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National Museums Liverpool Blog - Remembering the Lusitania

 Thursday, May 01, 2008

Remembering the Lusitania


Thursday 01 May 08

On this day in 1915 the Lusitania left New York on what would be her last voyage across the Atlantic. As the liner approached southern Ireland on 7 May 1915 she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20. She sank in under twenty minutes with the loss of 1,201 of the 1,962 people on board.

To commemorate the tragedy the Merseyside Maritime Museum have added a lifebuoy (or ring lifebelt) from the liner to the displays in the Titanic, Lusitania  and the Forgotten Empress gallery.

The lifebuoy was found by the skipper of a fishing boat from Kinsale who helped to rescue Lusitania survivors. He gave it to a visiting fish merchant, Arthur Miller, who displayed it in his office. It is now on long term loan to Merseyside Maritime Museum courtesy of Arthur Miller's grandson Dr Arthur Neiland.

There will be an act of remembrance for those lost in the sinking of the Lusitania led by the Rev Steven Brookes, Rector of Liverpool, on the 93rd anniversary of the tragedy. Everyone is welcome to the event, which will take place at 1.30pm Wednesday 7 May on the quayside outside the Piermaster's House - see this handy city centre map for the location.

Update: please note that the remembrance event will now be led by Father Robert Mackley.

detail of lifebuoy with faded text 'SS Lusitania'

Posted by Sam | 01/05/2008 13:52   | Comments [0]

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