 1918 he was serving at H.M.S. Eaglet, a shore establishment at Liverpool. He contracted influenza and died at the Royal Infirmary, Liverpool. He was buried in a family plot at Toft Monks on 17 November.  

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