Harry William Kinshott was born in Fareham, Hampshire, England, on the 7th December 1882, the son of George and Mary Ann Kinshott (née Whittington). He was one of the youngest of twelve children. His father was a Police Superintendent with the Hampshire Constabulary, and tragedy had befallen the family shortly before Harry’s birth when his twelve year old brother, Charles Henry, was accidently drowned in a local river. On completion of his education, Harry became a ship’s steward.
Harry was married to Daisy Jane Holyoak in Portsmouth in 1907, and their son, Cyril Walker Kinshott was born in 1909. Sometime after, Harry went to New Jersey in the United States of America to find work, and he resided at 239. Henderson Street, Jersey City. Daisy and Cyril followed him in June 1911.
By 1915, the Kinshott’s had moved back to England, residing at 8, York Street, Gosport, Hampshire, and Harry had returned to service in the Mercantile Marine.
He served as a waiter in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania and was killed when the ship was sunk.
His body was never found and identified afterwards and as a consequence, his name is embossed on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 33 years.
Cunard and Commonwealth War Graves Commission records show his name to be Henry William, but his birth and marriage records, and also census records clearly record his forename as Harry William.
By the time that the Tower Hill Memorial register had been compiled, his widow had moved to 3, Hampshire Street, Landport, Portsmouth, Hampshire, which was originally her parents’ home.
In August 1915, Daisy Kinshott was paid the balance of wages owing to her late husband in respect of his service on board the Lusitania, which was reckoned from the 17th April 1915, until the 8th May, 24 hours after the vessel had gone down! In addition, The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association Limited granted her a yearly pension to compensate her for the loss of her husband. This amounted to £45-7s.-1d. (£45.35½p.) which was payable at the rate of £3-15s.-8d. (£3.78½p.) per month.
Daisy Kinshott resided at her Hampshire Street home until her death in 1957.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1891 Census of England and Wales, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, UK Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services 1848 – 1939, UniLiv. 92/6/1, UniLiv. PR 13/24, PRO BT 334, PRO BT 351/1/77389, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 10th February 2024.