Samuel Henry German was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 28th January 1886, the son of Samuel Mutch and Josephine Louisa German (née Sweet). He had a younger brother, Charles Harold, who was born in May 1887 and died in November 1888. In 1889, when Samuel was aged 3 years, his mother died, aged 26 years, leaving his father, who worked as a boiler maker, to raise him alone.
His father later worked as a gas fitter, and when he became of age to leave school, Samuel became a baker’s errand boy. Then, in 1907, he joined the Mercantile Marine as a waiter and steward on passenger ships. His first position was as an assistant steward on the Alfred Booth & Company steamer, Augustine.
In 1906, he married Sarah Condell in Liverpool and they lived at 35, Solon Street, Liverpool, Lancashire. They had four children.
He served as an assistant pantry steward in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania, and he was killed when she was sunk.
As his body was never recovered and identified after the disaster, he is commemorated on one of the bronze panels on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 29 years.
The records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission show his rank to have been that of waiter, but the crew list compiled by Cunard at the time of the ship's last voyage show him to have been an assistant pantry steward, whilst records held at the Probate Office state that his job was that of ship's stevedore.
When his will was proven on the 13th July 1915, administration was granted to his widow and his effects amounted to £81-3s.-7d. (£81.18p).
In August 1915, Samuel German was officially discharged from the last voyage of the Lusitania and his widow was paid the balance of wages owed to him, in respect of his service on board the Lusitania from the 17th April 1915, until the 8th May, 24 hours after the vessel had gone down! In addition, The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted an annual pension to Sarah German to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £57-11s.-3d. (£57.56p.), payable at the rate of £4-16s.-0d. (£4.80p.) per month.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Liverpool England Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, Cunard Records Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Probate Records, UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 334, PRO BT 351/1/50319, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, David Irving, Robert O'Brien, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 1st December 2023.