Able Seaman Frederick John Bivand was born on 30 July 1893 at High Street, West Wickham, Kent, the sixth of the seven children of Charles John Bivand (b.1846) and his second wife, Mary Bivand née Langford (1866-1927). His father was a master butcher.
In the 1901 census he is shown as living with two of his siblings, George Bivand (1878-1918) and Dora Bivand (1891-1960) at 1 Wonderfull Terrace, Kemble Road, Sydenham, Kent, the home of his maternal grandfather, Thomas Langford (b.1838).
On 13 August 1910 he joined the Royal Navy, service number J/9338.(Po), as a Boy II, giving his occupation as a fishmonger and was initially based at the training establishment, HMS Ganges II. Promoted to Boy I on 28 November 1910 he served on various HMS's including Bulwark, Hampshire, Victory 1 and Exmouth. It was whilst he was on HMS Exmouth that on 30 July 1911 he turned 18 years of age and he signed on for 12 years service, initially as an Ordinary Seaman. He was promoted to Able Seaman on 14 December 1912 and served on HMS's Albermarle and Excellent. On 9 November 1913 he was transferred to HMS Princess Royal where he served until he was taken ill and on 9 December 1915 he was transferred ashore to HMS Victory 1.
He died, aged 22 years, on 17 January 1916 at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, Gosport, Hampshire, suffering from acute mania and was buried on 25 January 1916 in Plot D, Grave 3185, in the Ladywell Cemetery, Ladywell Road, Ladywell, London, SE13 7HY and is commemorated there on the screen wall.
He was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Lewisham's Local History and Archives Centre website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
