Thomas McAleavey was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 13th January 1895, the son of Hugh and Mary McAleavey (née Hughes). His father worked as a fireman on steam ships in the British Mercantile Marine, and Thomas was the youngest of five known children in the family.
After leaving school, Thomas followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a fireman on steam ships in the Mercantile Marine.
He signed on as a fireman in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania, at Liverpool, on the morning of the 17th April 1915, just before the liner left the River Mersey for the last time. It was not his first voyage on the Cunarder, and as a fireman, his monthly rate of pay was £6-10s.-0d. (£6.50p.).
He survived the sinking just over three weeks later when the liner was on her return journey from New York, but he was in the water for some considerable time, before he was picked up, during which period his arm was severely cut open by a piece of floating wreckage.
After his landing at Queenstown and his eventual return to Liverpool, he was eventually paid the balance of wages owing to him, which amounted to £4-14s.-0d. (£4.70p.), which was also calculated up to and including the 8th May, 24 hours after the sinking.
He continued to serve in the Mercantile Marine for many years,
Thomas married Elizabeth Sharkey in Liverpool on the 29th April 1923, and they lived at 13, Rimrose Road, Bootle, Lancashire, with their six children, later moving to 8, Newport Street, Liverpool.
He died on the 17th August 1969 at Whiston Hospital, Liverpool, aged 74 years. He was buried in grave JL 614 at Ford Cemetery on the 21st August 1969.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Catholic Baptisms 1741 – 1919, Liverpool England Catholic Burials 1813 – 1985, 1901 Census of England, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, Cunard Records, Liverpool Echo, PR0 BT 100/345, PRO BT 348, PRO BT 350, PRO BT 351/1/90379, Graham Maddocks, Richard McAleavey, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 31st October 2024.