Mr. ALFRED RUSSELL
CLARKE, Saloon Class Passenger
image
credit: Paul Latimer/Halifax
Evening Mail, 11 May 1915.
Alfred Clarke, 55, owned A. R. Clarke and Co. which made leather
linings, vests, and moccasins. He was married and had a son and
daughter.
On the last voyage of the
Lusitania,
Clarke "was on the top deck about 2 o'clock on Friday afternoon when
[he] suddenly heard a crash and splinters flew around."
He tried to get down to his D deck cabin, but was couldn't at the
time because of all the people coming up the stairs. He watched
the crew ready the lifeboats and decided to try again for his
lifejacket in his cabin. Clarke finally made it and he found it
"utterly dark." When he closed the door, it was stuck due to the
angle of the ship. He finally escaped and made it back on deck.
he had failed to get a belt until a man gave him one on deck.
Clarke encountered a tablemate from the dining saloon and encouraged
him to get into one of the last lifeboats. The man refused and Clarke
jumped into one of the boats. No sooner did he do that, the ship went
down and he found himself in the water. He was picked up by a
collapsible that was helmed by
Charles
Lauriat.
Alfred Russell Clarke died in a hosptial in London, England on 20 June
1915.
Contributors:
Paul Latimer
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