John Henry Bland was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in 1873, the son of John and Harriet Bland (née Lotz). His father was the manager of a public house, and John was the eldest of six children in the family.
In December 1887, his father died, and as he was the eldest child, John Bland left school as soon as he was legally permitted to do so and found work to support his mother and siblings by joining the Mercantile Marine as a ship’s steward.
On the 6th August 1898, he married Ada Ellis in the Parish Church of St. Silas, Toxteth Park, Liverpool, and by 1911, they established their home at 5, Balkan Street, Dingle, Liverpool. The couple had four children.
He engaged on board the Lusitania, at New York on the 30th April 1915, as a waiter in the Stewards' Department, at a monthly rate of £4.5s.0d, (£4.25). It proved to be a tragic choice for him, as he was killed just one week later, when the ship was sunk. He was aged 42 years.
His body was not recovered and identified afterwards, and his name is embossed on
the Mercantile Marine War Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
Cunard records show his rank to be that of waiter, whilst those of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission show it as fireman. Cunard records, although more likely to show his correct rank, erroneously spell his name Blend.
The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted a yearly pension to Ada Bland to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £69-17s-7d. (£69.88p.) which was payable at the rate of £5-16s-6d. (£5.82½p.) per month.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages, and Banns 1754 – 1935, 1881 Census of England, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, UK Campaign Medals Awarded to World War I Merchant Seamen 1914 – 1925, UniLiv D92/6/1, UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 334, PRO BT 351/1/12058, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 15th December 2022.