People

Lusitania Passenger Lists, Crossing 202, departing New York City on 1 May 1915

Lusitania Crew Lists, Crossing 202, departing New York City on 1 May 1915

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During the time of the Lusitania, Cunard termed first class “saloon” and termed second class “second cabin” on their ships.  This site follows the nomenclature of the times for the passenger manifests or passenger lists.

The list contains the names of four people who died soon after the disaster, one came on the official list of dead, but died later than the other three, so all four on the lists are saved.

  • Clarke, Mr. Alfred Russell.
  • McKetchan, Master Campbell, died on 15 September 1915 (He was on the official list among the victims).
  • Plank, Mrs. Harriet, died on 31 July 1915.
  • Knight, Mr. Charles, died of blood poisoning ten days after the disaster.

This site also assigns passenger citizenship by the national borders of 1915, so many Poles and Finns will be listed as “Russian” and Irish, Canadians, and Australians listed as “British.”  Most of those listed as Russian would have been either Polish or Jewish. Very few Russians traveled to the United States during this time period.

Pertaining to couples and families:

  • Newlywed nationalities are listed as to where man and wife were from before their marriage. Therefore, Leslie Mason would be listed as American even though her husband Stewart was English.
  • If there is insufficient information for all members of a family, that information will usually fall under the biographical entry for the patriarch.

Both are, admittedly, imperfect systems.

Contributors:
Steve Duke, Australia
Peter Engberg-Klarström, Sweden
Jim Kalafus, USA
Paul Latimer
Mike Poirier, USA
Craig Stringer
Judith Tavares
Hildo Thiel, The Netherlands
Jean Richards Timmermeister, USA
Geoff Whitfield, UK

References:
Ballard, Robert D. and Spencer Dunmore.  Exploring the Lusitania.  Warner Books, 1995.

Hickey, Des and Gus Smith.  Seven Days to Disaster.  G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1981.

Holbourn, Ian B. Stoughton.  The Isle of Foula and “Memoir” by Marion C. Holbourn.  Johnson & Greig, 1938.  Reprinted, Birlinn Books, 2001.

Kalafus, Jim and Michael Poirier (2005) Lest We Forget : Part 1 ET Research. <http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/lusitania-lest-we-forget.html>

Kalafus, Jim and Michael Poirier (2005) Lest We Forget Part 2:  As the Lusitania Went Down ET Research. <http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/lusitania-lest-we-forget-2.html>

Layton, J. Kent.  Lusitania:  An Illustrated Biography of the Ship of Splendor.  Lulu Press, 2007.

Mixed Claims Commission, 1925.

Preston, Diana.  Lusitania:  An Epic Tragedy.  Berkley Books, 2002.

Simpson, Colin.  The Lusitania.  Little, Brown, and Company, 1972.

25 thoughts on “People”

    • Dear Ms.Spearing,

      If the Isaac Edwards you enquire after came originally from the S.Wales mining village of Gilfach Goch, then it is possible that my late mother was his half sister.

      If this is the person you enquire about please contact me.

    • Hello Ms Spearing,

      I am sending this reply on behalf of my Uncle. Was the Isaac Edwards you are asking about originally from Gilfach Goch? If yes, then he was my paternal Grandmothers half brother.If this is the case, would it be possible to contact you direct by email? My Uncle, Romeo Tambini, is keen to learn about Isaac.
      Looking forward to hearing from you,

      Best Wishes,
      Andrew Tambini

  4. Hi That is the same Isaac. He was 28 returning to Gilfach from America
    on the Lusitania.Be Happy to share any information with you but dont know how to contact you.

    Regards Patricia

  7. My Granmothers’ Mother Annie Burke had a brother Ernest James Burke (my Great Uncle) who boarded the Lusitania at Rhode Island. He travelled third class and went down on that fateful day. I have a family photo with him on. I travelled to the Liverpool Maritime museum and have seen his name on the ships’ records.

  8. My Name is Veronica Bagnall , My Grandfather Tom McCormack was a suvivor of the Lusitania.
    He never talked about it very much during his early years, Then just after his 70th Birthday there was an interview arranged with a Local Kiladre newspaper, he was 30 years old on that fateful day in 1915.
    I hold the story of the Lusitiania very deep within me, my story indeed had a happy ending. But I can say with hand in heart, I think of this tragic day in history and the Muder of all these innocent people regularly.
    May they all rest peacefully.
    See Kildare.ie Tom McCormack Lusitiania.

    • Hi Veronica, I realise this post was from 4 years ago, I was googling Thomas McCormac and the Lusitania for a project I’m working on in Allenwood this coming weekend. If you had time I’d love to talk about Thomas’s unique relationship with the Grand Canal and how he was such a good swimmer. Thanks for your time, I can send you my email address.

    • Ernest James Burke was the eldest brother of my great-grandmother Harriet Elizabeth Burke. He had emigrated to Jewett City, Connecticut in 1904, sailing from Liverpool on the SS Baltic on 19 October. The Ellis Island immigration records show that he landed in New York on 28 October. His occupation is given as Engineer/Mechanic. He had been living in Timperley, which is in the Altrincham, Trafford area of Manchester. He had paid his own fare and had $33 funds in his pocket. He was travelling with his wife’s younger brother, Harry Holden, a Chemist, who was still single. Both were stated to be joining their brother-in-law, Arthur ?Shorrocks (the writing is unclear unfortunately) of Jewett City. If this is strictly correct then this could have been the husband of Ernest James’s younger sister, Mary, whose marriage has not so far been traced. Elizabeth and Harry Holden’s sisters were perhaps too young to have married and emigrated by 1904. For both Ernest and Harry it was their first entry to the US. Ernest was 37 years old.

      About nine months later Elizabeth Burke travelled to join her husband, sailing from Liverpool with her five-year-old daughter, Alice on the RMS Carpathia on 11 July, 1905. They arrived in New York on 21 July. The Ellis Island immigration records confirm they were bound for Jewett City, Connecticut to join husband and father, Ernest James Burke, who had paid their fares. They had been living in Altrincham prior to leaving England.

      By 1910 the family had moved from Connecticut to Ward 3, Providence, Rhode Island, where they were recorded in the census of that year. A second daughter, Dora had been born by this time and was listed as aged 1 year and 7 months.

      Family sources suggest that Ernest James was returning to England in 1915 to bring his wife to join him. If so, she must have been on a short visit back to the UK herself since she was already well established in the US ten years before the tragedy.

      For whatever reason Ernest James decided to travel, he must have been aware of the danger since the German Embassy in Washington had issued a warning the previous week, on 22 April. However, since he was travelling third class (steerage), as shown by the passenger list, he would have already been aboard when a further German Embassy warning was published on the morning of departure, 1 May, 1915.

      I can provide further detail of Ernest’s family history if you write to me at bill.stout@btopenworld.com

  12. I am trying to locate anyone who may have information of a mr john foster 1st class waiter who was lost on the sinking of the lucitania, I think he may be my grandfather, he may have lived in watmaugh st everton Liverpool, I would be ever great full for any information.

  13. My grandads brother Henry Bowen was on the Lusitania a crew member a fireman.He was never found.Presume he got blown to pieces if he was in the boiler room.His wife only received 2 days pay that was owed to him.Why were they not compensated does anybody know. I still upsets me the sheer horror of if.

  14. That is my Great Grandfather. My Great Grandmother was Elizabeth Burke. My name is Kathryn. I would love a copy of that picture.

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