Edward James White was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in late 1895, the illegitimate son of Jane White. His mother had another son, named Patrick Harris, who was born in late 1897; however, it was the summer of 1898 before Jane White married James Edward Harris, who was a professional seaman in the Mercantile Marine. It is not known if Edward James White was James Harris’s son, but after his mother married, he took on the family name of ‘Harris’, and was always known by his second forename – James.
His mother had three further children with James Harris, and by 1915, the family home was at 148, Wolfe Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, Lancashire.
James Harris became a professional seaman in the Mercantile Marine, serving as a trimmer on steam ships operating out of Liverpool.
He engaged as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania before what proved to be her final voyage, and he was not amongst the survivors after the vessel sank on the 7th May 1915 on her return voyage to Liverpool. He was aged 19 years.
His body was never found and identified and as a consequence, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 334, PRO BT 351/1/58635, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 2nd January 2024.