James Christopher Clarke was born at 25. Lower Camden Street, Dublin, Ireland, which was his family home, on the 11th July 1889, the son of Patrick and Mary Ann Clarke (née Lawless). His father was a butcher who died in January 1906. James was one of at least six children in his family.
In 1915, he lived at 12, Kew Road, Birkdale, Lancashire, England, and was a professional steward in the Mercantile Marine.
He engaged as a second class waiter in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool on the 12th April 1915 and reported for duty five days later before the ship left Princes Landing stage at Liverpool, for the final time. His monthly rate of pay was £4-5s.-d. (£4.25p). He had served on the Lusitania before.
He survived the sinking, three weeks later and his experience was related in the Tuesday, 11th May edition of The Yorkshire Post: -
Clarke was on the upper deck, and seeing the torpedo coming, he dived right into the water, saying “This is my only chance.” After the explosion he clung to a piece of wood for hours before being picked up by a boat.
As it seems most unlikely that James Clarke would have dived overboard as soon as he had seen the torpedo, this would seem to be either an exaggerated account or fanciful reporting!
He told a similar story to a reporter of The Lancashire Daily Post which was also published on the 11th May and also added in this account that he had last seen fellow crew member Third Class Waiter George Brooks standing on the deck wearing a lifebelt. This had obviously not saved him, unless he had given it away, as Brooks was numbered amongst the lost!
When he eventually got back to Liverpool, James Clarke was officially paid off from the voyage and given the balance of wages owing to him. This amounted to £4-9s.-6d. (£4.47½p.). In keeping with all crew members from the ship, he was paid up to and including the 8th May, 24 hours after the vessel had sunk.
James Clarke continued to serve in the Mercantile Marine as a steward for many years following his ordeal. Among the vessels he served on were the Cunard vessel,
Aquitania, and the United States Lines flagship liner, Leviathan, formerly the S.S. Vaterland.
In the late 1920’s, James Clarke became a valet for Mr. William F. Kenny, 820. 5th Avenue, New York City, the president of the W. F. Kenny Construction Company. He was lodging at 161. West 105th Street, New York City, and in 1927, he applied to become a naturalized U.S. citizen; however, it does not appear that he completed the process.
On the 1st November 1932, he married Miss Victoria Creighton in Dunshaughlin, County Meath, Ireland, and it appears that they did not have any children. By 1939, the couple were living at 32. Cavendish Gardens, Clapham, London, and James Clarke was working as a self-employed caterer.
James Clarke died in Wandsworth, London, in January 1952, aged 62 years.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, 1939 Register, New York U.S. State and Federal Naturalization Records 1794 – 1943, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Lancashire Daily Post, Yorkshire Post, BT 100/345, PRO BT 349, PRO BT 350, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 8th January 2023.