Samuel Griffiths was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in the summer of 1863, the son of John and Margaret Griffiths (née Jones). His father was a labourer.
Nothing is known about his childhood or family; however, on completing his education he became a labourer, and later a carter.
He was married to Ann Jane Griffiths, (née Williams) on the 10th January 1886 in Liverpool, and in 1915, they lived at 95, Stanfield Road, Everton, Liverpool, with many of their ten children.
Samuel Griffiths became a professional merchant seaman, serving as a trimmer in the engine room on steam ships.
He engaged for what became the final trans-Atlantic voyage of the Lusitania at Liverpool, on the 12th April 1915, as a trimmer in the Engineering Department, at a monthly rate of pay of £6-0s.-0d. and left the Mersey for the last time on board the liner, on the morning of the 17th April. He had served on the Lusitania previously.
He did not survive her sinking, however, nor was his body ever recovered and identified afterwards. As a consequence, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 51years. The records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission erroneously state that he was residing at Starfield Road, whereas the correct address was Stanfield Road.
He is also commemorated on the family grave in Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool, the inscription on the headstone reading: -
In Loving Memory of
My Dear Husband
SAMUEL GRIFFITHS
WHO WAS TORPEDOED R.M.S. LUSITANIA
7TH MAY 1915, AGED 50 YEARS.
ASLEEP IN THE DEEP.
Although the top of the inscription, which is made up from lead letters, has been peeled away, the general condition of the headstone is good.
His widow Ann received the balance of wages owed to him for his service on board the liner in August 1915 and in common with all crew members, survived or perished, this was reckoned to be from the 17th April 1915 until the 8th May, 24 hours after the liner had gone down. In addition, The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted an annual pension to Ann Griffiths to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £53-10s.-3d. (£53.51p.), payable at the rate of £4-9s.-3d. (£4.46p.) per month.
Ann Griffiths died aged 82 years, in February 1948.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, Liverpool England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1935, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, Liverpool Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 334, UniLiv. PR 13/24, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, A. Burgess, Maurice Rigby, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 23rd December 2023.