Home » People » Engineering Crew List » Mr. Thomas Madden, Fireman
Thomas Madden was a fireman on the Lusitania. On the day of the disaster he was in No. 1 stockhold on the 12 to 4 watch. He was tending to the center boiler on the port side of the ship when the torpedo struck. The following is from his testimony from the Mersey Inquiry from 17 June 1915:
1729
(Branson): As you were working there did you hear an explosion?
(Madden): Yes.
1730
(Branson): Where do you think the explosion came from?
(Madden): I thought it came from the forward end on the starboard side, from the forward side of the starboard boiler.
1731
(Branson): Did water come into the boiler room?
(Madden): Yes.
1732
(Branson): How soon after you heard the explosion?
(Madden): About 2 or 3 minutes.
1733
(Branson): Was it much water?
(Madden): Well, I ran to the watertight door, that was shut down. And by the time I got back it was coming thourhg the boilers. There would be a bout a foot and a half then.
1734
(Branson): Then I think you got to the excape ladder and up the ventilator?
(Madden): I got knocked down by the force of the water, but I go back up and went up the escape ladder and got out on the deck. |
Contributors:
Michael Poirier
References:
Minutes of Evidence as given at the Mersey Inquiry.
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Thomas’ brother JOHN MADDEN was lost . His body was recovered and buried at Cobh.
Also their cousin PATRICK SEGRAVE died on the Lusitania.
I believe John Madden was my great grandfather
Hi Tony .. do you have any details re John Madden ? Please contact me at : tricia1902001@btinternet.com
Hi Tony , Just in case you missed my message or I missed your reply Please contact me Thanks
Hi Pat
Sorry I missed your reply, only just returned to this site
Tony Rowan
my great grandfather was patrick casey fireman who is buried in cobh in mass crave c. i am having great difficulty finding his place of birth .which was in ireland originally . although he lived in Liverpool when he sank on the lusitania i wonder if you could help me trace this information through his records when he enlisted on the lusitania .thank you in anticipation
Hi Ann ..don’t know why but have only just received this message , think it may be more than likely because the person who maintains the site has been very busy work wise and is now updating some info to the site.
Will see what I can find out about your Patrick Casey and get back to you . Regards – Pat.
Added by LaDon Brennan in https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29779668
Patrick “Fireman” Casey
BIRTH 1867
Barnstaple, North Devon District, Devon, England
DEATH 7 May 1915 (aged 47–48)
At Sea
BURIAL
Old Church Cemetery
Cobh, County Cork, Ireland
PLOT Mass Grave C, 1st Row, Upper Tier
MEMORIAL ID 29779668 · View Source
MEMORIAL
PHOTOS 2
FLOWERS 2
RMS Lusitania crew member (Fireman), listed on memorial “In honoured memory of those named who, serving on the RMS Lusitania, died when the ship was sunk by enemy action on 7 May 1915, and are buried nearby.”
The following published in “National Museums-Liverpool, People’s Stories – Everyone on the Lusitania’s last voyage including passengers and crew”.
Patrick Casey was born in Wicklow, Ireland in 1867. He lived at 45 Akenside Street, Bootle, Lancashire, England with his wife, Bridget, whom he married in 1885, and their four children.
Nothing else is known about his early life or family background, except that he engaged as a fireman in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool on 12 April 1915 at a monthly rate of pay of £6-10s-0d (£6.50), £1 of which was advanced to him at the time. He joined the liner five days later before she set sail on her final ever crossing to New York.
He lost his life when she was sunk three weeks later, but his body was one of the few that were recovered from the sea afterwards.
Do not know why there is the discrepancy of the birth place , may just be error?