Mr. Samuel McClimond

Samuel McClimond, 32, was a third class passenger and Irish national living in New York, New York, United States. He was traveling aboard Lusitania to see his family. When the ship was torpedoed on 7 May, McClimond was in the third class dining room. McClimond waiting for the women and children to be provided with lifebelts before he secured one for himself, then he slid down to the water by a rope. He was almost crushed between a lifeboat and the sinking ship and was in the water for twenty minutes before he was picked up by a submarine chaser.

Early life and Lusitania

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He travelled to the United States of America in September 1914 aboard the White Star Liner Adriatic where he appears on the Ellis Island landing records as “McClemond” and records the name of his aunt Letitia Sutton as his next-of-kin.

In the spring of 1915, Samuel had been working in New York, New York, in the United States of America. Perhaps because of the war, he decided to return home to Ireland. As a consequence, he booked third class passage aboard Lusitania with ticket number 37728 and departed New York aboard Lusitania on the early afternoon of 1 May 1915, after the ship’s departure had been delayed by the transference of passengers, some crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner Cameronia that the British Admiralty had requisitioned for use as a troop ship.

McClimond’s account of the Lusitania sinking was reported in the  Westmeath Examiner published on 15 May:

A Moyvore Survivor in Mullingar
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Thrilling Story

Much sympathetic interest was aroused on Sunday in Mullingar when it became known that Samuel McClemond, one of the Irish survivors from the ill-starred Lusitania, had arrived in the town on his way to his home at Balllimalimea, in Forgney district, near Moyvore, about 10 miles from Mullingar.

McClemond, who is about 30 years of age, appeared considerably shaken by his terrible experience and was, naturally, rather nervous, but otherwise he appeared not much the worse of the wear – at least, had not sustained any injury.

In the course of an interview he said:

‘It was a terrible shock. I was eating at the time, and when I heard the first crash I knew at once that it was a torpedo had struck the ship. I was a third-class passenger. I believe most of the first-class must have perished. I rushed for a life-belt, but found there were some hundreds of women and children looking for belts or other means of escape, and I needn’t say they, like us all, were suffering from wild anxiety and terror though there was no great disorder.

‘When I saw the women and children I, of course, waited anxiously till they were provided with life-belts, and then, having secured one myself, I made for the side of the ship and slid down to the water by a rope. I attempted to get to a life-boat but failed; indeed, in order to escape being pinned between a life-boat and the vessel’s side I had to dive under the life-boat.

‘I came up all right on the other side and, after about 20 minutes in the water, I was picked up by a submarine chaser.

McClemond also said he had been seven months in America. He added that when the ship was struck one of the funnels was projected up about 90 or 100 feet in the air.

He had personally received no warning before embarking of the risk of the ship being torpedoed, but was aware that several passengers had received some such intimation.

The Cunard Steamship Company initially listed him as lost in the disaster and later had to amend its records.

In the summer of 1915, he was awarded the sum of £3-0s-0d., from The Lusitania Relief Fund, to help with the financial losses he had incurred from the sinking.  This fund had been set up after the liner had gone down, by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other local men from the business quarter to give assistance to survivors and relatives of those lost in the second and third class accommodation.  It was thought that those who had been in the saloon cabins could probably afford to look after their own needs!

Dublin years

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Samuel and his employer and aunt, Letitia Sutton, left Moyvore, County Westmeath, and moved to Dublin City between 1915 and 1922. Why they did this is up to speculation, but perhaps, as they were both Protestant, they felt safer in Dublin during the War of Independence at this time, which saw a lot of sectarian violence in that part of counties Westmeath and Longford.

Samuel was living at 4. Fitzgibbon Street, Dublin when he married Elizabeth Mulvey, a Catholic, in 1922. They married at St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral, a Catholic church, on Marlborough Street on 24 April 1922. His occupation was recorded as a gardener, having moved on from farm labourer as recorded in the 1901 and 1911 Censuses.

Letitia was living at 6. Dorset Lane when she died in 1927. They either lived separately but close by or together at these same addresses and moved from one to the other between 1922 and 1927. Either way, both Fitzgibbon Street and Dorset Lane are only a few minutes’ walk from each other.

McClimond was present at Letitia Sutton’s death in 1927. Unfortunately, his wife, Elizabeth passed away in 1940.

Samuel himself then moved to 35. De Courcy Square, Glasnevin, Dublin, where he was residing at the time of his death at age 75, from cerebral thrombosis, on 19 February 1958. His occupation was still listed as gardener. It would appear that he had no next-of-kin, for his age was estimated as 68, which was wrong.

Contemporary sources also show the family name to be spelled McClammond, McLemond and even McLimond!

Contributors:
Richard Coplen, Ireland
Peter Kelly, Ireland
Senan Molony, Ireland