George James Hamel was born in Liverpool, Lancashire on the 12th October 1884, the son of Peter and Frances Hamel (née Turner). According to his birth certificate, his name was registered as being William George Hamel, and he can be found in the 1901 Census of England recorded under this name. However, in the 1891 and 1911 Census of England records, and his baptismal and marriage certificates, his name is recorded as being George James Hamel! He was the oldest of four children and his father was a marine fireman.
On the 10th December 1908, he married Elizabeth Ann Welch in Liverpool, and in 1915 the family home was at 97, Claudia Street, Walton, Liverpool, Lancashire. Living next door to them at 99. Claudia Street were Eugene and Martha McDermott, and their family. Martha McDermott and Elizabeth Hamel were sisters!
George and Elizabeth Hamel had four children: George James, Frances Roberta, Jane, and John Henry. John Henry was born in early 1915, but died a short time later
George was a dock labourer for many years but signed up as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania for her last ever voyage. From what is known, George often found employment as a trimmer on steam ships, but how frequently is not known. His neighbour, Eugene McDermott who was a house painter by profession, also went to sea as a trimmer occasionally, and it is possible that they were in the practise of signing on for voyages together.
On the 12th April 1915, at the Cunard offices at Liverpool, both George Hamel and Eugene McDermott engaged as trimmers in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania, at a monthly rate of pay of £6-0s.-0d., £1-0s.-d. of which was advanced to each of them at the time. It was not the first time that either had served on the vessel and they reported for duty on the early morning of the 17th April 1915, before the liner
left the River Mersey for the last time.
Having completed the liner’s crossing to New York without mishap, both men were still serving on board ship on the early afternoon of the 1st May, as the Lusitania left New York on the start of her return voyage to Liverpool. Then, six days into the voyage, 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 fourteen hours steaming time away from the safety of her home port.
Out of 100 trimmers on board when the liner had left New York, 69 perished and only 31 survived the sinking. Eugene McDermott was one of the fortunate 31, while George Hamel was numbered among the 69 lost. George Hamel’s remains were never recovered, or if they were, they were never identified and consequently, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 30 years. Having been being rescued from the sea, Eugene McDermott probably actively searched for George amongst the survivors and recovered bodies, but to no avail.
Eugene McDermott eventually got back to Liverpool, where no doubt he confirmed the loss of his next door neighbour, George Hamel, to family and friends.
George’s widow, Elizabeth, received the balance of wages owed to him for his service on board the liner in August 1915 and in common with all crew members, survived or perished, this was reckoned to be from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May, 24 hours after the liner had gone down. In addition, The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted an annual pension to Elizabeth Hamel to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £56-7s.-8d. (£56.38p.), payable at the rate of £4-14s.-0d. (£4.70p.) per month.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Baptisms 1741 – 1919, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1935, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 334, PRO BT 351/1/56948, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 30th December 2023.