Francis Baker Favell
Francis Baker Favell attended the Newcastle High School and then joined the Royal Navy in 1894 as a 15 year old Cadet and specialised in Navigation.
By 1902 he was the navigating lieutenant of HMS Espiegle based at the East India Naval Station. A twin screw sloop gunboat with a shallow draft and 4 inch guns, the Espiegle was able to operate in rivers. Then between 1905 and 1907 Francis served on HMS Cambrian, a Cruiser, based on the Australian Naval Station.
In 1911 the census recorded him serving aboard HMS Africa on the Medway river. The Africa was the last battleship built at Chatham, and was now six years old, but already becoming out of date. The following year in trials at Sheerness, Africa became the first ship to launch an aircraft, when a Shorts ‘pusher’ type seaplane accelerated down a ramp set up on the foredeck, managed to get airborne and managed to climb to 800 feet before landing safely at a nearby airfield.
Shortly after, HMS Africa was taken back to Chatham for a refit and by 1914 Francis was a Lieutenant Commander and the Navigating Officer on HMS Hindustan, a Battleship serving with the grand fleet in the North Sea during the Great War. At end of the war Francis received the 1914-15 Star, British war medal, and Victory medal.
He became the Humber Naval Base Admiralty Port Officer at Immingham during 1920 / 21 when he lodged at number 240 Hainton Avenue. He was then posted Hong Kong dockyard and finally retired as a Captain in 1926 at the age of 45.
Francis died at the Prince Afred Hospital, Grahamstown Albany Cape Province, South Africa, in 1966 at the age of 87.