Where my connection to the Dryden family all began. My research into the Drydens began with
the RNLI in Whitbyand Mary Kezia Roberts. The RNLI celebrated their 200th anniversary and got me thinking...
Hannah Tiplady was born on the 20th December 1801 in Whitby, North Yorkshire to
William Tiplady and Mary Hutton. Hannah was my 4th great-grandaunt.
The 19th century was a time of great social change in Whitby. The town's population grew rapidly, and the town
became more industrialized. This led to a number of changes in the way people lived and worked.
On the 16th October 1821 she married William Dryden (1801 - 1868) at St Mary The Virgin Church in Whitby. William was born in Marske by the Sea. Marske-by-the-Sea is a charming seaside town located in the Redcar
and Cleveland borough of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the North Sea coast, approximately 8 miles south of Middlesbrough and 23 miles north of Scarborough. The town's name is derived from the Old Norse words "Mar" (sea) and "skeið" (isthmus), meaning "isthmus by the sea."
Marske-by-the-Sea boasts a rich history dating back to the Iron Age. The area was once home to a Roman
signal station and later became a fishing village in the Middle Ages. In the 19th century, the town experienced
significant growth and development as a seaside resort, attracting visitors from all over the country.
Hannah and William would go on to have ten children and become one of the most notable families in Whitby.
Dryden Family
Thomas Dryden (Awd Tut) (1866 - )
Thomas was a fisherman and a member of the lifeboat crew in Whitby and his nickname was ‘Awd Tut’ which
means ‘Old Tom’. The website whitby-cottages.co.uk wrote a piece on their website in an effort to track the
history of one of its cottages on Church Street. This description of the cottage is taken from the Cottages.co.uk
website:-
Awd Tut’s cottage gets its name from the former resident – Old Tom, a fisherman living in the 1800s.
Dating back almost four-hundred years, this little cottage still retains its old-world charm.
Once in danger of being torn down after becoming empty and derelict, a modern-day descendent of Awd Tut
lovingly restored the cottage and gave it a whole new lease of life. This is now a beautiful cottage where you
can create happy memories of your time at the coast. Tucked away down a little ghaut off the ever-popular
cobbled Church Street.
The well known and respected Dryden family lived in the cottage from the early 20th century until the start of
World War II.
In 1884 Tom married Mary Ann Miller Sayer and they had 9 children within a space of 16 years. Their eldest
daughter, Fanny, was born in 1886, was a singer and by the age of 16 was touring the theatres and bringing home
a wage. The family would move for a short while to Hartlepool to enable Tom to work on the steam trawlers.
The family eventually returned to Whitby moving into Henrietta Street. In 1906, sadly, Fanny became ill and died.
Mary Ann, heartbroken at the loss of her talented daughter, would sadly also die within the year
John Robert Dryden (1901 - 1960)
John’s nickname was ‘stowaway’ which gave some indication of his infamy. At the age of five John decided to
stowaway in the coal bunker of the trawler on which his father was working. At the time is was thought that John
had drowned in the harbour.
John Robert Dryden died suddenly at his house in the family home in church Street, Whitby in 1960. The Whitby
Gazette reported on 27th May 1960 that John came from a family with a long tradition of lifeboat service; John
himself involved in over 50 rescues. He had numerous medals, certificates and other awards from the Royal
Humane Society and the Carnegie Trust. He received his first award, the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal,
when he was eleven years old for saving the life of a child.
John Richard Dryden (1878 - 1940)
John sadly lost his life on the 3rd February 1940 during a rescue of the Belgian steamer SS Charles. John and
Christopher Wale were the first lifeboat crew members to lose their lives during World War II. Both men had
returned to their roles on the lifeboat following retirement as younger crew members had been called away for
war duties; and were posthumously awarded a Bar to his RNLI Gallantry Silver Medal for his involvement in the
Charles Rescue. He was also awarded the RNLI’s Silver Medal for another wartime rescue which involved the
Minesweeper HMS Cormorin in 1939 His role was Acting Second Coxswain on the Whitby Lifeboat Mary Ann
Hepworth. The craft was under the command of Coxswain James Murfield and they put to sea in a direction
heading into the gale towards the SS Charles. The assistant motor mechanic on board was John’s son, William
Dryden, who, after his father fell into the sea, wanted to go himself into the sea to search for his father. The crew
on the lifeboat knew that if he had gone overboard to search for his father he would also be lost. So tragic; one
of the noblest traditions of any lifeboatmen is exposing themselves to danger to save others disregarding
thought of their own safety. There was great personal safety in answering a call of great danger. William Dryden
himself would go on to have an illustrious career in the service of the lifeboat of Whitby.
The SS Charles of Bruges was a Belgian steamer that ran aground on the Whitby coast in 1904. The ship was
en route from Antwerp to Hull with a cargo of cement when it encountered heavy fog and ran aground on the
rocks at Saltwick Nab.
The crew of the SS Charles of Bruges were all rescued by the Whitby lifeboat, and the ship was eventually
refloatedand towed to Hull for repairs. However, the ship was badly damaged and was never able to return to
service. The wreck of the SS Charles of Bruges is still visible at low tide, and it is a popular spot for diving. The
wreck is home to a variety of marine life, including lobsters, crabs, and fish. The SS Charles of Bruges is a
reminder of the dangers that sailors faced in the early 1900s. The wreck is also a reminder of the importance
of the Whitby lifeboat, which has saved countless lives over the years.
The SS Charles of Bruges was one of many ships that were wrecked on the Whitby coast in the 19th and
early 20th centuries. The wrecks of these ships are a reminder of the dangers that sailors faced in the past, and
they are also a reminder of the importance of the Whitby lifeboat.
William Dryden (1904 - )
William Dryden served 36 years in the service as a lifeboatman and had taken part in over 200 rescues, which
is more than any other lifeboat man in Britain. Such an amazing family that I am now only discovering. As I’ve
previously written William was the mechanic on the lifeboat Mary Ann Hepworth during the rescue that sadly
took his father’s life.
William Henry Clark (1884 - 1917)
William Henry Clark was the great grandson of William Dryden, the Patriarch of the Dryden family. His father
died at sea in 1885 along with Mark and Robert Dryden in the loss of the fishing Coble Ann Maria of Robins
Hood Bay. The Whitby Gazette reported on the 26th September 1885 of the fatal coble accident that capsized
killing Robert Dryden, Mark Dryden (cousin) and James Clark (brother in law). Robert’s body was washed up
on the Wednesday following the accident. The newspaper article states that ‘the sudden change in the direction
of the wind caused the boat to ‘jibe’, (describe this). The effect of this was to send the boat under and then
disappeared beneath the waves almost immediately’
On the 3rd September 1917 sadly William Clark lost his life in the attack on the HMS Pembroke barracks at
Chatham in Kent. William enrolled in the Royal Navy in November 1915 and was sent to Chatham Barracks.
In December of that year he served onboard HMS Ceto. The steam yacht Ceto was as a port naval flagship
at Ramsgate during the war. In August 1917, he was back on dry land at Chatham Barracks. According to
his service record, William died in the Royal Navy Hospital, Chatham from wounds obtained during an enemy
air raid on HMS Pembroke.
What was HMS Pembroke Barracks? HMS Pembroke was the name given to a shore barracks at Chatham,
Kent, England. The barracks were established in 1811 and were used to accommodate Royal Navy personnel.
The barracks were named after the 104-gun first-rate ship of the line HMS Pembroke, which had been launched
in 1759 and was broken up in 1817.
The barracks were originally located on the site of the former Chatham Dockyard, but were relocated to a new
site in 1905. The new barracks were designed by the architect Sir Aston Webb and were built in the Edwardian
Baroque style. The barracks were officially opened in 1907 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
HMS Pembroke was used as a training establishment for naval personnel during the First and Second World Wars.
The barracks were also used as a hospital ship during the First World War. After the Second World War, the
barracks were used as a Royal Naval Reserve training establishment.
In 1996, HMS Pembroke was closed as a Royal Navy establishment and was sold to the private sector. The
barracks were converted into a residential development and are now known as Pembroke Court.
HMS Pembroke was a significant landmark in Chatham for over 180 years. The barracks were home to
thousands of Royal Navy personnel over the years and played an important role in the training and development
of the Royal Navy.
On the 2nd September 1917 a German Gotha bomber launched an air raid on the HMS Pembroke barracks
in Chatham, Kent, England. The attack resulted in the deaths of 107 people, including 84 Royal Navy personnel
and 23 civilians. It was the deadliest single air raid on Britain during World War I.
The barracks were home to over 2,000 Royal Navy personnel, many of whom were young recruits. The attack
occurred at around 10:30 p.m., when most of the men were asleep. The bomber dropped several bombs on
the barracks, causing widespread damage and loss of life.
The attack on HMS Pembroke barracks was a major tragedy. It was a reminder of the vulnerability of Britain to
air attack, and it led to increased calls for better air defenses. The attack also had a significant impact on the
morale of the Royal Navy.
The attack on HMS Pembroke barracks is a reminder of the horrors of war. It is also a reminder of the courage
and sacrifice of the men and women who served in the Royal Navy during World War I.
Here are some additional details about the attack on HMS Pembroke barracks:
The bomber was a German Gotha G.IV bomber, which was one of the most advanced bombers of its time.
The bombs that were dropped on the barracks were 50-kilogram (110-pound) high-explosive bombs.
The attack lasted for about 15 minutes.
The barracks were completely destroyed in the attack.
The dead included 84 Royal Navy personnel, 23 civilians, and 2 German airmen.
The attack was the deadliest single air raid on Britain during World War I.
The attack had a significant impact on the morale of the Royal Navy.
The attack led to increased calls for better air defenses in Britain.
Richard Dryden (
The Whitby Gazette on Friday 22nd August 1890 article wrote about a fishing boat, the Sarah Jane, that had
been run down by a steamer, Rennie’. The skipper of the Sarah Jane was Richard Dryden.
The Rennie came onto the Sarah Jane, catching her amidships with her bow and smashing into her side.
Richard and another crew member Peter Gourley lost their lives. Richard was only 28 years old and left a widow
and two sons.
The most notable rescue in which a member of the Dryden family were involved was the rescue of the survivors of
the hospital ship Rohilla.
HMHS Rohilla
This part of the Dryden family story really resonated with me. I have always had a fascination with the RMS
Titanic since childhood so this connection in my family to a rescue that also, in a very long connection, had a
(connection) to the infamous ship grabbed my interest. Also during my research of the Dryden family I came
across the name Mary Kezia Roberts. My grandfathers surname was Roberts so I thought there may be a
connection here. Oh yes there was a connection but not the one that I thought. Read on….
Colin Brittain on his website about the HMHS Rohilla wrote about one lady Mary Kezia Roberts whose story
is amazing. Mary Roberts on the 6th April 1912 boarded the now famous ship RMS Titanic as a stewardess.
She had previously served on the Adriatic, which was the last of the ‘Big Four’ built by the Harland and Wolff
shipyard for the White Star Line. As the Titanic was sinking Mary was placed in a lifeboat and later picked up by
the Carpathia which took her and the other survivors to New York which was to be the destination of the RMS
Titanic. After her rescue from the Titanic Mary continued her work as a Stewardess on the RMS Majestic.
In 1914 Mary would board the HMHS Rohilla. The Rohilla as a British India Steam Navigation Company ship
that was converted to a hospital ship to transport wounded soldiers from Dunkirk to Great Britain during the
First World War. (https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/death-on-the-shoreline-the-foundering-of-hmhs-rohilla-off-whitby-30-october-1914/). The HMHS Rohilla disaster occurred on 30th October 1914, when the British hospital ship HMHS Rohilla sank
off the coast of Whitby, North Yorkshire, England. The ship was carrying wounded soldiers from Dunkirk to
Great Britain when it was caught in a fierce storm and ran aground on Saltwick Nab, a reef of rocks. The
sinking of the Rohilla resulted in the deaths of 143 people, including 85 patients, 35 crew members, and 23
medical staff. The disaster was caused by a combination of factors, including the severe weather conditions,
the ship's design, and the lack of lifeboats. The Rohilla was a converted passenger ship that was not well-suited
for use as a hospital ship. It was overloaded with patients and medical supplies, and it did not have enough
lifeboats for everyone on board. The sinking of the Rohilla was a tragedy that highlighted the need for better
safety standards for hospital ships. In the aftermath of the disaster, the British government introduced new
regulations for hospital ships, including requirements for more lifeboats and better medical facilities.
HMS Cape Comorin
According to Google HMS Cape Comorin, a Royal Navy minesweeper, played a significant role in World War 2,
primarily in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Here's a piece about its wartime service:-
Commissioned in 1939, the Cape Comorin was initially assigned to the Western Approaches Command,
responsible for protecting Allied shipping lanes from German U-boat attacks. Its primary task was to sweep
for and neutralize mines laid by enemy submarines, ensuring the safe passage of merchant vessels and warships.
In 1940, the Cape Comorin participated in the Norwegian Campaign, supporting the Allied landings at Narvik.
It braved treacherous waters filled with mines and enemy submarines to clear a path for the invasion force.
The ship's crew displayed exceptional skill and courage during this operation, successfully sweeping mines
and contributing to the Allied victory in Norway. As the war progressed, the Cape Comorin was transferred
to the Mediterranean Sea, where it faced new challenges. The Mediterranean was a critical theater of naval
operations, with both the Axis and Allied powers vying for control. The Cape Comorin was tasked with
clearing mines in the narrow and heavily mined waters of the Mediterranean, making it safer for Allied
ships to navigate and support military operations. In 1941, the Cape Comorin was involved in the Siege of
Malta, a crucial battle for control of the central Mediterranean. The ship was part of the efforts to supply
and reinforce the besieged island, risking enemy fire and air attacks to deliver vital supplies to the
Maltese defenders. The Cape Comorin's contribution to the successful defense of Malta was highly valued
by the Allied forces. Throughout the war, the Cape Comorin continued to operate in the Mediterranean,
clearing mines and supporting naval operations. It participated in the Allied landings in North Africa, Sicily,
and Italy, contributing to the gradual liberation of these regions from Axis control. The ship's crew faced
numerous hazards, including enemy submarines, mines, and air attacks, but they persevered and fulfilled
their missions with unwavering determination.
The Cape Comorin's service in World War 2 exemplifies the vital role played by minesweepers in ensuring
the safety of Allied shipping and supporting naval operations. Its crew's bravery, skill, and dedication were
instrumental in countering the enemy's mine warfare tactics and contributing to the Allied victory in both the
North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea.
The HMS Cape Comorin foundered off the coast of Whitby on the 12th November 1939. This was another
rescue which involved the lifeboat Mary Ann Hepworth and John Dryden. In this rescue John received a
Bronze Medal for his heroic efforts. This was a dangerous rescue as the lifeboatmen were aware of the
live depth charges attached to the stern of the Cape Comorin.
