Do you know of Harry (Henry) Payne? DOB 26th October 1898 Thornaby-on-Tees: involved in the rescue and later the recovery of the stricken submarine HMS Thetis

Harry Payne on his wedding day to a Miss Gladys Edmond at St. Judes Church South Shields in 1931. Small children are Irene June and George Fowle - family members. Best Man Captain Miles(at left). Behind the Bride is Mr William Edmond and Miss May Edmond. (click to enlarge)

Mrs Jean Hosie (nee Payne) of 21, Charnwood Grove, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7NT, Tel. 0115 9812907 England, would like to find out more as Harry is her father. If you can help, please contact her directly as she wishes to fill in blanks in her family`s history..

Harry had a strong Tyne/Tees-Side accent. He had huge hands and was a very large built man, you can see that in his wedding photo above.

Harry`s dad was also called Harry, a chargehand boiler maker in a local shipyard.

Harry Payne, the one we are looking out for was fostered as a child in Greens Home, South Shields, and later he went on to spend time on the Training Ship "Satellite" berthed near the South Shields Ferry. Furthermore he may have been involved in the Training Ship "Wellesley." Later he was a patient in Thornaby Hospital being treated for lead poisoning. This is where he met his wife, Gladys Edmond. On the 9th March 1931 they were wed at St. Judes Church, South Shields. A friend, a Captain Miles was the Best Man.

Then he moved to London working for Dorman-Long construction, possibly as a scaffolder. He lived on the Dorman-Long site at Acton Green. His daughter, Jean, who is conducting this time travel hunt for her dad was born in 1932 at a local cottage hospital.

Around about 1935 or 1936 he moved to Alperton, near Wembley, where he bought his own house. At this time he was working at Olympia and Earls Court London. Lack of work then forced him to travel to what is now Iran/Iraq to seek work building bridges on contract.

Harry and wife Gladys parted company in September 1939. Harry retained the matrimonial home and rented it out during the War.

On his left arm he had butterfly tattoos.

Before his marriage, Harry had a daughter - Audrey(Jackson) with his landlady - in the Stockton/Thornaby area.

"Harry was known for his rope splicing skills. This skill led him to be involved in the designing and making of the hawser sets used to try and find, rescue and finally lift and salvage the stricken submarine Thetis. He was also a diver. At one time he may have had his own diving and salvage business."

Can we help Jean fill in the missing blanks about her dad, someone, somewhere will know - please try and help if you can.The Thetis loss touched him as it touched so many, can the loss of the Thetis now do some good in helping this lady.

Contact: Mrs Jean Hosie (nee Payne) of 21, Charnwood Grove, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7NT, England Tel. 0115 9812907

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