Lieutenant Robert Matthews

Lieutenant (Army).

Son of Thomas Matthews and Mary Matthews (nee Heap); husband of Martha Ellen Matthews (nee Dunham) married 1901

Lieutenant Robert Matthews, 34, was a British citizen (Note - in 1915 Canadians and English were equally British Subjects) and militia lieutenant living in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was traveling aboard Lusitania with his mistress, Annie. Both Robert and Annie were lost in the Lusitania sinking. Contrary to some allegations, Matthews was not the leader of a troop contingent aboard Lusitania, nor were he and Annie transfers from the requisitioned Cameronia.

Robert Matthews was born in England, the son of Thomas Matthews. Robert was the eldest of seven brothers. The family had lived in Lancashire for several generations. Robert left England for Canada in 1904. He brought over his brothers to join him in business, and they started a variety of businesses. Robert ran a labor bureau, and married a woman named Martha Ellen. Robert and Martha had two daughters, and they lived at 541, 12th Street A, North, Lethbridge, Alberta. (Note - 1911 census shows him as a farmer)

Matthews was given a commission as a militia lieutenant of the 60th Rifles of Canada headquartered at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1913. His home life was unhappy and in 1914 Lieutenant Robert Matthews left his family, his labour bureau, and his commission as a militia Lieutenant in the 60th Rifles Of Canada and spent that winter in a northern Manitoba farm with a woman who is known to history only as Annie.

After unsuccessfully trying to secure a commission in the 46th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, Matthews decided to sail to England aboard Lusitania with Annie. Matthew's mission may have been to enlist while in England, or to try to seek a new life in the home country with Annie. Matthews is registered as being from Winnipeg, Manitoba, perhaps considering the city to be a "better address" than Moose Jaw (Bailey/Ryan, 112). Annie was registered as his wife, which she was still not.

Beginning with Colin Simpson, many researchers have made the mistake of naming Robert and Annie Matthews as Cameronia transfers. Simpson says that Matthews and the Palmer family were transfers from the Queen Margaret when the Queen Margaret was a cargo ship and not a passenger liner. As the transfer from the Queen Margaret never happened, subsequent researchers have made the mistake of naming the Matthewses and the Palmers as Cameronia transfers, which was requisitioned the morning the Lusitania sailed. Robert and Annie had always intended tos. be Lusitania passenger

Aboard the Lusitania, Annie won the second place prize for the potato race on the afternoon of 4 May. She was awarded a badge which she then gave to Robert.

Both Robert and Annie died in the sinking of the Lusitania. Robert's body was recovered by the Heron, and was body #1 recovered by Kinsale. Inside his pocket was Annie's badge. His body was then requested by the military and buried in Cork on 10 May.

In Simpson, Matthews is erroneously listed as being from the 6th Winnipeg Rifles. The Winnipeg Rifles were actually a part of the 90th Regiment. Much has also been made for the case that Matthews was part of a contingent of Canadian troops transferred from the Cameronia, but a look at the Cameronia transfer list shows mostly couples and families, not organized troops. Furthermore, Simpson makes the claim that the badge found on Robert's body was a military badge, which it was not, as it was Annie's prize badge for the potato race."Mrs. Robert Matthews" (Annie)

Annie, whose true identity remains unknown, was the mistress of Lieutenant Robert Matthews, not his wife. The real Mrs. Matthews, Martha Ellen, was in Canada with her and Robert's two daughters and did not sail on Lusitania. Both Annie and Robert were lost in the Lusitania sinking.

Not much is known about Annie, whose real last name and background has been lost to history. Annie and Robert may have been sailing to England aboardLusitania either to enlist or to seek a new life in Robert's home country. Robert and Annie were registered on the passenger list as being from Winnipeg, Manitoba, perhaps considering the city to be a "better address" than Robert's hometown of Moose Jaw (Bailey/Ryan, 112). Annie was registered as his wife, which she was still not, as the actual Mrs. Matthews was at home with the kids Robert had left.(The Lusitania Resource - online)

Another reference

The body of Robert Matthews, of Moose Jaw, was picked up off the coast of Ireland one day last week. Mr. Matthews was one of the victims of the Lusitania disaster. He was a cousin of J. W. Pollard of this town. Matthews leaves a wife and two daughters in Moose Jaw. He was on his way to London to take a commission. His remains were interred at Kinsale (Note - maybe not) with military honours. (Redcliff Review, July 30, 1915, Page 4)

Another

Saskatchewan Residents Ask Indemnity From Germany For Losses

... Mrs. Martha Ellen Matthews of 19 Utopia Block, Moose Jaw, also claims $49,000 for the loss of her husband on the Lusitania. (Stony Plain Sun, August 13, 1925, Page 6)