James Dalrymple was born in Fort William, Wigtownshire, Scotland, on the 17th October 1863, the illegitimate son of Janet “Jessie” Dalrymple, who was a domestic servant. Nothing is known about his childhood or home life.
On the 13th September 1886, he married Janet Allen (née Dalrymple) in Liverpool. His wife was a widow with three children, and it is likely she was his cousin as she had also been born in Wigtownshire. James and Janet had four children of their own, and in 1915, the family lived at 113, Claudia Street, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.
James was a professional seaman, and he engaged as a refrigerating greaser in the Engineering Branch on board the Lusitania at Liverpool on the 12th April 1915 at a monthly rate of pay of £5-10s.-0d. (£5.50p.) and reported for duty at 8 a.m. on the morning of the 17th April in time for the liner’s last ever voyage out of the River Mersey. He had served on the liner before.
On the 1st May 1915, having successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean and docked at New York, the liner had set off again on the return leg of her voyage back to her home port, when on the afternoon of the 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk off the Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland, by the German U-Boat, U-20. At that stage, she was within fourteen hours of docking at Liverpool.
Refrigerating Greaser Dalrymple was lucky enough to survive this enemy action and having been rescued from the sea, he was landed at Queenstown, from where he eventually made it back to Liverpool.
Once there, he was officially discharged from the Lusitania’s last voyage and paid the balance of wages owing to him in respect of it. This amounted to £5-18s.-8d. (£5.92p.) and represented his service on board from the 17th April 1915 to the 8th May, 24 hours after the liner had foundered. He was 51 years old at the time of the sinking.
James Dalrymple continued as a refrigerating greaser, serving on a number of different vessels, until he retired, aged 65 years, in 1929. In January 1926, his wife, Janet, died aged 71 years.
For many years, the Dalrymple family lived at 113. Claudia Street, but following his wife’s death, James lived with his youngest daughter, Mrs. Janet Potter, and her family at 9. Weldon Street, Walton, Liverpool.
James Dalrymple died at his home on the 30th January 1951, aged 87 years. He was buried in Anfield Cemetery.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Scotland Select Births and Baptisms 1564 – 1950, England Select Marriages 1538 – 1973, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, Cunard Records, Liverpool Echo, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 349, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 4th February 2023.