Thomas Comerford was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 27th November 1884, the son of John and Mary Comerford (née Martin). His father was a tailor and Thomas was the youngest of eight known children in the family. His mother died when he was very young, and his father died in 1897.
He was a professional steward in the British Mercantile Marine and was unmarried.
He served as a first class waiter in the Stewards' Department on board the final voyage of the Lusitania and was fortunate enough to survive the sinking. It was not until the afternoon of Monday, the 10th May, however, that a telegram arrived at the home of one of his relatives in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, to tell them that he was amongst the saved!
Other than this, nothing more is known about his life or his further service with the Mercantile Marine, except that he was still serving in 1918.
In the early 1920’s, Thomas Comerford gave up his life at sea and became a motor haulage contractor operating out of 31 - 33. Naylor Street, Liverpool.
Thomas Comerford died at 54. Glenavon Road, Birkenhead, Cheshire, on the 23rd May 1947, aged 62 years, and was buried in Landican Cemetery, Birkenhead, Cheshire. It seems likely he had no dependants or family as he left his estate of £8,591-12s.-0d. (£8,591.60p.) to Thomas Alphaeus Stanfield and Ralph Edwin Taylor, who were listed as accountants.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Baptisms 1741 – 1919, 1891 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1939 Register, Liverpool England Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, 1938 Kelly’s Directory of Liverpool and Suburbs, Liverpool Echo, Island at War, Mona's Herald, Probate Records, PRO BT 350, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 14th January 2023.