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Queens South Africa Medal (J.H. SHAMBROOK. A.B., R.N.); 1914-15 Star (176895 J.H. SHAMBROOK, A.B., R.N.); British War Medal (176895 J.H. SHAMBROOK, A.B., R.N.); Victory Medal (176895 J.H. SHAMBROOK, A.B., R.N.); Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (176895 P.O. B. 1152 J.H. SHAMBROOK. A.B. R.F.R.)
John Henry Shambrook was a remarkable man, much admired and respected by the community in which he lived.
Born in Sherborne, Dorset on 26 July 1876, he was baptised there a month later on 26 August 1876, the son of Dorcas and her husband John, a Coachman by occupation. The family lived in Bristol Road.
Five years later, at the time of the 1881 England census, Mr Shambrook had taken his young family to live at No. 3 Distillery Yard in the Parish of St. Saviour’s on the Channel Island of Jersey. A 4 year old Henry (as he seemed to be called) was sandwiched between older sister Fanny (11) and Elizabeth (2).
Ten years later, when the 1891 census came round, the Shambrook family had moved to 12 Columbus Street in St. Helier, Jersey. Henry, now 14, had already finished the rudimentary schooling afforded members of the working class and was employed as an Errand Boy. He was alone in the house with his parents and of his sisters there was no sign.
Two years he had decided that there was more to life than being an Errand Boy and, having journeyed to Portsmouth, he enlisted with the Royal Navy as a Boy, signing up for 12 years service on 23 October 1893. Interestingly, and here is where he bucked the Victorian trend, he claimed to have been born on 26 October 1877 whereas we know that he was born and baptised more than a year earlier.
Still an Errand Boy when he joined, he was described, physically, as being 5 feet 2 inches in height with a dark complexion, black hair and brown eyes. Assigned no. 176895 he was posted to Boscawen as a Boy 2nd Class. A year later he was promoted to Boy 1st Class and, on 6 February 1895, posted to the Australia. After a short spell there he was posted to Active on 16 October 1895 and it was whilst aboard her that he reached the age to be accepted as an Ordinary Seaman - being promoted to Able Seaman on 6 September 1896.
What followed was a dizzying round of postings where he saw service on Excellent, Victory I, Royal Sovereign and Trafalgar before coming back to Victory I on 13 October 1897. A Gunnery rating, he qualified as a Seaman Gunner 2nd class (SG2) on 21 April 1897.
His next posting was to Fearless on 15 November 1897 and it was with this vessel that he was to qualify for the Queens South Africa medal for the Anglo Boer War (one of 145 to be awarded to the ship). H.M.S. Fearless was a 3rd Class twin screw cruiser of 1,580 tons and 2100-3300 HP. Commanded by Commander H R P Floyd, she had been detached from the Mediterranean station and sent down to southern tip of Africa where she served between December 1899 and August 1900. Back in England in time for the 1901 census he was recorded as being Crew aboard the Excellent which was docked in Portsmouth at the time.
It is worthwhile to reflect that Shambrook had problems with discipline during his early naval career – although he received his first Good Conduct Badge on 26 November 1898, he was deprived of it on 27 May 1899, subsequently having it restored 6 months later, on 27 Nov 1899. He, however, forfeited it again on 21 August 1901 and had it restored on 21 Aug 1902 – exactly a year later. His 2nd GCB was granted on 20 August 1904 and, finally, his 3rd (and last) Good Conduct Badge was awarded on 4 January 1918.
On leaving the Royal Navy for the Royal Fleet Reserve on 1 April 1905, John Henry Shambrook entered the employ of the Great Western Railway Co. Fleet as a seaman. The GWR ships sailed from Weymouth to the Channel Islands, and he would have sailed on LYNX, ANTELOPE, GAZELLE, REINDEER and ROEBUCK.
At some stage, but before 1908, he obtained a Certificate of Competency as Mate (Home Trade) number 105484, this was required for him to sail as an officer in Home Trade Passenger Ships. In order for him to obtain a Mate's HT ticket he would have required a minimum of four years sea service and be aged 20 years or above, he did not have to have service as an officer, implying that his time with the Royal Navy, GWR and elsewhere counted towards this.
In 1908 he joined the London & South Western Railway Co. whose ships sailed from Southampton to the Channel Islands and Cherbourg and also to the Isle of Wight as a Second Mate. The LSWR owned the Port of Southampton at this time. The extensive handwritten notebook which accompanies his medals, covers the courses and distances from his time with the LSWR fleet on the above services. The 1909 Electoral List has him living at 8 Lulworth Terrace in Weymouth.
On 1 April 1910 he re-enrolled with the Royal Navy to serve until 31 March 1915. The 1911 England census has him living at 227 Shirley Road, Southampton, along with Lillian (also known as Rose), his wife of 16 years and their 15 year old daughter, Alice, a Dressmaker by occupation.
The Great War erupted on the world stage on 4 August 1914 and any carefully laid plans Shambrook may have had were immediately scuttled with him staying on active service until being demobbed on 3 February 1919. During this time he served on the Venus from 2 August 1914 until 31 October 1917, whereafter he was aboard the Euryalus from 1 November to 20 December 1917 followed by his last posting – that to the Victory I – until his discharge.
After World War Ihe obtained his Master's (Home Trade) qualification and, on joining the Lymington to Yarmouth Isle of Wight Service would have been Master of the Paddle Steamer LYMINGTON and later the FRESHWATER.
The 1921 England census shows a 45 year old Shambrook still living at 227 Shirley Road, Southampton. He was described as a Second Officer with the London & South Western Railway Co. His daughter had flown the nest and he was at home with his 50 year old wife, Lillian and a 13 year old Boarder, Ina May Round.
Shambrook’s tenure as Master was not incident-free. The New Milton Advertiser of Saturday, September 7th 1935 carried the following article under the heading “Lymington Steamer to the Rescue – FRESHWATER TAKES DISABLED SHIP IN TOW – With 400 Passengers Aboard”:
“The Southern Railway steamer “Freshwater”, which plies between Lymington and Yarmouth, went to the rescue of another paddle steamer, the “Whippingham” which sprang a leak on Thursday while on a trip from Southsea to Bournemouth with 400 passengers on board. In fact, a destroyer and four other craft, in addition to the “Freshwater”, responded to the flag S.O.S. message of the “Whippingham” which is not fitted with a wireless, but the “Freshwater” took her in tow.
… Meanwhile the “Freshwater” received news of the mishap. She was due to leave Lymington for Yarmouth and was, in fact, turning round in the river with her complement of passengers. She put back to the pier, disembarked her passengers (who went over in the Solent), and set out in search of the “Whippingham”. And it was a search! It was raining and blowing, visibility being very bad, with a rough sea.
“We left Lymington at 5.45,” said Captain Shambrook, of the “Freshwater” to the “Advertiser & Times.” The Whippingham was reported to be seven miles off the Needles, and it was 7.10 p.m. before we reached her. We towed her for an hour and ten minutes, when we were relieved by the tug Duchess of Norfolk, which came from Portsmouth. The tow rope snapped on two occasions – once off the Needles and again off Hurst Castle.”
His nautical career having come to an end, the 1939 Register has him living in Lymington, described as a Master Mariner (Retired). Ironically the register also sees a return to his actual date of birth – 26 July 1876.
Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Shambrook, after a life spent cresting the ocean waves, came in the following tribute published in the New Milton Advertiser of Saturday, April 2nd 1938. Under the banner “Skipper Shambrook”, it read as follows:
“Skipper John Henry Shambrook who is known to hundreds of people who make the ferry journey from Lymington to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, retired on February 28th last, after 30 years service with the Southern Railway Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, and on Wednesday he was presented with a barometer on behalf of the marine and traffic staff at Lymington town and pier station.
Mr Shambrook, who lives with his wife in Katherine Road, Lymington, joined the Navy as a boy of 15 in 1892 and served 12 years afloat, most of his early days being spent in sailing boats. He came out of the Navy in 1905 as an A.B., and joined the staff of the Great Western R.M.S.P. Co. as an able seaman. In 1907 he obtained his Mate’s ticket, became second mate and finally mate with the company.
Leaving the Great Western, Captain Shambrook embarked on a cargo boat, plying between Port Arthur, Texas, carrying oil, and later with a collier. He visited many foreign countries, but in the year 1908, joined the Southern Railway Co. in Southampton as a second mate. On the outbreak of the Great War Captain Shambrook rejoined the Navy, and served in H.M.S. Venus. He had many exciting experiences during the four war years. In 1918 he returned to the S.R. Co. at Southampton and in 1922 was transferred to Lymington as Master, and spent 16 years as Captain on the paddle boats plying between Lymington and Yarmouth.
Captain Shambrook has carried many thousands of passengers on these boats, without any serious incident. A bright, cheery man, Captain Shambrook is 62 years old but, as he says, “I feel as fit as I was 20 years ago.” Captain Shambrook has a family of two daughters and both are married.”
Shambrook’s wife passed away at their home on 27 January 1947 leaving him on his own. He soldiered manfully on until passing away on 6 December 1964 whilst living at 81 Parkfield Avenue, Hillingdon, Middlesex. The “Old Salt”, at the age of 88, had breathed his last.
The medals come with comprehensive research and original photos of Shambrook and his parents, along with his notebook and other material.
