Francis ‘Frank’ Hennessey (1870 – 1927), 44, was a British subject and able-bodied seaman working for the deck department of the Lusitania on the ship’s last voyage. During the sinking, Hennessey tried to help with loading the lifeboats on the port side, but those were too difficult to launch because of the ship’s list to starboard. He was still attempting to launch the lifeboats when the ship sank from under him. Hennessey survived the sinking and died in 1927. This biography was made possible by Peter Kelly and a collaboration with the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
Biography
Frank was born in Walton Workhouse, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 2nd September 1870. He married Annie Hennessey, (née Size) on the 19th November 1902 and they had five sons, Nicholas, William, Francis, John and Gerald. The family home was at 25, Gray Street, Bootle, Lancashire, England.
He was a professional merchant seaman, starting his service in the age of sail at the age of 16. He then served on many ships, including troop ships during the Anglo/Boer War of 1898 to 1901.
Family tradition has it that he fought as a soldier during that war and shot himself in the foot to get back to Britain. The family also believe that whilst serving with The Cunard Steam Ship Company on the New York service, he once met and knocked out John L. Sullivan, the former heavyweight boxing champion of the world, in a New York bar!
He engaged at Liverpool on 12th April 1915, as an able seaman in the Deck Department, on board the Lusitania for what proved to be her final voyage. As an able seaman, his monthly rate of pay was £5-10s-0d., (£5.50p.). He reported for duty at 7 a.m. on 17th April, the day the liner left the River Mersey for the last time.
He had been promoted as a lookout on 10th March 1915 on a previous voyage on board the vessel and was serving in this capacity on the afternoon of 7th May, when the ship was attacked. He actually saw the track of the torpedo that sank her, but was too late to report it in enough time for evasive action to be taken. On 12th May 1915, he gave a sworn deposition to an officer of the Board of Trade in Liverpool in which he is recorded as saying: –
‘The said ship was in the vicinity of the Head of Kinsale and at 2 p.m., deponent went on look out in the crows nest on the foremast taking the port side look out, relieving Parry A.B.. The look out men going off watch made no report of anything seen, everything seemed to be in order.’
‘Deponent looked well all round and saw nothing unusual. Some time between ten past and fifteen minutes past two, the look out on the starboard side of the crow’s nest, Quinn A.B. suddenly said “Good God, Frank, here’s a torpedo.”. Deponent looked over the starboard bow and saw the wake of a torpedo nearing the ship and coming very fast.’
‘Quinn at the same time was reporting it to the bridge, shouting it very loudly and only a very few seconds later, the torpedo struck the steamer’s starboard side about between the first and second funnels.’
‘Orders were shouted for “All hands to boat stations”, and deponent made his way to his own boat, No. 2 on the port side. By the time he reached the boat, the steamer had listed so much to starboard that the boat could not be got out. Very strong efforts were made but the list got worse and deponent went with the officer and others and tried other boats further aft on the same side. The boat deponent was working at was got part way down unevenly with some passengers in it but while this was going on the steamer sank.’
‘Deponent was in the water and managed first of all to get hold of a boat chock, and then pushed this over to a lady passenger. After swimming a good while, deponent got to a collapsible boat with several persons on it, including Mr. Luce, one of the officers.’
‘The boat repeatedly turned over and several of the people were lost by this. Finally, the boatswain’s boat took them on board and later transferred them to a trawler.’
‘Parry A.B’ was Able Seaman Joseph Parry, who later won a medal for his bravery in saving life after the ship sank. ‘Quinn A.B.’ was Able Seaman Thomas Quinn and ‘Mr. Luce’ was almost certainly Third Officer John I. Lewis. All three came from Liverpool and all three survived.
In The Tragedy of the Lusitania privately published in 1915, second cabin passenger Frederick S. Judson described reaching a lifeboat, in which he found Able Seaman Hennessey and Second Officer Percy Hefford. He said: –
‘Between them these two men saved at least a dozen lives. Hennessy (sic.) dived repeatedly and brought women up.’
Having been rescued and landed at Queenstown, Hennessey eventually got home to Liverpool where he was officially discharged from the Lusitania. Upon discharge, he was paid £3-18s-8d., (£3.93p.), which was the balance of wages owing to him. Like all members of the crew, survivors or killed, he was paid until 8th May, 24 hours after the liner went down.
Undeterred by his experience, he went to sea again just two months after his ordeal. On 8th July 1915 he joined the Lusitania’s sister ship the Aquitania, and served on her for the rest of the war, during which time she was mainly used as a hospital ship.
He died in Mill Road Hospital, Liverpool, at the age of 57 years, on the 4th May 1927 and was buried in Yew Tree Cemetery.
Links of interest
Francis Hennessey at the Merseyside Maritime Museum
Contributors
Tony Hennessy
Peter Kelly, Ireland
Ellie Moffat, UK
References
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths
1911 Census of England and Wales
Cunard Records
PRO ADM 137/1058
PRO BT 100/345
Tragedy of the Lusitania
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