John Rowe was born in 1895, the son of John and Mary Ann Rowe. The family home was at 23 Lincoln Street, Bootle, Liverpool, Lancashire.
He served as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania and he was killed when she was sunk. He was aged 20 years.
His body was not recovered and identified, so he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
In August 1915 John’s widowed mother was paid the balance of wages owing to him in respect of his service on the
Lusitania, which was reckoned to be from 17 April to 8 May, 24 hours after the liner had sunk. The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited also granted her an annual pension of £15-0s-2d (£15.01) payable at the rate of £1-1s-9d (£1.08½) per month. It is likely that she was in some way depend on her son’s earnings.
References
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Cunard Records, UniLiv. PR. 13/24, PRO BT 334.