Joseph Bowden was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 3rd September 1868, the only son of Joseph and Margaret Bowden (née Parry). He had a younger sister named Ann, who was born in 1872. His father was a dock labourer.
Joseph Bowden became a professional seaman in the British Mercantile Marine and in 1915; he lived at, 20, Almond Street, Toxteth, Liverpool.
He engaged as an able seaman in the Deck Department on board the Lusitania on the 12th April 1915 at Liverpool, at a monthly rate of pay of £5-10s-0d., (£5.50p.), £1-10s-0d., (£1.50p.) of which was advanced to him at the time. He then reported for duty at 7.00 a.m., on the 17th April, before the liner left the River Mersey for the last time. He had previously served on the White Star liner S.S. Arabic.
Having completed the Lusitania’s crossing to New York without mishap, Able Seaman Bowden was still serving on board on the early afternoon of the 1st May, as the vessel left New York on the start of her return voyage to Liverpool. Then, six days outward bound, on the afternoon of the 7th May, she 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 fourteen hours steaming time away from the safety of her home port.
Joseph Bowden survived this action, however, one of 28 deck seamen who did, out of the 47 on board when the vessel left New York - and having been rescued from the sea, he was landed at Queenstown, from where he was able to get back to Liverpool.
Once there, he reported to the Cunard office in Water Street and was officially discharged from the Lusitania’s last voyage and given the balance of wages owed to him as a result of it. This amounted to £4-19s-8d., (£4.98p.), and represented his service from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May 1915; 24 hours after the great ship had gone down!
On the 5th July 1915, Joseph Bowden married Mary Ellen Prout at St. Saviour’s Church, Liverpool. They had no children, and his wife was an upholsterer. Neither of them had been previously married.
Joseph Bowden continued to work for the Cunard Steam Ship Company Limited for a number years and resided with his wife at 33. Tiber Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool, which was the old family home of his wife, until they later moved to 12. Warwick Road, Upton, Birkenhead, Cheshire.
Joseph Bowden died in Birkenhead, Cheshire, on the 26th April 1950, aged 81 years. He left his estate of £1,325-6s.-0d. (£1,325.30p.) to his wife, Mary Ellen.
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, 1901 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, Liverpool England Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, Cunard Records, UK Campaign Medals Awarded to World War I Merchant Seamen 1914 – 1925, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 164/13/40, PRO BT 351/1/13415, Graham Maddocks, Lawrence Evans, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 17th December 2022.