Samuel Tyler was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 18th October 1886, the oldest son of Samuel and Catherine Tyler (née McAllister). His father was a mariner and the family home was at Liffey Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, Lancashire.
In May 1909, he went to work in the United States of America and settled at Whitehall, New York, residing with an aunt, and finding work as a machinist with a railway company.
Then, in the spring of 1915, perhaps because of the war, raging in Europe, he decided to return home and as a consequence, he booked himself a third class ticket on the Lusitania and joined her before she left Pier 54 at New York at mid-day on 1st May 1915.
When she was sunk, exactly six days later, he was one of those who were killed.
As no trace of him was ever found and identified afterwards, he has no known grave. He was aged 28 years.
Not long after the sinking, his mother applied to The Lusitania Relief Fund, for financial help. This fund had been set up immediately after the liner had gone down, by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other local business dignitaries to help second and third class passenger survivors and the relatives of those who had perished, who had come upon hard times as a result of the sinking. It was thought that saloon class passengers were wealthy enough not to need help and each claim was met on its merits.
The awards committee declined to make a grant on this application, however, as it decided that there was no proof of dependency.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Lancashire England Church of England Births and Baptisms 1813 – 1911, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Liverpool Echo, Liverpool Records Office, PRO BT 100/345, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.