Nicholas Joseph Swarbrick (14 November 1898 – 2 February 2006) was, at age 107, the final surviving English merchant sailor of the First World War at the time of his death. He was born in Grimsargh, near Preston in Lancashire, where his father was a farmer. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was only six and he was later to lose his only sister from the same illness. He was only four when she first fell ill and, as she was infectious, he was not able to come near her because of her coughing. His elder (by 11 years) sister was forced to run the household.