John Duggan was born in Rahanane, Kilcummin, outside Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, on the 20th June 1883, the son of John and Margaret Duggan (née Sugrue). His father was a labourer, and John was one of eight children.
After completing his formal education, John Duggan became a labourer and moved to Liverpool, Lancashire, England. By 1904, his father had died, and his mother and other members of his family also moved to Liverpool after this event.
By 1915, he was a professional seaman in the British mercantile Marine, serving as a trimmer on steam ships, and he resided at 38. Craddock Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool.
He joined the Lusitania as a trimmer in the Engineering Department for what would be her final voyage, sailing out of Liverpool on the 17th April 1915. His monthly rate of pay as a trimmer was £6-0s.-0d., and he had £1-0s.-0d. of this advanced to him when he engaged. Having successfully reached new York on the 24th April, he was still on board when she set sail on the return leg of her voyage and was killed after the liner was torpedoed on the 7th May, when the liner was off the coast of southern Ireland. He was aged 31 years.
His body was not amongst those recovered and identified afterwards and consequently, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted a yearly pension to Margaret Duggan to compensate her for the loss of her son on whom she must have been some way financially dependent upon. This amounted to £5-11s.-8d.
(£5.58½p.) which was payable at the rate of £0-9s.-4d. (£0.46½p.) per month.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of England, Liverpool England Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 334, UniLiv. PR 13/24, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 25th March 2023.