The Empress of Ireland

[Nick Hibberd]

I think your readers may have not read about my old company's disaster which I passed on many occasions.


Empress of Ireland.jpg


Empress of Ireland on the Mersey in 1906, from the Maritime Archives collection, reference MCR 17/18
The Empress of Ireland set sail from Liverpool for the last time on 15 May 1914. On 29 May 1914, she left Quebec to make her homeward journey back to Liverpool.
Tragedy struck at 2.30am. Most of the 1,057 passengers and 420 crew were asleep. In thick fog on the St Lawrence River the Norwegian collier SS Storstad collided with her. The liner sank in less than 15 minutes with the loss of more then 1,000 lives.
The loss of the 'Forgotten Empress' has always been overshadowed by the Titanic and Lusitania disasters. However, more passengers (840) died on the Empress than on either Lusitania (786), or Titanic (817). 172 crew, mainly from the Liverpool area, also died. 217 passengers and 248 crew survived.

[Keith at Tregenna]

The Empress of Ireland disaster.

The Empress of Ireland set sail from Liverpool for the last time on 15 May 1914. On 29 May 1914, she left Quebec to make her homeward journey back to Liverpool.

Tragedy struck at 2.30am. Most of the 1,057 passengers and 420 crew were asleep. In thick fog on the St Lawrence River the Norwegian collier SS Storstad collided with her. The liner sank in less than 15 minutes with the loss of more then 1,000 lives.
The loss of the 'Forgotten Empress' has always been overshadowed by the Titanic and Lusitania disasters. However, more passengers (840) died on the Empress than on either Lusitania (786), or Titanic (817). 172 crew, mainly from the Liverpool area, also died. 217 passengers and 248 crew survived.

Merseyside Maritime Museum: The Empress of Ireland disaster - Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool museums

[laurence mcaleavey]

My Farther paterick mcaleavey was a crew surviver from the Empress of Ireland disaster to gether with his cousin michael

[James Curry]

Major passenger ships disasters for that period in history all have a connection with Ireland.

Lusitania sank of the Old head of Kinsale
Titanic Belfast built and her last port of call was Queenstown (Cobh)
Empress Of Ireland