Arthur Longdin was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, on the 14th September 1874, the son of Elisha and Martha Longdin (née Ford). His father’s profession was described as a ‘paviour’ – a person who worked on pavements and roads, and Arthur was one of eight children.
On the 1st January 1902, he married Matilda Hartley at St. John’s Church, Miles Platting, Manchester, and their home was originally at 17, Elm Street, Oldham Road, Manchester, which was Matilda’s family home. He was an engineer employed by Vickers Naval Construction Works in Barrow-on-Furness, and a member of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. The couple had no children.
In June 1913, he and his wife had boarded the Laurentic at Liverpool and immigrated to Canada and settled in Toronto, Ontario, where he probably carried on with his trade.
In the spring of 1915, however, the couple decided to return home, maybe because of the political situation in Europe and as a result, Arthur Longdin booked second cabin passage for them both across the Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, he and his wife left Toronto by rail at the end of April 1915 and made the journey to New York, arriving in time to board the Lusitania on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time for her last ever sailing out of that port, which began just after mid-day.
Six days later, he and his wife were both killed after the liner had been torpedoed, and as no trace of his body was ever recovered afterwards, he has no known grave. His wife's body was recovered from the sea, however, and was later buried in the town cemetery.
Administration of his estate was granted to his brother, William Longdin, inspector of highways, on 21st June 1915 and his effects amounted to £182-0s-0d.
In August 1915, Arthur Longdin's widowed mother in Manchester applied for help to The Lusitania Relief Fund, which had been set up after the sinking by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other notable local business people, to provide financial assistance for survivors and relatives of those second and third class passengers who had been killed.
The awards committee ruled that Mrs. Longdin was only partially dependant on her son's income, and consequently granted her only the once and for all sum of £10-0s-0d.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Manchester England Church of England Births and Baptisms 1813 – 1915, Manchester England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1930, 1881 Census of England & Wales, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, UK Outward Passenger Lists 1890 – 1960, Cunard Records, Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Record Office, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/136, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.