John Herbertson Bernstone Hyman Moffatt was born in Carlisle, Cumbria, England, on the 4th September 1887, the son of William and Mary Jane Moffatt (née Rogerson). His father was an insurance agent and money lender, and John was one of three children.
His mother had previously been married to John Orwin, who had died in 1880, and had three children from this marriage, while it is suspected that his father was a bigamist, having deserted two wives before meeting John’s mother! It is not known how many, if any, children his father had from his earlier relationships.
John was a professional seaman, serving as a steward in the British Mercantile Marine on trans-Atlantic liners. By 1911, the family had moved to Liverpool, Lancashire, where they lived at 13. Fairburn Road, Old Swan, Liverpool.
He married Florence Ann Clark in Manhattan, New York, United States of America, on the 26th December 1914, and they lived at the family home at Fairburn Road.
He served as a first class waiter in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania and was killed when she was sunk. He was aged 27 years.
H
commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
Some time in the summer of 1917, a letter was received at the Cunard offices from 9462 Lance Corporal G. Halstead, of 'F' Company 5th O.T.R Battalion, writing from Hut 6, Prees Heath Training Camp in Shropshire. He wrote: -
"Sir,
I should be much obliged if you could inform me if R. Moffatt, purser's clerk was one of the saved from the R.M.S. Lusitania.
Thanking you in anticipation,
G. Halstead."
The reply sent to him on11th June 1917 simply stated: -
"Dear Sir,
We have your enquiry concerning R. Moffatt. We have made a search of our "LUSITANIA" Crew Records, but are unable to trace a Purser's Clerk of this name on board. There was, however, a John Moffatt, a 1st Class Waiter, and he, we regret to say, was lost.
Yours faithfully,
THE CUNARD STEAM SHIP COMPANY LTD:"
Presumably, Corporal Halstead's enquiry was about a different person.
When Steward Moffatt's will was proven on the 9th July 1915, administration was granted to his widow and his effects amounted to £607-7s.-7d. (£607.38p.). His father had died before him, on the 6th September 1914. The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted Florence Moffatt a yearly pension which amounted to £37-13s.-7d. (£37.68p.) which was payable at the rate of £9-13s.-5d. (£9.67p.) per quarter.
His older half-brother, Nicholas Orwin, also served on the final voyage of the Lusitania in the Stewards Department, as a Deck Steward, and was also killed when she was sunk. Like John Moffatt, his remains were not recovered or identified and as a result he is similarly commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, New York Extracted Marriage Index 1866 – 1937, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Probate Records, UniLiv. D92/7, UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 334, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Robert O'Brien, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 10th January 2025.