Tom Reuben Rowell was born in Sawtry, Huntingdonshire, England, in 1883, the son of William and Catherine Rowell (née Levies). His father was an engineer in a steam plant. After leaving school, Tom entered domestic service as a page.
In 1906, he immigrated to New York City in the United States of America, where he was employed as a valet by Mr. Patrick A. Valentine and his family at 8. East 69th
Street, Manhattan, New York City. Mr. Valentine was the president of Armour and Company, which began life as a meat packing company, but by the early 1900’s was dealing in animal by-products, such as glue, oil, fertilisers, etc.
On the 27th February 1910, he married Ethel Ann Powley in Manhattan, New York City. His wife was also an English immigrant and the couple returned to England on board the Mauritania on their honeymoon
By 1915, the couple lived at 245. East 30th Street, New York City. They had no children.
In April 1915, Tom Rowell booked a second cabin passage on the Lusitania from New York to Liverpool, perhaps to visit relatives in England. He joined the vessel at her berth in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915 and had his last glimpse of his adopted city as the liner began her final voyage from there, just after mid-day. She was scheduled to leave the port at 10.00 a.m., but her departure was delayed while she loaded passengers, cargo and some of the crew from the Anchor Lines ship the S.S. Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty as a troop ship at the end of April.
Thomas Rowell’s life ended six days later on the afternoon of 7th May after the Cunarder was torpedoed and sunk within sight of the Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland by the German submarine U-20 - only hours away from her ultimate destination.
His body was never recovered and identified afterwards and as a result, he has no known grave. He was aged 31 years.
Administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Ethel, at London on 23rd September 1915 and his effects amounted to £116-12s-0d., (£116.60p.).
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, New York U.S. Extracted Marriage Index 1866 – 1937, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, UK Incoming Passenger Lists 1878 – 1960, Cunard Records, Probate Records, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/66, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.