Letter from William Shaw to Martha Shaw, 1915 Letters 1916-1923 William Shaw

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Letter from William Shaw to his mother, Martha Shaw, about his life aboard the H.M.S. Excellent. William largely writes about washing and mending his clothes. He also mentions some of his friends and the different jobs they have gotten on various ships. Before signing off he asks after his father. William Shaw (1893-1934) was a gunner in the Royal Naval Reserve. He volunteered for active service in 1915 and served on ships such as the H.M.S. Excellent and H.M.S. Albemarle, a battle cruiser. Before the war he was a fisherman.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Shaw Papers, D1962-12 https://letters1916.ie/item/4191 English William Shaw 1915 H.M.S. Excellent, Portsmouth, England Martha Shaw Male 1934 World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 1962/12 HM.S. Excellent Portsmouth My Dear Mother I received your letter+parcel. do not send me on any more bread. I am sorry my father is not well he must have been bad I hope he will soon be all right again. Well mother Mark came back from hospital on Friday and he FILED in for sick leave two hours after he got a drafting CHIL so he has gone to Glasgow to join a merchant ship. that is the way they do have when you ask for any- thing. I think I will not send my closehome I will wash them myself and give them to the tailor to mend it will not cost so much. Jack has got a good job on board a liner the Baltic she is a White Star boat he will be all right Andy does not know what boat he will get yet he is waiting in Liverpool. Well we go out to spit head tomorrow morning to do out firing and after that we will go to . you might send me a bit of darning wool and a needle I have got some socks to mend I washed them to night If you have any money to spare you might send me on a few shillings as I will be on draft before I get any and more. I got pay on Friday pay did I say well it is what the navy calls it I got £sthe hept the price of the gurnsey of it and I expected not to stop it till the end of the quarter well mother I will close now tell my Father I hope he will be able to get his share toof the haddocks I expect the trawlers is not doing much now tell Jessie I was asking for her. I will close as my hands are getting cold. Your loving Son Willie P/S This place would starve you concereate floor and it rains in sometimes W. William Shaw Letter from William Shaw to James Shaw, December 1915Letter from William Shaw to Martha Shaw, 1915Letter from William Shaw to Martha Shaw, c. 1916Letter from William Shaw to Martha Shaw, c. 1916Letter from William Shaw to James and Martha Shaw, 1916 H.M.S. Excellent, Portsmouth, England Letter from William Shaw to James Shaw, December 1915Letter from William Shaw to Martha Shaw, 1915Letter from William Shaw to Martha Shaw, c. 1916Letter from William Shaw to Martha Shaw, c. 1916Letter from William Shaw to James and Martha Shaw, 1916