Owen Ladd was born in St. Dogmaels, Pembrokeshire, Wales, in 1882, the son of William and Phoebe Ladd (née Davies), of The Mount, Eglwyswrw, Pembrokeshire. His father was a farmer, and Owen was one of ten children.
On completion of his education, he became a watchmaker’s apprentice, and by 1911, he was the manager of a jewellers shop. Then, in October 1911, he immigrated to Canada, hoping to make his fortune. He settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he lived at 218, Carlton Street.
In the spring of 1915, he decided to permanently return to his home in Wales to live with his aging parents. He booked as a second cabin passenger on the Lusitania's sailing from New York to Liverpool, departing on Saturday, the 1st May.
Having travelled by rail from Winnipeg to New York City, he was in time to join the vessel at the Cunard berth in New York harbour; however, her departure was delayed because the Lusitania had to take on board passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for use as a troop ship.
Then, six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20 off the southern coast of Ireland and only hours away from her Liverpool destination. Owen Ladd was killed after the liner was torpedoed.
His body was never recovered and identified afterwards and as a result, he has no known grave. He was aged 33 years.
When his will was proven at London on 26th August 1915, administration was granted to his father William and his effects amounted to £116-12s-0d, (£116.60p).
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, Canadian Passenger Lists 1865 – 1935, Cunard Records, Pembroke County Guardian, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/313, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.