William Lawrence was born in Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales, on the 6th March 1882, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Lawrence. Nothing is known of his family or early life.
In 1907, he married Elizabeth “Eliza” Byrne in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales and by 1911, they were living at Middle Road, Whitegate, County Cork, Ireland, with Eliza’s widowed mother, Ellen Byrne. In 1908, their son William was born.
William Lawrence was a professional seaman in the Mercantile Marine, serving as a fireman on steam ships.
He engaged as a fireman in the Engineering Branch on board the Lusitania at New York, on the 30th April 1915 just in time for her final fateful voyage. His monthly rate of pay was £6-10.-0. (£6.50p.). It is not known how he got to New York, or how long he was there.
When the liner was sunk on the 7th May, William Lawrence survived the sinking. Having been rescued from the sea and landed at Queenstown, it is likely that he travelled the short distance to his wife and son in Whitegate, which is situated a short distance across the harbour to the east of Queenstown.
Little else is known about William Lawrence except that he joined the Royal Naval Reserve in April 1916 and as S.9139 Stoker W. Lawrence, he served on a number of Royal Navy vessels for the remainder of the war. He was demobilised in January 1919.
Nothing further is known about him.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1911 Census of Ireland, Cunard Records, UK Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index 1860 – 1955, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 377/7/85795, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 19th February 2024.