Harry Cartwright was born in Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, Cheshire, in 1867, the eldest son of John and Mary Ann Cartwright (née Tunstall). His father was a warehouseman and Harry was one of six children in the family.
He became a professional steward serving in the British Mercantile Marine and in 1915; he lived at 35, Loreham Road, Widnes, Cheshire. On the 12th April 1915, he engaged as a first class bedroom steward in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania, at Liverpool at a monthly wage of £4-5s-0d., (£4.25p.). It was not the first time that he had served in this capacity on the liner.
Having left the River Mersey on the 17th April 1915, the Lusitania crossed the Atlantic Ocean without incident and having docked in New York on the 24th April 1915, she left there on the early afternoon of the 1st May, for her return voyage to Liverpool. 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.
Harry Cartwright was killed as a result of this action and his body was not recovered and identified afterwards. As he has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 48 years.
In August 1915, his family received from Cunard, the balance of pay owed to him in respect of his service on the Lusitania’s last voyage. This was reckoned to be from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May - 24 hours after the liner had been sunk. In addition, The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited also granted a yearly pension to one Mrs. Ella Gregson to compensate her for the loss of Harry Cartwright which amounted to £46-0s-0d. (£46.00p.), which was payable at the rate of £11-10s-d. (£11.50p.) per quarter. The relationship between Harry Cartwright and Mrs. Gregson is unknown.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1871 Census of England, 1881 Census of England, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, Liverpool England Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 334, UniLiv. PR 13/24, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Lawrence Evans, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 1st January 2023.