William H. Stephenson (1889 - 1953) - Biographical Notes

William H. Stephenson

Fireman Endurance 1914-17

William Stephenson was the senior stoker on board the Endurance (fireman in the days of steam engines meant someone who kept fires going rather than someone who put them out), his task was to to tend the engine boiler and ensure there was enough steam to power the engines. When the Endurance was crushed therefore, his job as well as that of his mate Holness, came to an end.

It is somewhat unclear why Stephenson and Holness were not recommended for Polar Medals by Shackleton on return to England. Only four of the crew were not given Polar Medals, the other two being McNish and Vincent for whom there were reasons of a lack of loyalty and breaches of discipline that are understandable. It is generally thought that for whatever reason, Shackleton decided that Stephenson and Holness did not come up to the standards that he expected. It does seem intriguing though that they happened to be the two men whose direct jobs quite clearly ended with the Endurance, perhaps it was unclear as to what their roles were following that event?

William Stephenson was born in Hull, Yorkshire, England, he had been a trawlerman on the fishing boats sailing out of Hull, Grimsby and Bridlington.

There is little known about him, either prior to, or after the Endurance expedition. He had been a Royal marine in the Chatham division, and had been an officers servant.

After the expedition, he is assumed to have returned to Hull and carried on his previous job working on trawlers. The next record of him is that he died of cancer, in a Hull hospital aged 64 in 1953.

Some of the crew of the Endurance photographed in Buenos Aries 1917
picture courtesy Robin Mackenzie - Stornoway Historical Society