Evan Arthur Leigh was born in Newton Grange, Manchester, Lancashire, England, on the 28th April 1850, the son of Evan and Anne Leigh (née Allen), later of Newton Square, Manchester, Lancashire. His father was an engineer and inventor, who specialised in the design and manufacturing of machinery for the cotton industry, and he also invented an engine for steam ships. He established businesses in Manchester and Liverpool in England, and Boston Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
He was educated at Mill Hill School, London, from 1859 until 1861. On completing his education, he became a mechanical engineer and shipping export merchant, and head of the firm of Messrs. Evan A. Leigh, Machinery Exporters, of Temple Chambers, Brasenose Street, 196 Deansgate Street, Manchester, and Leigh and Butler of Boston, in the United States of America. These were companies founded by his father, who had died in 1876.
On the 15th August 1883, he married Margaret Ackroyd in St. Peter’s Church, Birstall, West Yorkshire, and they lived at Yewbarrow Hall, Grange over Sands, Lancashire. For about ten years, from 1891, the couple, who had no children, lived in Boston, Massachusetts.
Evan Leigh often travelled across the Atlantic to and from America and Canada in connection with business and was the Boston agent of Messrs. Platt Brothers of Oldham, Lancashire. It was while in Boston that he founded the Victorian Club there.
In early 1915, Mr. Leigh went to the United States on another business trip and decided to return home on the May sailing of the Lusitania. He stayed at The Belmont Hotel, New York, before joining the liner on 1st May 1915 as a saloon passenger, with ticket number 6347. He was allocated room B109 which was one of the rooms in the charge of First Class Bedroom Steward Thomas Dawes, who came from Walton, a district of
Liverpool.
When the Cunarder was torpedoed and sunk six days later, off the coast of southern Ireland, on the afternoon of 7th May, by the German submarine U-20, despite the fact that Evan Leigh was known to be a very good swimmer, and
..... even of late, hardly missed a day without taking a plunge,
he did not survive the incident, nor was his body ever recovered and identified later.
Once the news that he was missing reached England, one of his business partners, a Mr. George Williams, travelled from Manchester to Queenstown in the hope of either finding him alive or identifying his body but was, in the event, able to do neither. Evan Arthur Leigh was aged 65 years.
George Williams was able, however, to arrange a memorial service for him, which took place at Cork Cathedral at 3.00 p.m. on 27th May 1915. Mr. Williams also suggested to the naval authorities at Queenstown that flowers should be scattered over the wreck site in Evan Leigh’s memory, and of the others who had perished, but it was not possible to find a vessel which was able to do this because of the exigencies of the war situation.
That Mr. Leigh was highly regarded by all who knew him, was made clear in an article in The Westmoreland Gazette of 15th May 1915. It stated: -
Mr, Leigh was one of the most unassuming of men and had lived in Grange for many years. Only a few intimate friends were aware that he had been a splendid athlete. That he was a very generous man was well known, for he subscribed liberally to institutions in Grange and was always willing to give to any worthy cause.
In private life his greatest pleasure was in the society of his wife. When Mrs. Leigh had a severe seizure three years ago her husband at once cut off every external social interest and lived at her service.
On the Sunday after the sinking, according to The Barrow News, of 15th May 1915: -
An eloquent tribute was paid to him by The Rev. Ivor G. Farror in the course of his sermon in St. Paul’s Church on Sunday morning. Mr. Leigh was most regular in his attendance at church, and he always gave his unstinted support to church objects. Word can not adequately express the deep sorrow which is felt at this untimely end of one who was rightly regarded as “A very gallant gentleman“.
St. Paul’s was and is the Parish Church of Grange over Sands, and some time after his death, he was commemorated on a wall mounted tablet, which was placed in the church by his widow Margaret. It is still there today and takes the form of a large brass quatrefoil mounted on a wooden base, with the following inscription in gothic lettering: -:-
To the Glory of God
and in loving memory of
Evan Arthur Leigh
of Yewbarrow Hall,
who lost his life in the sinking of the
S.S. Lusitania May 7th 1915.
This tablet is erected by
his wife Margaret
Evan Leigh’s name on the tablet is embossed, but the rest of the writing is engraved. Above the inscription is a Celtic Christian cross and below it, also engraved onto the brass, is the family coat of arms, with the motto TOUT VIENT DE DIEU - everything comes from God.
Administration of his estate was granted at London, on 12th October 1915, jointly to Bertha Evina Butler, widow, John Blundell Butler, merchant's manager, and Arthur Cecil Butler, machine importer. Bertha Evina Butler was a sister of Evan Leigh. His effects amounted to £22, 277-0s-10d. (£22,277.04p.).
Bedroom Steward Dawes, who had looked after Evan Leigh in room B109, also perished in the sinking and never saw his Walton home again!
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, West Yorkshire England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1813 – 1935, 1851 Census of England & Wales, 1861 Census of England & Wales, 1871 Census of England & Wales, 1881 Census of England & Wales, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Massachusetts Passenger Lists 1820 – 1963, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Barrow News, Oldham Standard, Westmoreland Gazette, Mill Hill School Book of Remembrance and War Record, Roll of Honour, Britain's Maritime Memorials, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, PRO 22/71, UniLiv.D92/1/1, UniLiv D92/2/399, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Joe Devereux, Lawrence Evans, Trevor Richards, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.