Michael English was born in Cornoonagh, Crossmaglen, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, on the 26th November 1877, the son of Peter and Judith “Julia” English (née McGinnis). His father was a farmer, who died in 1880, and Michael was the only known child in the family.
In 1883, his mother married Peter Donnelly, and she had at least two children as a result of this marriage, John, and Peter. Sometime after John’s birth, the family moved to Liverpool, Lancashire, England.
Michael English became a labourer and then became a professional seaman when he joined the British Mercantile Marine as a ship’s fireman.
On the 23rd October 1905, Michael English married Catherine “Kate” McNally at St. Alban’s Roman Catholic Church, Liverpool. The couple had at least five children – Alice, James, Mary, Michael, and Margaret.
In April 1915, Michael English, and his younger half-brothers, John, and Peter Donnelly, engaged as firemen in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool, at a monthly rate of pay of £6-10s.-0d. (£6.50p.), £1-0s.-0d. of which was advanced to them at the time. They reported for duty early on the morning of the 17th April; in time for the vessels last ever voyage out of the River Mersey.
Three weeks later, he, and his half-brother, Peter Donnelly, were fortunate to survive when the Cunarder was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of southern Ireland and only hours away from her home port. He was aged 37 years. Unfortunately, his other half-
brother, John Donnelly, was not as lucky and was never seen again after the liner went down, and as his body was never recovered and identified afterwards, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial to The Missing, at Tower Hill, London.
Michael English never returned to sea but continued to be employed by the Cunard Steam Ship Company as a dock labourer. The family lived in the Bootle area of Liverpool, first at 272. Derby Road, and then at 23. Camden Street.
Michael English died from lung cancer on the 9th February 1946, aged 68 years. He was buried in Ford Cemetery, Liverpool, in Grave S.D. 716, where he lies today.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Marriages 1754 – 1933, Liverpool England Catholic Burials 1813 – 1985, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, Cunard Records, UK Campaign Medals Awarded to World War I Merchant Seamen 1914 – 1925, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 351/1/41644, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 7th March 2023.