George Currie was born in Bootle, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 23rd August 1886, the son of James and Agnes Currie (née Shearer) and the youngest of seven children. His father was a labourer, and on completing his education, George became a printer’s boy; however, he then joined the British Mercantile Marine and served on trans-Atlantic liners as a waiter or steward.
On the morning of the 17th April 1915 - the day that the Lusitania left Liverpool for the last time - he engaged as a first class waiter in the Stewards' Department at Pier Head, Liverpool, at a monthly rate of pay of £4-5s.-0d. (£4.25p.), before the liner left the River Mersey for the last time, bound for the United States of America.
The Lusitania crossed the Atlantic Ocean without incident and having docked in New York, eventually left there on her return voyage to Liverpool in the early afternoon of the 1st May. Then, six days later, on the afternoon of the 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine, U-20, within sight of the coast of southern Ireland. At that time, she was only about 250 miles away from the safety of her home port. George Currie was fortunate enough to survive and was able to return to his family in Liverpool.
Once back in Liverpool, George was officially discharged from the Lusitania’s final voyage and paid the balance of wages owing to him, in respect of his service on board from the 17th April 1915, until the 8th May, 24 hours after the vessel had gone down! All the Lusitania’s crew, survived or perished, were given this privilege by Cunard.
On the 25th August 1915, George Currie married Florence Elizabeth Barrett in Liverpool. The couple had two children – George Gordon, born in 1916, and Ronald Shearer, born in 1920, and the family lived for a number of years at 19. Burleigh Road, Everton, before moving to 113. Gloucester Road, Bootle, Liverpool.
George Currie continued to serve as a steward on trans-Atlantic liners for many years.
He died at his home at 113. Gloucester Road, Bootle, Liverpool, on the 29th January 1954, aged 67 years, and his remains buried in Bootle Cemetery, Liverpool, where he lies today.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1935, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, Cunard Records, UK Campaign Medals Awarded to World War I Merchant Seamen 1914 – 1925, Liverpool Echo, PRO BT 350, PRO BT 351/1/31998, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated –29th January 2023.