Nellie Huston was born in Seacombe, Cheshire, England, on the 29th April 1883, the daughter of William Flowers and Susan Huston, (née Cooper), of 5, Rivington Road, Egremont, Wallasey, Cheshire, England. She was the youngest of three children, having an older brother and sister.
Her father was an assessment surveyor for the local authority and Miss Huston had been a devoted worker in the local parish church area and district of Seacombe, and was apparently greatly beloved by those who knew her.
In June 1914, just before the outbreak of war, she had left Wallasey for the home of her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Edward F. Huston, who lived at 7225, Evans Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, in the United States of America. In the spring of 1915, she decided to return home and consequently, booked as a second cabin passenger on the Lusitania, joining the vessel at her berth at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York port on the morning of 1st May 1915. The liner did not then leave until 12.27 p.m., because she had to wait to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Lines vessel
Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for war service as a troop ship at the end of April.
Six days out of New York on the afternoon of 7th May, and within sight of the coast of southern Ireland, the
Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20. At that time, she was only about 250 miles away from her Liverpool destination and Nellie Huston‘s home. Miss Huston was killed as a result of this action, however, and never saw her home again. She was aged 31 years. As her body was never recovered and identified afterwards, she has no known grave.
The Wallasey and Wirral Chronicle for Saturday 15th May 1915 said of her: -
Miss Huston had been staying in America with relatives since June of last year and had, we understand, deferred her return home on account of the war perils of the long sea voyage. Unhappily, she selected for that purpose, the luckless Lusitania.
Miss Huston was a most estimable young lady and the sympathy of all will go out to her bereaved parents in the grievous blow which has befallen them.
Although she has no known grave, she is commemorated on the family headstone in Rake Lane Cemetery, Wallasey, Merseyside. The relevant inscription states: -
AND OF NELLIE, .....
WHO LOST HER LIFE
ON THE S.S. “LUSITANIA” 7TH MAY 1915.
She is also commemorated on a plaque inside the Parish Church of St. Paul, Seacombe, where she worshipped and worked for others.
This is made of brass, on a polished wooden base, and has the inscription: -
In Loving Memory
of
Nellie
DAUGHTER OF
W.F and S. Huston.
Who lost her Life in the
S.S. “LUSITANIA”
Torpedoed by a German Submarine.
MAY 7TH 1915
Her father died in May 1927, aged 78 years, and her mother in February 1940, aged 84 years.
On 20th July 1915, a very badly decomposed female body was washed up at Ross, Carrigaholt, County Clare, on the west side of Ireland. Both legs, both arms, and the breast bones were completely missing, as were two of the front teeth. A corset was recovered with the body, which had the initials N.H. hand marked on it in ink. The remains were buried in Kiltrillig Graveyard on 21st July 1915. As there was no other female on board the
Lusitania with the initials N.H., it is possible, that these remains were those of Nellie Huston.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, UK Outward Passenger Lists 1890 – 1960, Massachusetts Passenger Lists 1820 – 1963, Cunard Records, Birkenhead News, New York Times, Wallasey News, Wallasey and Wirral Chronicle, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/503, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.