Elizabeth Kerr was born in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1851, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Kerr. Her father was a tailor but nothing further is known about her family.
On the 5th May 1867, she married Corporal James Webb of the 39th Regiment of foot at St. Mary’s Church, Armagh, County Armagh. The couple had at least three children, the youngest being named Sarah Jane.
Her husband retired from the army in 1874, after 21 years’ service, and sometime later the family settled in Manchester, Lancashire, where James Webb worked as a tobacco pipe maker, which was his occupation prior to enlisting in the army. Elizabeth assisted him in his business. Her husband died in 1903.
On the 29th June 1911, Elizabeth Webb arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States of America, on board the White Star liner, Cymric, and made her way to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Sarah Jackson, at 65. Moreland Street, Somerville, Massachusetts.
In the spring of 1915, Elizabeth and her daughter and son-in-law decided to return to England and booked third class passage on the Lusitania sailing of 1st May 1915 for a voyage to Liverpool. For some reason her son-in-law, William Jackson, and her daughter Mrs. Sarah Jane Jackson were recorded on the passenger manifest as Mr. and Mrs. Webb!
They all boarded the liner at the Cunard Berth in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May in time for what became her last ever sailing out of the port, which was delayed until just after mid-day.
Just six days later, with the liner in sight of the southern Irish coast, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20. All three were killed as a result of the action.
As no trace of their bodies were ever found and identified, they have no known graves. Elizabeth Webb was aged 64 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, Massachusetts Passenger Lists 1820 – 1963, Cunard Records, Manchester Evening News, PRO BT 100/345, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Nyle Monday, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.