Anne “Annie” Lyons was born on the family farm at Clydagh, Ballinlough, County Roscommon, Ireland, on the 10th February 1889, the daughter of Michael and Bridget Lyons (née Flynn). She was unmarried and one of twelve children. The family later moved to Embla, Castleplunkett, County Roscommon.
In 1906, she had emigrated to the United States of America and settled in Newark, New Jersey, where she worked as a waitress, and then as a maid. She resided with her married sister, Mrs. Mary Walshe, and her family, at 52. 4th Street, in the city.
In November 1911, she had returned to Ireland to visit her family, and was due to return to the United States of America on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. She delayed her return to visit a friend, changing her plans to sail on the Celtic, which left Queenstown the day after the Titanic sailed from there.
In the spring of 1915, she decided to return to Ireland again to visit her family, and as a result, booked third class passage on the Lusitania for her journey home. She arrived in New York on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time to catch the liner's last ever sailing out of the port, which began just after mid-day.
She lost her life, just six days later, when the Lusitania was torpedoed, just hours from her destination at Liverpool and within sight of Anne Lyons native land. As her body was never found and identified afterwards, she has no known grave. She was aged 26 years.
Later in the year, her mother applied for help to The Lusitania Relief Fund, set up after the sinking by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other notable local people, to provide financial assistance for survivors and relatives of those killed.
The awards committee made Mrs. Lyons an initial grant of £3-0s-0d. and increased this later as it was believed that her only source of income after her daughter's death, was an old age pension! The Committee also forwarded to her the sum of £2-0s-0d. in December 1915 as a Christmas gift.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Liverpool Record Office, Newark Sunday Call, Roscommon Messenger, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/11, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.