Edgar Edwin Baldwin was born in Seacombe, Wallasey, Cheshire, England, on the 31st January 1878, the son of George Jessie and Mary Ann Baldwin (née McGuire).
His father was an upholsterer, who died while Edgar was quite young. Following his death, Edgar’s mother opened a tobacconist’s shop in Liscard, Wallasey. On completion of his education, Edgar became a pork butcher before turning to a life as a mariner and became a professional seaman in the Mercantile Marine.
In 1905, Edgar married Ellen “Nellie” Scott in Liverpool, and in 1915, their home was at 94, Cranborne Road, Seacombe. Edgar and his wife had no children.
On the morning of the 17th April 1915 - the day that the Lusitania left Liverpool for the last time - he engaged as a first class waiter in the Stewards' Department at Pier Head Liverpool, at a monthly rate of pay of £4-5s-0d., (£4.25p.), before the liner left the River Mersey for the last time, bound for the United States of America. His previous ship had been the Lusitania’s sister ship, the Mauretania.
Having arrived safely at New York on the 24th April he was also on board when the liner began her return voyage to Liverpool, just after mid-day on the 1st May 1915. Six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, he was able to survive the liner’s sinking by the German submarine U-20, although nearly 52 per cent of the waiters on board were killed. At this stage of the Lusitania's voyage, she was within sight of the coast of southern Ireland and only about fourteen hours steaming time away from the safety of her home port.
Having been rescued from the sea, he was landed at Queenstown from where he eventfully made it back to Liverpool. There, he was officially paid off from the liner’s final voyage and given the back pay owed to him, which amounted to £4-9s-6d., (£4.47½p.). This was in respect of his service from the 17th April until the 8th May 1915 - 24 hours after the liner had foundered.
Edgar Baldwin continued to serve as a steward with the Cunard Steam Ship Company Limited for a number of years until he eventually ‘swallowed the anchor’ and became a shopkeeper and tobacconist in Liverpool. He and his wife were residing at 143. Queens Drive, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, when his wife died on the 13th December 1938.
Following his wife’s death, he lived with one of his sisters at 47. Penny Lane, Wavertree, Liverpool.
Edgar Baldwin died in a Liverpool hospital on the 13th February 1945, aged 67 years, and was buried in Yew Tree Cemetery beside his wife.
Administration of his estate was granted to William Scott, described as a tobacconist, on the 20th June 1945 at Liverpool and his effects amounted to £2,758-3s-4d, (£2,758.16p).
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Burials 1813 – 1985, 1881 Census of England, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, Cunard Records, UK World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards 1914 – 1923, Liverpool Echo, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, Graham Maddocks, Lawrence Evans, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 7th December 2022.