William Muirhead was born in Liberton, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, on the 21st August 1891, the son of James and Annie Muirhead (née Fitzpatrick). His father worked in a glass bottle factory, and he was one of at least eight children.
In August 1906, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Royal Scots Regiment of the British Army, however, he was discharged after 27 days, the reason given being that he was an invalid, but it was more likely his true age was discovered. He enlisted again in October 1907, this time choosing the Cameron Highlanders, but he was again discharged, this time after 30 days, when his true age was discovered.
He worked at various times as a labourer and grocer’s assistant, before becoming a coal miner. It would appear that he travelled to Syracuse, New York, in the United States of America in 1910, but returned home the following year.
On the 25th August 1913, he married a woman named Margaret Wakelin in Edinburgh. They had three children – Margaret Agnus, born in 1914, James Patrick, born in 1916, and Jeanie Brown, born in 1919. It would appear that Margaret had two children – John, born in 1907, and Annie, born in 1909, suggesting that she was a widow when she married William Muirhead. In 1915, the family resided at 55. St. Mary’s Street, Edinburgh.
On the 13th June 1914, he boarded the Caledonia in Glasgow, and on arriving in New York City a week later, he went to the home of his brother John Muirhead, and his family, at 409. South West Street, Syracuse, New York. He also had a brother, Alexander, living in Syracuse.
In the spring of 1915, however, intent on enlisting in the British Army again, he decided to return home and as a consequence booked himself as a third class passenger on the Lusitania. He joined her at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York port, on the morning of 1st May 1915. William Muirhead was travelling in the company of a number of young men returning to Great Britain to enlist; among them were Thomas Dhenin, who was accompanied by his family, Alex McCallum, Arthur Shepperson, and Herbert K. Johnson.
She was supposed to leave at 10 o’clock, but did not actually slip her moorings until 12.27 p.m., because she had to take on board passengers, crew and cargo from Anchor Liner Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for use as a troop ship at the end of the previous month.
Then, six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20 off the southern coast of Ireland and only hours away from her Liverpool destination. William Muirhead was lucky enough to be counted amongst the survivors and after having been rescued from the sea and landed at Queenstown, he was able to cable his father in Mentone Avenue, Portobello, Edinburgh, to say that he was safe, before eventually making it back to Scotland.
Thomas Dhenin also survived, but lost his entire family as a result of the sinking. Arthur Shepperson and Herbert K. Johnson also survived, but Alex McCallum was lost.
William Muirhead suffered an injury to a leg and one of his thumbs as a result of the sinking, but having recovered, he enlisted as 14064 Private William Muirhead of the Gordon Highlanders. He survived the War, despite being wounded in October and November 1916. During the War, he transferred for a time to the North Staffordshire Regiment, and ended the War serving with the 2nd Dragoons. When he was being demobilised in April 1921, he re-enlisted in the 2nd Dragoons, who were part of the Royal Tank Corps, for a further four years, however, he was listed as a deserter on three occasions, until July 1921, from when nothing more is known about him.
Scotland Select Births and Christenings 1564 – 1950, 1901 Census of Scotland, UK Outward Passenger Lists 1890 – 1960, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Royal Tank Corps 1919 – 1946, Dundee Advertiser, Dundee Evening Advertiser, Syracuse Herald, The Scotsman, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/50, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.