James Breen was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 4th August 1864, the son of John Breen and Isabella Cassidy. His parents were Irish immigrants who had come to Liverpool as children, and as far as can be ascertained, they never formally married or lived together for any length of time. His mother married Joseph McCormick in December 1872, and his father, who was a labourer, died in the Liverpool Workhouse in 1883.
On leaving school, James became a general labourer, and on the 9th May 1886, he married Annie Gannon in Liverpool. The couple had four known children, although two of them died in infancy. Sometime after his marriage, he found work as a fireman on steam ships.
On a number of occasions in 1902 and 1903, Annie Breen and the couple’s two daughters, Annie, and Mary, stayed in the Liverpool Workhouse, which is an indication that they were unable to pay rent or provide for themselves until James Breen returned from one of his voyages and was “paid off”.
In May 1906, Annie Breen died, and in the summer of 1911, James married Mary McGarry (née O’Hare) in Liverpool. His second wife was a widow with five children. The couple lived at 23. Bond Street, Liverpool, with their respective children.
On the 12th April 1915 at Liverpool, James Breen engaged as a leading fireman in the Engineering Department, on board the Lusitania at a monthly rate of pay of £7-10s-0d., (£7.50p.). He was thus on board when the liner left the River Mersey for the last time, on the 17th April.
Having completed the liner’s crossing to New York without mishap, James Breen was still serving on board on the early afternoon of the 1st May, as the Lusitania left New York on the start of her return voyage to Liverpool. Then, six days into the voyage, 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. Fireman Breen lost his life as a result of this action. He was aged 50 years.
As his body was never found and identified afterwards, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
In keeping with all the Lusitania’s crew, survived and killed, he was paid until the 8th May, 24 hours after the sinking. The balance of wages owed to him was paid to his widow, Mary, at Liverpool, in August 1915. The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted a yearly pension to Mary Breen to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £48-7s-10d. (£48.39p.), which was payable at the rate of £4-0s-8d. (£4.04p.) per month.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Baptisms 1741 – 1919, 1871 Census of England, 1881 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Liverpool Workhouse Registers, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 334, UniLiv. PR 13/24, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Robyn Mulvoy, Dave Byrne, Lawrence Evans, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 18th December 2022.