Michael Joseph Cushion was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 6th March 1894, the son of Michael and Mary Cushion (née Moore). He was the elder of two children, having a younger sister named Mary Johanna. His father was a marine fireman.
In 1913, he married Catherine McFarlane in Liverpool, and the couple had no children.
He was a professional seaman in the British Mercantile Marine, and he signed on as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool, on the 12th April 1915, for what would be the liner’s last ever voyage to America, and reported for duty at 8 a.m. on the 17th April, the day she left the River Mersey. As a trimmer, his monthly rate of pay was £6-0s.-0d. and upon engagement, he was given an advance on his pay of £1-0s.-0d.
The Lusitania crossed the Atlantic Ocean without incident and having docked in New York, eventually left there on her return voyage to Liverpool in the early afternoon of the 1st May. Then, six days later, 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 250 miles away from the safety of her home port. Michael Cushion was fortunate enough to survive and was able to return to his home in Liverpool.
Once back in Liverpool, he was officially discharged from the Lusitania’s final voyage and paid the balance of wages owing to him, in respect of his service on board from the 17th April 1915, until the 8th May, 24 hours after the vessel had gone down! All the Lusitania’s crew, survived or perished, were given this privilege by Cunard.
Michael Cushion continued to serve as a trimmer, and then a fireman, on trans-Atlantic liners for many years.
It would appear that Michael Cushion and his wife had separated and were living apart for many years. His wife died in 1963 and was buried in Ford Cemetery, Liverpool.
Michael Cushion died on the 9th May 1965 in Liverpool, aged 71 years, and was buried in Yew Tree Cemetery.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Burials 1813 – 1985, 1901 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, New York Passenger Lists, 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, UK Campaign Medals Awarded to World War I Merchant Seamen 1914 – 1925, PRO BT 350, PRO BT 351/1/32175, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Lawrence Evans, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated –29th January 2023.