Laura Trueman was born in Cotmanhay, Derbyshire, England, on the 11th September 1860, the daughter of Abraham and Laura Trueman (née Smith). Her father was a coal miner, and Laura was the youngest of five children. Her mother died when she was an infant, possibly when giving birth to Laura.
She worked as a lace trimmer, and then, on the 2nd February 1884, she married Albert Martin in Cotmanhay. Her husband was a coal miner, and a widower with four young children. They lived in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and there were no children resulting from their marriage.
On 31st May 1914, she arrived in New York in the United States of America, from Liverpool, on board the Cunard Liner S.S. Carmania, with her husband, and then travelled to New Philadelphia, Ohio, where her husband’s sister was living.
Shortly after their arrival in New Philadelphia, Albert Martin was taken ill, and his health gradually deteriorated until he died on the 17th August 1914, at the home of his sister, Mrs. William Severn, 369. North Ninth Street, New Philadelphia, and his remains were buried in the East Avenue Cemetery in the city, two days later.
In the spring of 1915, Laura Martin decided to return home to Derbyshire, and consequently, booked a third cabin passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania which was due to leave New York for Liverpool on the morning of 1st May 1915.
Leaving New Philadelphia at the end of April she arrived at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour in time to board the vessel, (with ticket number 73715) for her 10.00 a.m. departure, which actually began at 12.27 p.m. because she had to wait to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner S.S. Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for war service as a troop ship.
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 home port.
Laura Martin was one of the lucky passengers who managed to survive the sinking and having been rescued from the sea and landed at Queenstown, she eventually made it back to her home. She was aged 54 years at the time of the sinking.
In the summer of 1915, she applied for financial assistance to The Lusitania Relief Fund, which had been set up after the disaster by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other worthy dignitaries, to help those survivors and relatives of the dead, who found themselves in difficulties as a result of the sinking. The committee administering the fund awarded her £5-0s-0d. to replace clothing she had lost in the sinking.
For the remainder of her days, Laura Martin resided at 25 Ashdale Road, Ilkeston, and she died on the 31st December 1940, aged 80 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Derbyshire England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1932, 1861 Census of England & Wales, 1871 Census of England & Wales, 1881 Census of England & Wales, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, 1939 Register, UK Outward Passenger Lists 1890 – 1960, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Liverpool Record Office, The Daily Times, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.