John Manson George Brown was born in the Parish of Walls and Flotta, on the island of Orkney, Scotland, on the 19th August 1857, the son of William Garson and Catherine Brown (née Manson). His father was a carpenter by trade; however, he later became a spirit merchant. John was one of six known children in the family.
John, and his older brother, William, both followed their father’s trade of carpentry, specialising in becoming ship’s carpenters.
On the 12th August 1886, John married Margaret Temple in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Toxteth Park, Liverpool, and they went on to have seven children. In 1915, the family lived at 2, Weldon Street, Walton, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.
He engaged as Joiner in the Deck Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool, on the 12th April 1915 at a monthly rate of pay of £8-5s-0d., (£8.25p.), and reported for duty on the morning of the 17th, before the liner left Liverpool for the last ever time.
He was killed after the liner was torpedoed, three weeks later and as his body was not amongst those recovered and identified afterwards, he has no known grave.
Consequently, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 57 years.
In August 1915, his widow, Margaret, was finally paid the balance of wages owing to him for the Lusitania’s last voyage. It represented his service from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May, 24 hours after the liner had sunk and 24 hours after he had lost his life.
The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted a yearly pension to Margaret Brown to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £35-1s-5d. (£35.074p.), which was payable at the rate of £2-16s-6d. (£2.82½p.) per month.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Scotland Select Births and Baptisms 1564 – 1950, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1935, 1861 Census of Scotland, 1871 Census of Scotland, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 334, UniLiv. PR 13/24, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 26th December 2022.