People on board

MICHAEL, Phillip Thomas George

Phillip Thomas George Michael was born in Holyhead in 1880 to Robert Michael and Arabella Evans. Phillip was the fifth of the seven children in the family, all boys except for one. The family lived in 42 Newry Street and Robert was a Steward with the City of Dublin Steam Packet Co. working on the mailboats, and several of his family followed him to work with the Company. The eldest son, Richard, was Second Mate while Robert William and Arthur were Engineers. Phillip did an Engineering Apprenticeship with the C.D.S.P.Co qualifying as a Marine Engineer. He served on board ships from Liverpool for some years before returning to Holyhead and he was working on shore in 1918.

Both his parents, Robert and Arabella Michael, died in 1902 within weeks of each other. In 1911 Phillip married Elizabeth Alice Tyrrell, whose deceased father had been a Master Mariner. They had four children, Maud, Herbert, Arabella and Richard who was born in 1918. The family lived at 51 Newry Street, close to the family home.

Phillip was returning to Holyhead on RMS Leinster on the 10th of October, presumably having been on company business in Kingstown. His brother Robert was on duty that day as a Third Engineer and survived. Phillip did not survive the sinking but his body was recovered, and was among those brought back to Holyhead on the SS Rostrevor on the Monday. He was a company employee, but not a crew member, so was not eligible for the war medals that the other crew casualties received. He is buried in Maeshyfrydd cemetery in Holyhead. His name is recorded on the Holyhead War Memorial.