Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1874 in the Manchester R.D. - ref:
8d/164, the son of Elisha & Martha Longdin (nee Ford).    He married
Matilda Hartley in the Manchester R.D. during the March Qtr 1902 - ref:
8d/164.   They married in St. John the Evangelist Church, Miles Platting,
Manchester.

1881 Census - 69, Bowker St, Manchester.   Son - aged: 6 - Scholar - born:
Manchester.    Head of Household Elisha Longdin - Married - aged: 34 - occ:
Foreman of Paviours - born: Manchester.    Also - Martha Longdin - Wife -
aged: 32 - born: Patricroft, Manchester.   Plus 3 brothers and 1 sister.

1891 Census - 24, Sycamore Street, Ancoats, Manchester.   Son - aged: 16 -
occ: Apprentice Machine Fitter - born: Patricroft (they were all listed as
born at Patricroft !!!).  Head of Household - Elisha Longdin - Married -
aged: 44 - occ: Paviour - born: Manchester.  Also - Martha Longdin - Wife -
aged 43 - born: Patricroft, Salford.   Plus 5 brothers and 1 sister.

1901 Census - 45, Albion Street, Prestwich, Manchester.    Son - UnMarried
- aged: 26 - occ: Foreman Tool Fitter - born: Manchester.    Head of
Houshold - Elisha Longdin - Married - aged 54 - occ: Paviour - born:
Manchester.   Also - Martha Longdin - Wife - aged: 53 - occ: Winder in
Cotton Mill - born: Patricroft, Salford.   Plus 3 brothers.

1911 Census - 85 Manchester Road, Altrincham.    Head - Married - aged: 36
- occ: Engineer Tool Fitter - born: Manchester.    Also - Matilda Longdin -
Wife - aged: 35 - born: Manchester.  They had been married 9 years - no
children.

Arthur Longdin was a Fitter by trade and had previously lived at 21 Princes
Road, off Woodfield Road, Broadheath.   He was employed by Linotype
Engineering until he and his family moved to America.  They were returning
to the UK as he was to have taken up a new post at Barrow in Furness.  He
was a member of the Broadheath Wesleyan Church, where he was the leader of
their brass band and a Sunday School Teacher. 

Operated by the Cunard Line, the RMS Lusitania was built in 1907 and had a
gross tonnage of 30,396 tons.  It was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 15
miles south from the Old Head of Kinsale, Eire by U-20 whilst on voyage
from New York to Liverpool carrying passengers and general cargo.  A total
of 292 - Saloon class passengers; 602 - 2nd class passengers; 361 - 3rd
class passengers and 651 crew were killed, together with 45 others who died
after being rescued.

Arthur's wife's body was found and identified, but not Arthur's.