James Ormrod was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 5th December 1870, the son of Thomas and Mary Ormrod (née Doyle). His father was a cooper, and James was the eldest of three known children in the family. His mother died in 1877, and his father later married Margaret Adams and they had three more children.
After leaving school, James trained as a cooper, and on the 19th February 1900, he married Frances Power and they set up home at 97, Robsart Street, Everton, Liverpool. The couple had five children – Mary, Agnes, Margaret, Annie, and James.
Sometime after his marriage, James Ormrod became a professional seaman in the British Mercantile Marine and engaged as a greaser in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania, at Liverpool, on the 12th April 1915, at a monthly rate of pay of £7-0s.-0d. He reported for duty on the morning of the 17th April 1915, before the liner left the River Mersey for the last time. Three weeks later, he was killed after the liner was torpedoed.
His body was never found and identified afterwards and as a result, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 44 years.
In August 1915, the balance of wages still owed to him in respect of his service on the Lusitania was also paid to his widow, Frances. It covered the period from the 17th April until the 8th May 1915, 24 hours after the great ship had foundered. In addition, The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted her a yearly pension which amounted to £67-11s.-3d. (£67.56p.) which was payable at the rate of £5-12s.-8d. (£5.63p.) per month.
His younger brother, Thomas Ormrod, also served as a greaser on board the ship and was also killed when she was sunk.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1935, 1871 Census of England, 1881 Census of England, 1891 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Grave Commission, UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 334, PRO BT 351/1/107400, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Philip Brown, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 31st January 2025.