People on board

POMFRET, Alexander

Alexander Pomfret was born on the 26th of January 1887 in Blackburn, Lancashire to James Pomfret and Elizabeth Jane Sharples. He was the eldest of their four children, one of whom died in infancy. When Alexander was born James’s occupation was Blacksmith but when the third child was born in January 1890 he was a School Attendance Officer. In the census of 1891 he had moved on to being a Police Constable. In the 1901 census both Alexander, aged fourteen, and his twelve year old sister Bertha were Cotton Weavers.

In 1908 Alexander married Florence Eliza Layfield and they had three children, James in 1908, Ruth in 1911 and Elsie in 1914. In the 1911 census they were living in 24 Bedford Street while his parents, and their youngest son Edward, were living in Number 28. Alexander gave his occupation as ‘Locomotive Coal Filler’ with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway while Florence was a ‘Cotton Winder’. His seventeen year old brother Edward was a ‘Coal Merchant Dealer’.

Alexander Pomfret enlisted in the Liverpool Regiment in November 1915, Service Number 29414. He served at the front, and was awarded the Victory, British and Star medals. It is not known when he transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment but in October 1918 he was with the 1/6th Battalion which had moved to Ireland in early 1918. Returning to England he travelled on RMS Leinster on the 10th. He did not survive the sinking but his body was recovered and he was buried in Grangegorman Military Cemetery in Dublin.