William Alfred Horncastle was stated to have been born in Forest Gate, London, England, in 1885, the son of William and Mary Ann Horncastle, although no record of his birth can be found.
On leaving school, William worked as a general and dock labourer.
He was married to Elizabeth Sheldrake in London in 1904, and in 1915, they lived at 39, Ocean Street, Stepney, London. It is possible that he had been married, and widowed, in the mid-1890’s.
He became a professional merchant seaman and was engaged as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania at New York, on the 30th April 1915, just in time for her fateful voyage home. His monthly rate of pay was £6.
He was killed when the ship was sunk, and his body was not recovered and identified afterwards. As a consequence, he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Tower Hill, London.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission records show his rank as fireman, but several Cunard sources show it to have been that of trimmer. By the time that the Tower Hill Memorial register was compiled in the 1920s, his widow had moved to 79, Moody Street, Bancroft, Mile End, London.
In keeping with all crew members, Cunard paid William Horncastle up until the 8th May, 24 hours after the sinking and eventually, the balance of wages owing to him was forwarded to his widow Elizabeth. The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited also granted a yearly pension to Elizabeth Horncastle to compensate her for the loss of her husband which amounted to £76-0s.-4d. (£76.01½p.) which was payable at the rate of £6-6s.-9d. (£6.33½p.) per month.
Elizabeth Horncastle was pregnant at the time of her husband’s death and subsequently gave birth to a daughter whom she named .... Lusitania! She was their sixth child.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, London England School Admissions and Discharges 1840 – 1911, 1881 Census of England, 1891 Census of England, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, UniLiv D92/2/451, UniLiv. D92/6/1,UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 334, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 13th January 2024.