Robert Norman was born in Corsham, Wiltshire, England, in 1875, the son of James and Elizabeth Norman (née Grisdale). His father was a coachman, in domestic service, and Robert was one of five known children.
On completing his education, Robert followed his father into domestic service, becoming a groom at Hartham Stables in Corsham, before emigrating to the United States of America in 1895. There, he became a butler and valet, and worked for a time for Perry Belmont, and his wife, Jessie. Mr. Belmont was a former lawyer, businessman, and politician, serving four terms as a congressman, representing the Democrats.
On the 12th March 1901, he married Eva Wilson at the Church of the Transfiguration, Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, and curiously, for some unknown reason, married her again in Lambeth Register Office, London, England on the 18th September 1902!
By 1906, Robert Norman was employed as a valet by the American banker, James Joseph Speyer, founder of Speyer & Co., and the House of Speyer, which was the third largest investment banking firm in the world, at its peak, in 1913.
While his wife is believed to have spent most of her time living in London, Robert Norman spent most of his time living in the Speyer home at 257. Madison Avenue, New York City, or making annual trips to Europe with his employer.
The couple had no children, and in 1912, 1913, and 1914, Eva Norman applied for a divorce from her husband, claiming he had committed adultery with a number of unnamed women, and was also guilty of deserting her. On each occasion, the Courts refused her application.
On the morning of 1st May, 1915, Robert Norman boarded the Lusitania at Pier 54, in New York harbour as a second cabin passenger and saw his adopted city for the last time as the vessel left the port, after a delayed start, just after mid-day! The delay was caused because she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty as a troop ship.
The Lusitania finally left port at 12.27 p.m., and six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20, within hours of her Liverpool destination and within sight of the coast of southern Ireland.
Robert Norman was killed as a result of this action and as no trace of his body was ever found, he has no known grave. He was aged 40 years.
There were two passenger victims of the sinking with the surname Norman, Robert Norman and third class passenger Jasper Norman, both British and both travelling from New York. There was also a crew member named A.W. Norman, who was a fireman on board, who survived.
When the list of survivors was first published in the press, the family of one of these must have clung onto the hope that Fireman A.W. Norman's name on this list was a misprint, for on 28th May 1915 a cable was received at the Cunard Head Office, from New York, which asked: -
"A.W. NORMAN SURVIVOR IS THIS ROBERT NORMAN SECOND CABIN OR JASPER NORMAN STEERAGE"
All hope must have been dashed, however, with the reply which was sent the following day: -
"YOURS TWENTY EIGHTH. A.W. NORMAN CORRECT. MEMBER OF CREW"
On 30th July 1915, administration of Robert Norman’s estate was granted to his widow, Eva, in London and his effects amounted to £819 -0s-0d., - a considerable amount for a butler in those years to have saved!
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, England Select Births and Christenings 1538 – 1975, New York U.S. Extracted Marriage Index 1866 – 1937, UK Civil Divorce Records 1858 – 1914, 1881 Census of England & Wales, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/73, Uniliv.PR13/6, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.