Initially found in 1891 Census for his father. His actual d.o.b. is given on his Naval service record.

a cycle cleaner prior to joining the Navy in February 1901|| It is assumed that he started work at the age of 14.

His Service Certificate does not give either the date or his place of enlistment. However, as he was thought to be living with his parents in Bristol prior to joining the Navy he almost certainly enlisted in Bristol (as his brothers William and Albert did) a short while before joining H.M.S. Northampton, the training ship, on 20 February 1901. As he joined as a Boy Seaman at the age of 16 and signed up for a 12 years engagement from 16 April 1902 his father would have had to give his permission.

During his very brief Naval Service he served in H.M.S. Northampton and H.M.S. Calliope before being invalided out. In the 1901 Census taken when Northampton was at Portsmouth Walter is listed with the rating of a Boy of which there were 340 in a total ship's company of just over 600 on board on the night of the Census. (There are 31 pages for the Census which at 20 entries per page gives a crew of just over 600.) The remainder were the normal complement of a ship including officers (the most senior was a Commander), seamen, stokers, marines and a Master at Arms. The number of boys appears to be unusually high so H.M.S. Northampton was probably a training ship.

At some stage he was awarded a gratuity of 10/- for his part in raising the anchor of H.M.S. Daedalus. This was probably when he was serving in H.M.S. Calliope.

when he joined the Royal Navy

He is listed with the rating of a Boy of which there were 340 in a total ship's company of just over 600 on board on the night of the Census. (There are 31 pages for the Census which at 20 entries per page give a crew of just over 600.) The remainder were the normal complement of a ship including officers (the most senior was a Commander so it must have been in harbour as such a large ship would have had a Captain in command), seamen, stokers, marines and a Master at Arms. The number of boys appears to be unusually high so H.M.S. Northampton may have been a training ship.

He was invalided out but the reason is not given on his Service Certificate. It could have been injury or sickness.

How he came to learn the trade after being invalided out of the Navy in August 1901 at the age of 17 is not known. Presumable he was able to obtain a apprenticeship in Bristol where his parents were living and he may have gone back to live with them until they moved to Stonehouse about 1905. When he moved to East Stonehouse is not known but presumably shortly after the death of his first child in Bristol late in 1906.

By the time of the 1911 Census he has set up his own business at 44 Edgcumbe Street, East Stonehouse. His wife Eliza assisted him in the business presumably by minding the shop. It is assumed that he worked until he was 65 but whether he remained at the same premises is not known. He may have retired to Totnes as he died there in 1953.

Prior to sailing in the S.S. Majestic he, his wife Maud and their son Horace had been living with his wife's father in Abertillery. His wife and son remained in Abertillery with her father until they emigrated to join Walter 1913. His entry in the U.S. Alien Passengers form shows that he arrived in New York on 3 October 1912 and was the was met by W Lange who was friend and that he intended to travel on to Shelton Connecticut where his friend lived. However, as can be seen from the 1920 U.S. Census he ended up in Chicago. Why he chose that destination is not known but he found work as an enameller as his WW1 Draft Card shows. How he had a friend in the United States is not known; possibly they were friends in England and W Lange had emigrated.

Address: Des Plaines City

The household consisted of Walter and his son Horace. Although Walter is shown as being married a search for a record of his wife Maude in the 1930 U.S. Census was fruitless. Both Walter and his son are working as painters.

||A search of Ancestry for the death of Walter Wakefield born in 1884 produced the only one matching result.

His registered age was 69

Maud Rose E. Langley (1885-bef1930)

Lily Maud Wakefield (1906-1906)

Horace S. R. Wakefield (1910?- )

It is known from the 1911 Census that Walter Wakefield's wife's name was Maude and that they had been married for 5 years. It is therefore certain that Walter married Maud Langley.

Address: 44 Edgcumbe Street

The household consisted of Walter, his wife Maude and their son Horace who was 9 months old. They were living in a 2 room flat above the shop where Walter had his business of boot maker and repairer. Maude assisted in the business presumably minding the shop while he was in his workshop which was probably behind the shop.

Address: 12 Bryngwyn Road, Abertillery, Six Bells, Monmouthshire

which was Maud's parents home with their son Horace. The reason for the move is not entirely clear. The family emigrated to the United States - first Walter in 1913 followed by his wife and son in 1913. Whether their bootmaking and repairing business failed and they decided to emigrate or they decided to emigrate and sold the business is not known but in any case they were able to stay with Maud's parents until they emigrated.

Address: 2205 Warner Avenue

The household consisted of Walter, his wife Maud and their son Horace. In addition they had 3 lodgers (roomers in American parlance). Maude is shown as the head of the household - presumably because she collects the rents from the lodgers and pays the rent to the landlord. Walter is working as a japanner. Horace is at school.