Elizabeth ’Lizzie’ Grossart was born in Carmichael, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the 16th April 1888, the daughter of William and Marion Grossart (née Dickson). Her father was a deliveryman for a brewery, and by 1915, her family home was at 26, Angleton Park, Carstairs, Lanarkshire. She was the second youngest of eleven known children in her family.
On the 2nd June 1909, she married Charles Young in Partick, Lanarkshire. Her husband was a tram conductor and the couple, who lived in Partick, had no children.
In September 1911, her husband travelled from Glasgow to New York in the United States of America on board the S.S. Cameronia, presumably in search of work and better opportunities. Accompanying him on the voyage were brothers, James and Peter Murray. James Murray, like Charles, was employed at that time by Glasgow Corporation Tramways as a tram conductor.
In April 1913, Lizzie joined her husband in America, who at that time was working and living in Chicago, Illinois. Accompanying her on the voyage was Jeanie Murray, a sister of James and Peter Murray. Her husband had found a home for them at 520. West 65th Place, Chicago.
In the spring of 1915, Lizzie Young decided to travel back to Great Britain, probably to see relatives in Lanarkshire and as a result, she booked third class passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania which was scheduled to leave New York for Liverpool on the
morning of 1st May 1915. Having travelled from Chicago at the end of April, she arrived at Pier 54, the Cunard berth in New York, on that morning in time for the liner’s 10.00a.m. departure. Accompanying her were Margaret Murray and Margaret’s son, Walter, who was aged 4 years. Margaret Murray was the wife of James Murray.
The Lusitania's sailing was delayed until the early afternoon as she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war work at the end of April. Mrs. Young therefore had her last glimpse of her adopted country just after mid-day.
Six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, Lizzie Young and the Murrays were killed after the Cunarder was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20. At the point of impact, the ship was only twelve miles off the coast of southern Ireland and only hours away from her Liverpool home port. She then sank after just eighteen minutes. Lizzie Young was one of some 240 third class passengers who lost their lives as a result.
On 25th May 1915, a cable was received at the Queenstown offices of Cunard, instigated by Lizzie Young’s husband Charles, which simply stated: -
REFER YOUR CABLEGRAM N.Y. NINETEENTH, CHARLES YOUNG WAITING NEWS LIZZIE YOUNG, THIRD CLASS.
The reply to this was sent the following day and stated: -
YOUR CABLE TWENTY FIFTH LIZZIE YOUNG NOT AMONG SURVIVORS AND BODY NOT YET RECOVERED.
In point of fact, it never was recovered or identified afterwards, and as a consequence, Lizzie Young has no known grave. She was aged 27 years. The remains of the Murrays, similarly, were never recovered or identified.
A report in the Chicago Tribune newspaper, on the 9th May, stated that James Murray and Charles Young were maintaining a vigil at the Cunard office in Chicago, and were refusing to leave until they had word of their loved ones. The same newspaper, on the 11th May, stated that James Murray was carrying a photograph of Walter while waiting in the Cunard office.
Scotland Lanarkshire School Registers and Records, 1891 Census of Scotland, 1901 Census of Scotland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Carluke & Lanark Gazette, Chicago Tribune, UniLiv.PR13/6, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Jack Murray, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.