John Edward Fitzgerald was born in Castlelyons, County Cork, Ireland, on the 29th May 1869, the son of William and Anne “Hannah” Fitzgerald (née Doody). His father was a sea in the Royal Navy and his mother was a school assistant. He had a sister named Mary Ellen, born in 1871.
It is not known if his father died or deserted the family, but by 1877, the family were living in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, and his mother was married to another Royal Navy seaman named Alfred H. Gordon, although no marriage record has been found. John and his sister adopted their stepfather’s name during their childhood but in his teenage years, John reverted back to his given name. As a result of his mother’s second marriage, John and his sister had two stepbrothers and a stepsister.
On the 11th January 1888, John Fitzgerald enlisted in the Royal Navy. Curiously, he gave his date of birth as being the 10th August 1872, indicating that he was only aged 15 years, and stating that his second forename was “Edmund”, rather than “Edward”! On the 10th August 1890, on what the Royal Navy believed was his eighteenth birthday, John Fitzgerald “signed up” for a twelve year term.
On the 4th September 1902, having served his full twelve year term, he joined the British Army for a five year term, eventually ending his military service on the 3rd September 1907. As far as can be ascertained, his conduct during his military service was very good and no evidence of any misconduct was recorded against him.
It is likely that during his military service, John became an electrician and he eventually found work with the Cunard Steam Ship Company Limited in this capacity. He mainly worked onshore, but occasionally served on steam ships. By 1915, he lived at 58, Ivy Leigh, Tuebrook, Liverpool.
He signed on at Liverpool for her what proved to be the Lusitania’s final voyage to America, on the 12th April 1915, as an electric attendant in the Engineering Branch, at a monthly wage of £5-0s.-0d. He was granted an advance on his wages of £1-0s.-0d. at the time. He reported for duty at 8. a.m. on the 17th April before she left the River Mersey for the last time.
Following a safe and uneventful voyage to New York, John Fitzgerald was still on board for the return voyage on the 1st May and was lucky to be counted among the survivors when the Lusitania sank on the afternoon of the 7th May, having been torpedoed by the German submarine, U-20, while off the southern coast of Ireland, and less than a day away from Liverpool.
Having been rescued from the sea and landed at Queenstown, he eventually made his way back to Liverpool.
John Fitzgerald continued to work for the Cunard Steam Ship Company on his return to Liverpool and continued to reside at his home in Ivy Leigh. He never married.
John Fitzgerald died at Mill Road Hospital, Liverpool, in the middle of May 1927, aged 57 years. He was buried in Yew Tree Cemetery, Liverpool on the 21st May 1927.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Burials 1813 – 1985, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, Cunard Records, UK Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services 1848 – 1939, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 351/1/45286, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 19th November 2023.