Myles McPartlin was born on his family’s farm at Raheelin, Kiltyclogher, County Leitrim, Ireland, on the 9th June 1872, the son of Owen and Catherine McPartlin (née McGowan).
In 1892, he had emigrated to the United States of America and settled in New York City. He found employment as a bartender, waiter, and butler, at the prestigious Union Club, and later the Black River Valley Club at Watertown. In 1915, he resided at 156. East 29th Street, New York City.
In the spring of 1915, he decided to return to Ireland to visit his father, who was ill, and enjoy a short holiday, and consequently booked second cabin passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania from New York to Liverpool.
He joined the vessel at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 on the west side of the city in time for the liner’s scheduled departure time of 10.00 a.m. on the morning of 1st May but this was then delayed until 12.27 p.m., because she had to load cargo and embark passengers and crew from the Anchor Liner Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for service as a troop ship at the end of the previous month.
Then, just six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of southern Ireland by the German submarine U-20. At that stage of her voyage, she was within twelve to fourteen hours steaming time of the safety of her home port.
Myles McPartlin was unlucky enough to be counted amongst those killed as a result of this action and as his body was not recovered from the sea afterwards and identified, he has no known grave. He was aged 42 years at the time!
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1911 Census of Ireland, 1912 Watertown New York City Directory, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, UK Outward Passenger Lists 1890 – 1960, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, PRO BT 100/345, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.