John (1875-1937), and Charles (1878-1929) were two of three brothers born in Greenock who went to sea with P&O and became Chief Engineers. They were the sons of John Lochhead, a riveter, probably in the shipyards of Greenock, During the First World War, John served on Asaye, Sardinia and Caledonia and Charles on Kaiser-I-Hind as well as on P&O port staff in Greenock and Liverpool. For this service they were both awarded the Mercantile Marine medal and after the war they continued their service at sea. John's son, also John (1897-1964) also served at sea during the war and was similarly awarded the Mercantile Marine medal. He later worked ashore and was an ARP during the Second World War. Charles and his older brother David are commemorated on a family headstone in Greenock cemetery, Charles having died in Port Said in 1929 and David at sea in 1909.

Their older brother David (1865-1909) unfortunately died at sea before the war but his son David Alan Lochhead, who was born in England after his father had married and moved there, also served at sea during the war and was awarded the Mercantile Marine medal, having been sunk twice on Mongolia and Mooltan, the ship to which he transferred after Mongolia hit a mine and sank, which was torpedoed.. He also continued to serve at sea and was on Strathallan when she was sunk by enemy action during the Second World War.

John's son, also John (1927-1944), was also born in England but joined 6th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) and was killed in Italy aged just 17, and is commemorated on the Scottish War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle.