Louisa Parry, Stewardess

Louisa Parry, Stewardess, Mercantile Marine, RMS Leinster. Lost at sea, aged 22, as a result of enemy action in the Irish Sea on 10 October 1918.

Born at Holyhead in 1896 she was the daughter of Owen and Katherine Parry (nee Williams) of 5 Fairview, Holyhead. She was educated at Park School, Holyhead and left when aged 15 to train as a Nurse Probationer at the College, Morton-in-Marsh, Gloucester and later worked at Mexborough, Yorkshire. She commenced her employment with the CDSPCo as a Stewardess in 1914 and joined two of her sisters who were similarly employed. In 1911 the family lived at 5 Fairview, Holyhead with parents Owen Parry (49) and Katherine Parry (43). In all there were nine children - Catherine (b.1889), Jane (b.1891), Margaret (b.1894), Louisa (b.1896), Benjamin (b.1898), Thomas (b.1900), Mary Ellen (b.1902), Robert (b.1905) and Doris (b.1908).

Family information tells us that she was not scheduled to work that day but sailed in place of one of her sisters who was ill. It is further believed that Louisa Parry went to a lower deck to help passengers but became trapped in a cabin with another woman and a child; crew members were unable to open the door due to the angle of the ship and the pressure of the water against it.

Awarded the Mercantile Marine Medal and the British War Medal.

Commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London and also on the York Minster Memorial for women lost in the Great War and on a memorial plque at Y Tabernacl Chapel, Thomas Street, Holyhead.