David Critchley was born in Bootle, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 9th August 1884, the son of David and Anne Jane Critchley (née Pierpoint). His father was a coal merchant, and David was the eldest son, and the second eldest of six children in the family.
On completing his education, David Critchley became a professional seaman when he joined the Mercantile Marine as a waiter on passenger liners for the Cunard Steam Ship Company.
He married Florence Maria Mainman in St. Leonard’s Church, Bootle, Liverpool, on the 28th August 1909, and in 1915, they lived at 63, Linacre Lane, Bootle, Liverpool, with their son, Henry David, who was born in 1912. David Critchley was an active freemason and a member of Liverpool Antient Briton Lodge No. 1675.
On the 12th April 1915, at Liverpool, he engaged as a first class bedroom steward in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania, at a monthly wage of £4-5s.-0d. (£4.25p.). He then reported for duty on the morning of the 17th April for what would be her last ever departure from the River Mersey, and having crossed the Atlantic
Ocean without mishap, she arrived at her New York destination on the 24th April. It was not Steward Critchley’s first voyage on the Cunarder.
The Lusitania left New York again on the early afternoon of the 1st May 1915, for her return voyage to Liverpool. David Critchley had personal responsibility for rooms E56 to E64, even numbers only and room E74. These contained saloon passengers Clinton P. Bernard, Oscar F. Grab, Jacobæus A. Sigurd, George Ley Vernon, Frederick W. Hawkins, Doctor James T. Houghton, and Mrs. Alexis Osborne, respectively. The vessel never reached her destination; however, for on the afternoon of the 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine. U-20, off the Old Head of Kinsale, only about twelve to fourteen hours away from the safety of home. David Critchley was killed as a result of this action. He was aged 30 years.
As his body was never recovered and identified, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial to the Missing at Tower Hill, in London. Despite his Masonic connections, however, he is not commemorated on the Roll of Honour at the Masonic Hall in Hope Street, Liverpool, which is dedicated to all the Freemasons from the Liverpool district who were killed in the Great War, or the Roll of Honour for Grand Lodge in London.
On the 7th July 1915, administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Florence, and his effects amounted to £128-13s.-11d. (£128.70p). The following month, she was given the balance of wages due to him in respect of his service on board the Lusitania‘s last voyage. His service was reckoned to be from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May - 24 hours after she had been sunk. The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited also granted a yearly pension to Florence Critchley which amounted to £55-16s.-4d. (£55.81½p.), which was payable at the rate of £4-13s-1d. (£4.65½p.) per month.
On the 26th November 1915, Florence Critchley gave birth to a daughter, Muriel Florence Mainman Critchley, who would never know her father.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1935, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Probate Records, PRO BT 334, UniLiv. PR 13/24, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Cuthill, David Irving, Robert O'Brien, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated –24th January 2023.