Henry Creese's eldest brother, William Creese, was born in 1857 and was a mariner by occupation. He had married in about 1889 to Alice (formerly Smith) whom he had met whilst based in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire.

Their first 2 children, Henry Charles Carnforth Creese and William Smith Creese were born there in 1890 and 1892. From there the family moved to Liverpool where their daughter Violet Emily Creese was born in 1894. Their fourth child, Ruby Ethel Creese was born following their move to Cardiff in 1896.

By the time of the 1901 census Alice Creese is running the Horn Public House in Welsh Street, Chepstow, Gwent, whilst husband William was away at sea.

At the outbreak of World War 1 the family were in Cardiff and living at 26 Kimberley Road. William was serving in the Merchant Navy and was master of the submarine ‘SS Jutland’. This vessel of 2824 tons was torpedoed off the French coast near Ille d'Ouessant, Brittany on 19 November 1917 resulting in the loss of all 26 crew, William was then aged 60. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Merchant Navy Memorial at Tower Hill, London and on his parent’s gravestone at Ford park Cemetery, Plymouth, Devon.