James Bennett Grant was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in 1878, the son of William and Isabella Grant (née Aird). His father was an engine fitter, and James was one of eight known children in the family.
He was a professional steward in the Mercantile Marine, serving on trans-Atlantic liners and married Mary Armour in Liverpool on the 7th August 1909. They lived at 17, Douglas Road, West Derby, Liverpool. The couple had two children, a daughter named Catherine Armour, born in 1910, and a son named James Armour, born in 1913.
He engaged as a first class bedroom steward in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool on the 12th April 1915, at a monthly wage of £4-5s.-0d. (£4.25p.), and he joined the ship at 7 a.m. on the 17th April before she sailed away from Princes Landing Stage for the last time. His responsibility on board ship was for the saloon passengers in the eleven rooms even numbered B28 to B44.
He survived the sinking three weeks later and was landed at Queenstown having been rescued from the sea. When he finally got back to Liverpool, he was officially discharged from the liner's final voyage, by Cunard, and paid the balance of wages owing to him in respect of it. This amounted to £4-9s.-6d. (£4.47½p) and represented his service from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May; 24 hours after the Lusitania had gone down.
He was also called to give evidence, along with Chief Steward Frederick Jones, at an inquest held on the 18th May, by the Liverpool City Coroner, to investigate the death of fellow Lusitania survivor, Night Watchman Charles Knight. Knight had been injured by floating wreckage whilst in the water after the liner had sunk and had died ten days
later from his injuries.
At the inquest, the Chief Steward spoke first and then James Grant was called to tell of his experiences, which were reported the same day, in the local newspaper The Liverpool Echo. The report stated: -
James Bennet (sic.) Grant, first class bedroom steward, said he, too, was on 'B' deck when the torpedo struck. He collected some lifebelts and went to his own boat, No.4 on the port side, but he found that owing to the list, the port boats were swinging in.
He crossed to the starboard side and helped lower two boats. There was no panic. When the Lusitania sank, he dived without a belt as he had exhausted his stock, and giving his own belt to a passenger.
After swimming for twenty minutes he boarded a drifter and went back to help people in the water, deceased being among the number eventually rescued. Witness bound up the deceased's injured arm and next day, medical aid was provided.
The Coroner congratulated Bedroom Steward Grant on his escape and commended his courage.
The verdict of the inquest on the cause of death of Night Watchman Knight was: -
Injuries owing to the torpedoing of the Lusitania by a German submarine.
James Grant didn’t live long after surviving the sinking of the Lusitania, dying in West Derby, Liverpool, on the 15th February 1917, aged 38 years. On the 30th March 1917, administration of his estate was granted to his widow Mary, and his effects amounted to £308-19s.-4d. (£308.96½p.).
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages, and Banns 1754 – 1935, England & Scotland Select Cemetery Registers 1800 – 2022, 1881 Census of England, 1891 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Liverpool England Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, Cunard Records, Liverpool Echo, Liverpool Inquest Register 1915-1918, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 14th December 2023.