McDermott, Dr. James Farrell

237 Dr. James Farrell McDermott, age 38. He was the Surgeon on the Lusitania and was the son of Charles William and Agnes Theresa (nee Ahern) McDermott, of 42, Radnor Drive, Wallasey, Cheshire. His parents had married 3 July 1876 at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Patrick in the City of Cork. He was born 19 July 1876 at Cork. His known brothers and sisters were Caroline Watham, b. 18 January 1878, Charles William, b. 18 January 1880 (d. 23 January 1880), Charles Stewart Parnett, b. 13 January 1881, and Martha Eleanor, b. 19 February 1884; all siblings were natives of Cork. In 1901, he lived at ”house 10” in Skahabeg North, Blackrock, Cork, with his family. He was 23 years of age and was described as an ‘Undergraduate Royal University and Medical Student.’ His father Charles W., 58, was noted as an examiner of Masters and Mates and a Superintendent of the Board of Trade; he was a native of New Brunswick, Canada. His mother Agnes was 50 and was a native of City Cork. His brother Charles Stewart Parnett also was an Undergraduate Royal University and Medical Student. Also present in the household was Timothy J. Ahern, a provision merchant aged 46, who was Charles McDermott’s brother-in-law. They also had a ‘General Domestic Servant’ living with the family; Norah Lordan, 21. All family members were able to read and write but they were not proficient in the Irish language. From 1908 to 1910, he was serving as a member of the crew on the Ivernia and on the Saxonia. In 1911, his family lived in Liscard, Cheshire, England. Dr. McDermott’s last known address was 42 Radnor Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England. He was mentioned as a junior surgeon in the Cunard Line and was sent to the Lusitania to take the place of Dr. James Pointon, senior surgeon in the Cunard Line, who was the regular surgeon on the Lusitania, who was ill with rheumatism. His remains were recovered and identified (No. 200) and he was buried at Cobh Old Church Cemetery on May 17 in a Private Grave, Row 15, No. 4. In his will, he left £1169 16s 9d to his father (?) Charles William McDermott, who was described as a retired civil engineer. The material presented on this page has been researched by Peter Engberg-Klarström. Copyright 2017 Peter Engberg-Klarström. Feel free to use the research, but please refer to my research if used in publications or if published or posted on other pages on the Internet.