ALFRED JOHN HARVEY
1891 – 31st May 1916
Alfred John Harvey was the son of Matthew and Elizabeth E. Harvey of 1 River Place, Cadoxton,
Barry. Alfred is listed on the Barry Roll of Honour and also on the Penarth memorial.
Dr, Jonathan Hicks’ manuscript “Wales and the Sea war 1914-18 quotes:“The first British battle cruiser lost at the Battle of Jutland was HMS Indefatigable. After receiving
five hits from the German battlecruiser Von der Tann, the British battlecruiser sank at 4.03pm after
a magazine explosion. More than 1,000 sailors on the Indefatigble were killed as a result of the
blast including Leading Stoker, Alfred John Harvey”
In the 1891 census, the family was living at 8 Evans Street, Barry. The family consisted of;
Matthew 46, Elizabeth Ellen 37, Kate Emma who died in 1893, Charles Thomas, Francis Williams,
Ernest Alfred John, Martha Ellen, Edward, Margaret Lucy, William Joseph, Thomas, Matthew
George, and Alfred John just weeks old. They also had two lodgers living in the house
In 1901 the family was living at 12 Gwenllian Street in Barry. Alfred’s father, Matthew, was
working as a labourer at Barry Docks. Matthew, was 56 years of age and had been born in
Gloucester. His wife Elizabeth, was 47 years of age and had been born in Cheltenham. Their four
sons were Thomas who was 12, Matthew who was 11, Alfred 10 and Phillip who was 6. His brother
Phillip Henry Harvey, was a 1st Class stoker, who died of illness on 8th February 1919, aged 23, at
a shore base in Davenport. He is buried in Barry’s, Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery. At the time of
Alfred’s death the family was living at 1 River Place, Cadoxton. Throughout her life Elizabeth
Ellen had 17 children and only 3 of them survived into adulthood.
Alfred served first on HMS Vivid. In total five ships, one submarine and six shore establishments
of the Royal Navy have all borne the name of HMS Vivid The first one was a wood paddle packet
launched in 1848 and sold in 1894. The second one was an iron screw yacht purchased from
civilian service in 1891, where she had been named Capercailzie. She became the Davenport base
ship in 1892 and was sold in 1912, later being wrecked in 1913.
(HMS Indefatigable)