James's Story.
James was born in 1887 to James and Julia Lea.
His father was a baker and in the 1911 census they are found living at 39 Granville Street, with therir three sons, James, Alfred and John. They also had two servants.
By 1915 the family had moved to 84 Greenway Road
James was a regular member of the Sunday school at Brunswick.
He was married to Maud Lea (Deakin) in 1911, who was born in Manchester but moved to Runcorn with her family and was listed as a dress maker in 1911 census. They had a small daughter.
James worked at the Sprinch works were he served his apprenticeship before moving to work at Castner Kellner before pursuing a career as a Maritine engineer.
He served on the Kylerea as the 4th Engineer and was on the ship when she was wrecked off the French coast.
He then joined the Cunard Company and had experienced a collision at sea. He was appointed to the Aquitania and later to the Lusitania. He is supposed to have been on duty in the engine room when she was sunk without warning on May 7th by Germany.
It was initially thought that James was not on board on the ship as a number of crew had not sailed on her having been alarmed by certain warnings published in the American Press.
His body was never found.
James was commemorated on a marble tablet in Brunswick Church in 1920 with 21 others who lost their lives in WW1 and attended the church.
James also had at least one brother who served, John Lea, a Chauffeur by trade who joined the Army Service Corps in the mechanical transport section, service number T/ 447712.
His brother in law Ernest Deakin also served in the Mercantile Marine during WW1 but with the Canadians according to his medal card.
Compiled by Graeme Ainsworth