Frederick ‘Fred’ James Pickard was born in Bromley, London, England, on the 23rd April 1884, the son of James and Lydia Mary Pickard (née Parry). His father was a cheesemonger and the family home was originally at 117. Devons Road, Poplar, in London, but they later moved the short distance to 14. Violet Road.
In January 1901, he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a sea boy, and appears to have had a reasonably good record until May 1905, when he began to run afoul of his authorities. He went ‘absent without leave’ on at least one occasion, and refused to work on several other occasions, spending periods in the ‘brig’, and being sentenced to hard labour. He was dismissed from the service in May 1906, after serving ninety days of hard labour, the reason given for his dismissal was because his authorities deemed him ‘Objectionable”!
In 1907, he emigrated to the United States of America, settling in New York City. He resided at 326. West 56th Street, and worked for a wealthy family as a chauffeur. In December 1913, his father died in London, and Fred returned home to see his family in the middle of 1914, returning in December of that year.
In the spring of 1915, he decided to make another visit, presumably to visit relatives, and as a result, he booked third class passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania (with ticket number 1693) which was scheduled to leave New York for Liverpool at 10.00 a.m. on the morning of 1st May 1915. Having boarded the liner at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in time for this sailing, in keeping with the rest of the passengers and the crew of the liner, he had to wait until just before 12.30 p.m. before the liner actually sailed. This was because she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Lines vessel the S.S. Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for war service as a troop ship at the end of April.
Then, six days out of New York on the afternoon of 7th May, and within sight of the coast of southern Ireland, the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20. At that stage of her voyage, she was only about 250 miles away from the safety of her home port.
Frederick Pickard survived the sinking, however, and having been rescued from the sea, he was landed at Queenstown from where he eventually reached his intended destination on the British mainland.
One second cabin passenger who was killed as a result of the German action was Richard Preston Pritchard, who originally came from Ramsgate in Kent. In an attempt to learn more of his fate, his brother Mostyn Pritchard went to Queenstown and scoured the mortuaries there, and his mother later wrote letters to many surviving passengers and crew members seeking information. One of these letters was sent to Frederick Pickard, who replied on 20th June, stating: -
F. Pickard.
C/o Mr. Gammon
Thorne Lodge
June 20th 1915 Morte Hoe [Sic.]
N. Devon.
Dear Madam
I received your letter on the 19th inst. but not a photo, as you say you enclosed and I am very sorry Madam, that I do not remember anyone of the name of Prichard. I was travelling 3rd class, and unless your son was doing the same, I should not have had any opportunity of making his aquaintance [Sic.]. You asked me if your son, had been below at the time, would have had time to get upstairs. Yes, I myself was lying on my bunk when we were struck. I jumped overboard and was fortunate enough, to hold onto some wreckage, till [Sic.] a boat came and picked me up.
I am sorry to say, I cannot give you anyone’s address, but the Cunard Co. could give you the names and address of the passengers. Hoping you may soon hear some news of your son.
I Remain
Yours Truly,
F. Pickard.
Thorne Lodge was a lodging house at that time, so Frederick Pickard might have gone there to recuperate after the ordeal of the sinking.
In August 1915, Frederick Pickard returned to New York, and in July 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, but didn’t serve overseas. He was honourably discharged after the War in April 1919.
On the 28th July 1917, he married Josephine Ritzinger, who had been born in Austria. Josephine was a ladies maid for the same family Fred worked for. On the 14th June 1918, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States, and the couple resided for some period at 218. East 27th Street, and later at 302. East 92nd Street.
Frederick Pickard filed a claim for personal injuries and loss of personal belongings in the sinking of the Lusitania, which was considered by the Mixed Claims Commission. They ruled that as Frederick Pickard was a citizen of Great Britain at the time of the incident, he was not entitled to compensation from the Commission, and therefore his claim did not succeed.
Frederick Pickard resided for the remainder of his life in New York City with his wife, and although they never had children, they did adopt a boy named Stephen Pretschuk, who was born in Austria in 1901. It is possible that he was known to, or related to Josephine Pickard.
Frederick Pickard died in New York in March 1975, aged 90 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, New York City Marriage License Indexes 1907 – 1995, U.S. Social Security Death Index 1935 – 2014, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, Cunard Records, UK Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services 1900 – 1928, New York U.S. Abstracts of World War I Military Service 1917 – 1919, U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards 1942, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 207, Imperial War Museum GB62, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.