Arthur Wellesley Elliott, 30, was a British subject from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He was traveling aboard Lusitania with his wife, Annie Elliott, in second cabin. At the time of the Lusitania‘s last sailing, Annie was pregnant. When the German submarine torpedoed and sank the Lusitania on 7 May 1915, Annie and her unborn child survived and was carried to full term, but Arthur was lost in the sinking. His body was either never recovered or not identified.
Life and Lusitania
Arthur’s mother Catherine (Kate) Ann Lloyd, who was born in Dublin to John Lloyd of Lisheen Castle, County Tipperary, and Mary Ann Minton of County Waterford.
Arthur was an electrician who worked with his brother in Calgary. At the Mixed Claims Commission following Arthur’s death, Annie stated that she believe that Arthur would have made $1,200 a year. Arthur and Annie had only been married for four months up until the time of the Lusitania disaster, and they were on their way to France to see one of his brothers.
In Annie’s account of the sinking published in the newspapers, she states that people had not seriously believed that the Lusitania was in trouble when the torpedo hit, so Arthur went below decks to their cabin to retrieve some clothing. Annie then states that a second shock happened and the boat (not clear if she was referring to her lifeboat or the ship) turned over. She believes that Arthur was trapped in the cabin when the ship sank. His body was never recovered.
Annie recuperated from the sinking in the UK for a few months before returning to Canada in July of 1915. Their daughter, Helen, was born in Canada on 29 December 1915.
Arthur Wellesley Elliott is not to be confused with Arthur “Jo” Elliot, who served in the deck department of the ship’s crew.
Links of interest
Lest We Forget – Encyclopedia Titanica
Contributors
Cliff Barry, UK
Jim Kalafus, USA
Peter Kelly, Ireland
Michael Poirier, USA
John Redmond, Canada
T Sharp, Canada
References:
Jim Kalafus, Michael Poirier, Cliff Barry and Peter Kelly (2013) “Lest We Forget : The Lusitania.” Gare Maritime. (ref: #10962, accessed 27th April 2015 03:24:39 PM)
URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/lest-we-forget-the-lusitania.html
Mixed Claims Commission, Case 836.
I would imagine it would be the ship she was referring to as is told she stayed on board waiting for Arthur till the water was at her feet then jumped. She swam to an upturned lifeboat stayed till it became overcrowded then swam on.