Vernon Livermore was the Lusitania‘s bugler and also listed as a first waiter. He worked on board Lusitania with his brother-in-law, Percy Penny. They both lived in Liverpool, married to Hungarian sisters with the last name of Czervenka. Both Livermore and Penny survived. Livermore was rescued by Heron.
Life
Livermore was from Hyde, Lancashire (now Tameside, Greater Manchester), England, United Kingdom.
Livermore married Julia Czervenka, a Hungarian who served aboard the Carpathia when that ship made her historic rescue of the survivors of the Titanic in April 1912. Julia’s sister, Ethel, was also a stewardess on the Carpathia on that voyage. For the crew’s heroism, members of the crew were given medals. Ethel Czervenka was married to fellow Lusitania crewman Percy Penny, a saloon cabin bed steward. The two couples lived in Liverpool, in houses that backed onto one another.
Lusitania
Days before the Lusitania set sail on her last voyage, Livermore posted a letter to his mother in which he enclosed a poem that he claimed was very appropriate to his job.
When the Lusitania was torpedoed, Livermore was certain that the Lusitania‘s watertight compartments were closed, but thought that maybe the explosion of the torpedoing could have opened the watertight doors.
Livermore was rescued from the wreck by the small boat Heron, which brought 11 survivors and 5 bodies to Kinsale. Because Livermore and the rest of the Heron landed at Kinsale instead of Queenstown like the other survivors, Livermore was initially listed as missing until it was known that he was alive.
His wife Julia and sister-in-law Ethel received separate but simultaneous news that Livermore and Penny were safe, leading to a joyful reunion for the two sisters on a Liverpool tram.
Vernon and Julia had a daughter, Catherine. She often carried the Carpathia medal on her key-ring.
References
Clarke, Peter. “Marple’s Lusitania Connection.” Web. 27 July 2011. <http://www.marple-uk.com/lusitaniax.htm>.
Marshall, Logan. Horror and Atrocities of the Great War: Including the Tragic Destruction of the Lusitania, page 67. L.T. Myers, 1915.
War Medals, Orders and Decorations To be sold by auction at Sotheby’s, in the Book Room. Day of Sale: Tuesday 18 July 2006 at 12.00 noon. Web. 27 July 2011. <http://www.mortonandeden.com/pdfcats/21web.pdf>.
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