Francis McAteer, according to surviving records, was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, Lancashire, between 1880 and 1882, the son of Francis and Mary McAteer. No record of his birth or early life is known.
According to the 1911 Census of Ireland, he was married to Mary Donald in 1903, although there is no record of this marriage in Great Britain and Ireland, and they lived at 33. Charlotte Street, Warrenpoint, County Down, Northern Ireland, with their three children. At this time, he was working as a labourer.
It is likely that Francis worked occasionally as a fireman on steam ships operating out of the port of Liverpool, and he lodged at 62, Dublin Street, Liverpool, Lancashire, when he was in the city between voyages.
He signed on as a fireman in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania, at Liverpool, on the 12th April 1915. He had served on the liner before and as a fireman, his monthly rate of pay of £6-10s.-0d. (£6.50p.). He reported for duty at 8 a.m. on the 17th April, before the Lusitania’s left the River Mersey for the last time, bound for New York.
He did not survive the sinking, three weeks later, however, when the liner was torpedoed six days out of New York on the return leg of her voyage, by the German submarine U-20. At that stage, she was within sight of the coast of southern Ireland and only about fourteen hours sailing time from the safety of her home port.
As his body was never recovered from the sea and identified afterwards, he has no known grave. As a result, his name is embossed on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 33 years.
Eventually, in August 1915, his widow was sent the balance of pay owing to him for the liner’s final voyage. In keeping with all crew members, whether they survived or not, this pay was reckoned from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May, 24 hours after the liner had sunk. In addition, The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited also granted a yearly pension to Mary McAteer to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £56-2s.-1d. (£56.10½p.) which was payable at the rate of £4-11s-11d. (£4.59½p.) per month.
1911 Census of Ireland, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Grave Commission, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 334, PRO BT 351/1/90585, 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 November 2024.