David Alfred Thomas and the Lusitania – part 1

David Alfred Thomas (1856–1918), 59, (right) was a British Member of Parliament travelling aboard Lusitania with his daughter Margaret Mackworth and his secretary Arnold Rhys-Evans.  On board, they also became friends with Dr. Howard Fisher and his sister-in-law, Dorothy Conner, who were travelling to France to work in the field hospitals.  Father and daughter were separated during the sinking, but both survived, as did Fisher and Conner.

Family and background

David Alfred Thomas was born in Ysgyborwen, Glamorgan, Wales on 26 March 1856 as the son of Welsh coal magnate Samuel Thomas of Aberdare.  He was educated at Caius College, Cambridge, and returned to Wales to become the senior partner in the Cardiff-based Thomas and Davey.  This company owned several collieries in the Rhondda Valley.  Despite being born into wealth and privilege, D. A.’s needs were simple.  A Labour politician had even commented, “There goes Thomas — with the income of a duke and the tastes of a peasant.”

Subsequently, D. A. Thomas married Sybil Haig on 27 June 1882.  Their only child, Margaret Haig Thomas, later Lady Humphrey Mackworth and even later Viscountess Rhondda, was born in 1883.  D. A. educated his daughter in matters of business and she became a champion for women’s equality everywhere.  As D. A. would say of her daughter, “Margaret and I are not like father and daughter.  We’re buddies.”

Involvement in politics

D.A. Thomas was elected Member of Parliament (MP) as a Liberal for Merthyr Tydfil in 1888.  He subsequently became MP of Cardiff as well, and he held these positions until the 1910 General Election.  Although Thomas was reputedly an agnostic, he was a supporter of Nonconformity in his constituency.  He even laid the foundation stone of Soar Welsh Calvinistic Church, Cwmaman, and many others.

When the First World War broke, David Lloyd George sent D. A. Thomas to arrange the supply of munitions for the British armed forces.  In April of 1915, D. A. Thomas and his daughter Margaret, who was now her personal assistant and proxy, went to take a look at Thomas’ interests in the Pennsylvania coal mines.  He also was launching a new barge service on the Mississippi and planning extensions of Canada’s railroad system.  His secretary, Arnold Rhys-Evans, also came along.

Lusitania

To end their trip abroad, they had booked passage on the Lusitania.  His saloon cabin was the parlour suite B-86, B-88.  Aboard the Lusitania, D. A. Thomas and his daughter had befriended Dr. Howard Fisher and Nurse Dorothy Conner, Fisher’s sister-in-law.  Dorothy had often commented on the lack of excitement on the voyage and was often teased by D. A.  Margaret had also found the voyage rather dull, but as her father was having fun she decided to keep her mouth shut.

On the afternoon of 7 May, D. A., Margaret, Arnold, Dorothy, and Howard all sat down to lunch with the foghorn blaring.  Margaret remarked, “Home tomorrow!  Aren’t you pleased, father?”

“I would be more pleased, my dear,” D. A. remarked, “if I believed that wretched siren hasn’t given our whereabouts away.”

Margaret and D. A. left the saloon and left Howard and Dorothy to finish lunch by themselves.  The father and daughter stood waiting for the elevator with Frederick Tootal and Albert Byington.  D. A. then joked with his daughter, saying, “You know, Margaret, I think we might stay up on deck tonight.  Just to see if you get your thrill.”

Before Margaret could respond, they felt the torpedo rock the ship with “a dull thudding sound.”  They were already partially inside the elevator, but instinctively, they stepped back, a move that would save their lives.  D. A. ran over to a porthole to see what had happened; Margaret went upstairs to grab lifebelts, and they were separated.

Sometime later, D. A. tried to get back to his cabin, but he found the stairs to be too crowded.  A steward gave him an inflatable lifebelt, but it wouldn’t work.  He was finally able to get to his cabin and retrieve one from the wardrobe.  On deck, he saw the ship overwhelmed by “absolute confusion” and “an entire absence of discipline” among the crew.

Back outside, he saw that the water was almost level with the deck and a woman with a small child hesitating to get into a lifeboat.  D. A. shoved them both into the boat, #11, before he jumped in himself.  Oliver Bernard, also in the boat, was amused by the “rather worried and puzzled expression” on the Welshman’s face.  His secretary, Arnold Rhys-Evans, was also in #11, but had gotten in before D. A. did.  Being one of the last boats to leave, #11 was still close enough to the Lusitania when she foundered that they were in danger of being crushed by the funnels.

To be continued…..

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