John Cummings was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 11th September 1894, the son of John and Charlotte Emma Cummings (née Brett). His father was a builder’s labourer who died in 1909. The family lived at 60, Cardwell Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool.
He engaged at New York as a scullion in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania, on the 30th April 1915 for what was to be her final voyage. His monthly rate of pay was £3-15s.-0d. (£3.75), and he reported for duty on board on the morning of the 1st May at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour.
Six days later, on the afternoon of the 7th May, the Lusitania 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. Scullion Cummings was killed as a result of this action. He was aged 20 years.
His body was not recovered from the sea and identified afterwards and consequently, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
In August 1915, his family was given the balance of wages owed to him in respect of the Lusitania’s last voyage, and this was reckoned to be from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May 1915, 24 hours after the liner had gone down!
Although the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission show his rank to be that of waiter, several contemporary Cunard archives show it to be that of scullion.
By the time the Tower Hill register had been compiled after the Great War, the family address was 20, Duke Street North, Charlestown Road, Halifax, Yorkshire.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 334, UniLiv D92/6/1, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated –28th January 2023.