Thomas Hayward was born 20 March 1879 in Ludlow, Shropshire, one of five children of John Hayward, gardener, and his wife Bessie. During his childhood the family moved to Kingsteignton in Devon.

He joined the Royal Navy in July 1899 as a Stoker, qualifying as a Leading Stoker in 1904 and being rated Stoker Petty Officer in 1910 whilst serving in the battleship HMS NEW ZEALAND(1904).  He was drafted to the submarine depot ship HMS FORTH in October 1912 and is recorded as serving in HMS C16 before joining HMS E30 in February 1916. HMS E30 is presumed to have been lost with all hands in a previously unknown minefield off Orford Ness on 22 November 1916.

Thomas Hayward married Lucy Maude Holmes, also of Kingsteignton, in December 1901. They had seven sons, two of whom would go on to serve in submarines before and during WW2.  One of these was CERA Albert Edward Hayward (q.v.) who was lost in HMS TRIAD in 1940.  Two other sons were killed in Naval Service during 1941, one in HMS CARLISLE and one in HMS NEPTUNE.

Thomas Hayward and three of his sons are all commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.