Samuel Inkerman Bailey was born in the summer of 1861 in Bath, Somerset. The youngest of five children, his parents were James and Mary Bailey. James was an ostler, or groom, but he died in August 1862, when his son was barely a year old.

Mary was left a widow, with a young family to raise and, as so many women in her position did in Victorian Britain, she remarried. She wed tailor Robert Lankesheer, a widower with four children of his own. The couple went on to have three further children – three half-siblings to Samuel.

While the 1871 census suggests that Robert welcomed Mary’s youngest into the family home, it seems that things were not so comfortable for Samuel. On 22nd May 1878, he enlisted in the Royal Navy, destined for a life at sea. He was only 16 years old at this point – although, interestingly, his service records give his date of birth as 27th March 1862. They also note that he was 5ft 2.5ins (1.59m) tall, with light brown hair, blue-grey eyes and a fair and fresh complexion.

As he was too young to formally enlist, Samuel was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class and sent to HMS Impregnable for training. Just over a year later, he was promoted to Boy 1st Class and, on 10th January 1880 he was given his first posting, on board the sloop HMS Dryad.

It was while Samuel was on board the Dryad that he came of age, and was officially inducted into the Royal Navy. He signed up for ten years service, and was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class. Samuel was certainly a dedicated young man: within three months he was again promoted, this time to Ordinary Seaman. He remained on Dryad until February 1884, by which time he had been promoted again, to Able Seaman.

Samuel ended up serving until 31st March 1900. During his time with the Royal Navy, he continued to distinguish himself, his character being noted as Very Good on each of his service reviews. He served on thirteen vessels, and was promoted through the ranks, to Leading Seaman (in August 1885), Petty Office 2nd Class (in January 1894) and Petty Officer 1st Class (in September 1897).

When he was stood down to the naval reserve, Samuel returned to Somerset. He found a job as a superintendent at the public baths in Bathwick and, on 15th April 1901, he married former housemaid and agricultural labourer’s daughter, Alice Clarke. As Samuel’s house came with his job, the couple set up home there, and went on to have five children: Samuel Jr, Emma, James, Alice and Joseph.

When war broke out, Samuel has been stood down from reserve status for more than two years. This did not stop him from stepping up to play his part again, however, and as Petty Officer 1st Class, he took up a training role at HMS Victory, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth. He served for just over fourteen months, before he became ill, passing away from intestinal disease – which an inquest identified as ptomaine poisoning – at the city’s Royal Naval Hospital. He was 54 years of age.

Reporting on his death, the local newspaper recognised his fifteen years’ service at the public baths, as well as picking up on the fact that his unusual middle name was given to him in recognition of the death of his great uncle in the battle of that name during the Crimean War.

The same report outlined his dedicated naval career, although not always being correct with all of the details. It did note, however “two years or more on the Royal Yacht ‘Victoria & Albert,’ when used by Queen Victoria, a testament to the reliance placed in his trustworthiness.” [Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Saturday 16th October 1915] The then Able Seaman Bailey’s service records do note that he served aboard the Victoria & Albert, from 18th March to 11th May 1885, although whether the Queen sailed on her during this time is not known.

Samuel Inkerman Bailey was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the Smallcombe Vale Cemetery in Bathwick, the community he had served for so long.

---

---