Francis William Cutcliffe

Cutcliffe, Francis William was born at Plymouth in 1866, and educated at the public schools there, and afterwards at the Kinton Bonds Grammar School. He comes of an old Devonian salt water stock, his parents hailing from Bideford and Plymouth respectively, both belonging to respected seafaring families. His father, Capt. William Cutcliffe, commanded steamers of the old Scottish shipping firm of G Gibson & Co., and assisted Stanley, the African explorer, on the Congo River, after his search for Livingstone, and was afterwards dockmaster of Plymouth under the Great Western Railway Company. Under the circumstances, it was inevitable that the eldest son of such parents should adopt the sea as a profession, serving the early part of his career in large sailing vessels, and after getting his extra master square-rigged and steam certificate, at the early age of 24 was commanding steamers trading to all parts of the world. For thirteen years he commanded steamers under the following owners: Messrs. Orders and Handford, Newport; the Anglo- Arabian and Persian Steamship Co., London and Persian Gulf and the Buenos Ayres Great Southern Railway Co., London and Buenos Ayres. He resigned his command in the latter company in May, 1904, to take up the appointment of assistant dockmaster at Newport under the Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway, and, on the retirement of Captain Parfitt in 1914, was promoted and appointed in his place. On the outbreak of war, at 4 a.m. 5th August, 1914, he was instrumental, in conjunction with the Chief Constable (Mr. C.E. Gower) in capturing in the Bristol Channel the Hamburg-American Liner "Belgia," 10,000 tons, with a large quantity of foodstuffs, which was the first mercantile prize of the war, and brought her into Newport. During the war he was a member of Newport Rifle Club, afterwards Volunteer Training Corps, and afterwards Monmouthshire Volunteer Regiment, and gave considerable spare time to this movement, also taking an active part in the removals of wounded. He has interests in boys' organizations, and takes an active part in Sea Scouts and naval units, being local assistant commissioner and hon. captain, believing that, apart from school training, such organizations promote discipline and comradeship, and are real national assets which help to promote good citizenship. Residence: 10 Stow Park crescent.