Thomas Dunn was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 18th March 1871, the son of James and Margaret Dunn (née Quinn). His parents were Irish immigrants, and his father was a dock labourer.
After completing his schooling, Thomas became an “iron dresser”, before becoming a dock labourer, like his father. He then became a professional seaman when he joined the British mercantile Marine as a fireman on steam ships.
In late 1911, he married Catherine Conway in Liverpool and they lived at 2, Aintree Street, Liverpool. They had no children.
In April 1915, Thomas Dunn engaged as a fireman in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool, at a monthly rate of pay of £6-10s.-0d. (£6.50p.), £1-0s.-0d. of which was advanced to him at the time. He reported for duty early on the morning of the 17th April; in time for the vessels last ever voyage out of the River Mersey.
Three weeks later, he was killed when the Cunarder was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of southern Ireland and only hours away from her home port. He was aged 44 years. His body was never recovered and identified afterwards and as a consequence, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial to The Missing, at Tower Hill, London.
The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted a yearly pension to Catherine Dunn to compensate her for the loss of her husband. This amounted to £23-6s.-7d. (£23.33p.) which was payable at the rate of £1-15s.-7d. (£1.78p.) per month.
His name is erroneously spelled Dunne in the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Board of Trade Records, as well as the records of The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Baptisms 1741 – 1919, 1871 Census of England, 1881 Census of England, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 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 – 27th March 2023.