Robert John Morse was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 26th October 1874, the son of Robert and Mary Louisa Morse (née Corlett). His father was a ship’s steward in the British Mercantile Marine, and Robert was the only child in the family, although he had an older step-brother, named Edward Swift, from his mother’s first marriage to a man named Edward Matthew Swift.
The family home was at 6. Vronhill Street, Liverpool. Nothing is known about Robert’s childhood, except that his mother died in 1882, aged 39 years.
On completing his education, Robert followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the British Mercantile Marine as a waiter and steward on passenger ships.
On the 14th April 1901, Robert married Margaret Louisa Huddart in Birkenhead, Cheshire, and the couple lived at 94, Highfield Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, Cheshire, with their five children. They later lived at Park Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead.
Robert Morse had served as a first class bedroom steward in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania, on a number of occasions before her final voyage. He engaged on her on the 13th April 1915, in a similar capacity, at a monthly wage of £4-5s.-0d. (
the time, was to be her last ever voyage out of the River Mersey
His particular responsibility was for saloon rooms B1, B3, B5, B7, B9, B11, B15, B17 and B21 and all the passengers in those rooms.
When the liner was torpedoed and sunk, he was able to survive, and after being rescued from the sea, he was landed at Queenstown, from where he eventually made it back to Rock Ferry.
On his return, he went across to Cunard’s offices in Water Street, Liverpool, to receive his official discharge from the Lusitania’s final voyage. At the same time, he received £4-9s.-6d. (£4.47½p.), which was the balance of wages owing to him in respect of his sea service from the 17th April 1915 to the 8th May, 24 hours after the steamer had gone down.
Robert Morse continued to serve as a steward in the Mercantile Marine for many years after surviving the sinking of the Lusitania, primarily as a night steward.
Robert Morse died in the Wirral, Cheshire, on the 18th November 1946, aged 72 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1939, 1881 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 348, 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 – 17th January 2025.