John Welsh, known as ‘Jack’, was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, in 1878, the son of Thomas and Ellen Welsh (née Gorman). His father was a bricklayer and Jack was one of two known children having a younger sister named Jane.
His father died while Jack was a child, and his mother married John Henry Fletcher, who was a general labourer and widower, in Manchester in 1898.
Jack was a mechanical engineer and the family home was at 31, Carlton Terrace, Church Lane, Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire.
Some time before the Great War, he left Gorton to follow his profession in the United States of America but perhaps because of the outbreak of the Great War, he decided to return to his native land in the spring of 1915. Consequently, he booked third cabin passage on what proved to be the Lusitania’s last ever voyage and joined the vessel in time for her sailing from Pier 54 in New York harbour, which began just after mid-day on 1st May.
Despite the horrors of the subsequent sinking, there was a bright side to the voyage for him as he met his future wife on board. She was fellow third class passenger Gerda Neilsen who came from South Shields, County Durham, and she was also instrumental in his survival, once the steamer had gone down.
The Halifax Courier for 15th May 1915 relates what happened: -
Mr. James (sic) Welsh of Gorton and Miss G. Neilson (sic) became acquainted on the voyage in the Lusitania, and had agreed to become engaged when they reached England. As they approached the Irish coast they discussed the submarine danger, and agreed that they would remain together should the worst happen.
When it came, Mr. Welsh got a lifebelt and managed to keep himself and Miss Neilson afloat for about half an hour after the vessel sank. One of the lifeboats then came up to them, and the lady was taken aboard. Mr Welsh’s
position was precarious, for the boat was already fully laden, but as the result of Miss Neilson’s pleadings, he also was pulled into it.
Having been rescued from the sea, the two were landed at Queenstown and eventually got back to John Welsh’s home in Gorton. Once there, and true to their pledges to each other, just six days after the sinking, on the 13th May, they were married at All Saints’ Register Office at nearby Chorlton, by special licence. They set up home at 52. Derby Street, Gorton.
This wedding was covered by newspaper The Daily Despatch and then syndicated throughout the country, presumably because of its Lusitania interest. The Hull Times for 22nd May stated: -
They were betrothed on the day before the disaster, with the understanding that they would be wed on landing; they had met on the Lusitania for the first time.
“I am afraid I shall never be able to forget those awful experiences,” declared Miss Neilson to a ‘Daily Despatch representative, prior to yesterday’s ceremony, at which three relatives of the bridegroom were the only other persons present. “But”, she added, “so far as my marriage to Mr. Welsh is concerned I am happy – as happy as can be – at the prospect of being his life partner. He was willing to die for me – surely years of courtship could not have provided evidence of greater devotion.”
Miss Neilson has worked as a milliner in the States, and Mr. Welsh has also lived for some time in America, where, in the space of a few years, he saved about £2,000. Like that of many other passengers on the Lusitania, however, his wealth went to the bottom of the ocean.
There is, indeed, a decided touch of pathos in the position of the newly wedded pair. They left the registry (sic) office without any immediate prospects of being able to provide the home they had discussed and planned for in the happy hours before the great tragedy. Describing the scenes after the ship was struck, Mr. Welsh said that he fetched lifebelts from the cabin, fastened one around Miss Neilson and put another on himself. He put her in a boat from which immediately afterwards, the passengers were hurled into the sea.
“From my position on the deck I saw Miss Neilson fall from the overturned boat. ‘Jack! Jack!’ she cried as she gazed upwards. I raised the network around the rails, dived and caught her. She placed her arms round my neck and I swam off with her from the side of the ship and the stricken, struggling crowd already in the water.
On turning round, I saw that the Lusitania was about to take her final plunge – we were only about twenty yards away. I well remember my words to Miss Neilson at that awful moment; ‘Little girlie, if you love life, hold on to me for all you are worth. I am going to save you or go with you.
My powers as a swimmer served me well. After about half an hour – Miss Neilson still clinging to my neck – we were fortunate enough to reach the side of a lifeboat, and managed to get a hold on the little looped life-lines
which ran round the side.
It is impossible for me to adequately express myself regarding the marvellous courage Miss Neilson showed at this critical time. Her pluck was wonderful.”
Miss Neilson had a few pounds in her clothes when taken into the lifeboat, but after their marriage, Mr. Welsh remarked that their possessions consisted of but little more than they “stood up in.” Yet they appeared extremely happy and contented with their lot.
Later that summer, they jointly applied to The Lusitania Relief Fund, for financial help. This fund had been set up immediately after the liner had gone down, by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other local business dignitaries to help second and third class passenger survivors and the relatives of those who had perished, who had come upon hard times as a result of the sinking.
The awards committee gave them a once-and-for-all payment of just £6-0s-0d., to help with the cost of replacing clothing they had lost in the sinking.
Sometime after their marriage John and Gerda discovered that they were unable to have children. This fact, and her experience of surviving the sinking of the Lusitania, had a detrimental effect on Gerda’s mental health and eventually John had her committed to a mental hospital in South Shields. Although it was hoped that she would recover, she never did, and remained in mental institutions for the remainder of her life.
Gerda Welsh died on the 2nd June 1961 in South Shields General Hospital, after a long illness, aged 75 years.
Nothing further is known of John Welsh.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, Cunard Records, General Register Office, Daily Despatch, Halifax Courier, Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Hull Times, Last Voyage of the Lusitania, PRO BT 100/ 345, UniLiv D92/2/208, Graham Maddocks, Chris Bailey, Mabel Cullen, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.