A sailor who perished in the First World War was forgotten for more than 70 years until his story was rediscovered – underneath an organ in Blackheath.
Stephen Halliday was born in 1894 to parents John Michael, and Laura Lucy Amy, and signed up to the Navy in 1907 before war was declared.
The Sub-Lieutenant was just 21-years-old when he died in on February 3 1916, after serving on the HMS Lark in the North Sea.
The young sailor, from the St John’s Park and Wemyss Road area of Blackheath, was tragically washed overboard and drowned during the Great War.
His body was never recovered.
His distraught parents commissioned a plaque to commemorate their son at All Saints' Church, in All Saints Drive, where both he and their daughter, Hilda Mary, were baptised.
MORE TOP STORIES But with the outbreak of the Second World War, plaques were moved around the church to protect them from bomb damage.
Stephen’s plaque ended up underneath the great organ, where it would remain hidden from view, and lost for the next 71 years.
Fast forward to 2015 and the church received grant from Heritage Lottery Funding to restore the 1859 Hill Organ, costing £350,000.
The plaque
Vicar Nicholas Cranfield told News Shopper: “As part of rebuilding the instrument had to be taken out of place.
“We spent days watching the organ being taken out, it’s 3,000 pipes so the church was filled with pipes. It was exciting, absolutely tremendous.
“One day I went in and the organ builder said look what we’ve found on the floor underneath the organ.
“Then suddenly it was as if they hit gold bars when they found the plaques looking a bit mouldy.”
Not knowing anything about the man behind the brass plaque, Father Cranfield hit the local archives to dig up some information.
He continued: “To avoid bomb damage in 1945 the windows were boarded up, the plaques were on the window sills we think.
Father Cranfield with the organ
“We’ve now restored it and put it back on the wall, it looks really lovely.
“It would have been up for about 30 years. It’s really good to have it back up.
“It’s good to honour his memory, that’s really important.”
They held a special service when they reinstated the plaque earlier this month, 100 years after he died, but sadly none of his surviving family were there.
The church is appealing for anyone who thinks they are related, or may know someone who is related to Stephen, to come forward.
Anyone is welcome to contact Father Cranfield on 020 8852 4280 vicar@allsaintsblackheath.org.
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