Wren     Montreal, Canada
I just wanted to let you know that I really love your website. From the graphics and content to the music, you have done a remarkable job!!!

                Irene Johnstone  hijohn@telusplanet.net  Provost, Ab. Canada
I am one of the committe members working on "Save The Artifacts" from the Empress of Ireland. I was most fortunate to visit the Museum at Rimouski this past July. They do have a fine Museum of Empress artifacts. However, there is also a large collection owned privately that is being sold and we are working to keep these in Canada. Anyone interestd in this project, please contact me.

                Angela Grafton  agrafton@hotmail.com  Gibsons, B.C. Canada  -------  13 Sep 2003
My Great, Great Grandmother, Mrs. Susanna Caroline Grafton was 81 years old. She was living on Bowen Island, B.C. when she decided she wanted to make one last trip back to England to visit family and friends. Unfortunately you know the rest of the story. I wonder if you have any information or pictures available to me. She was sailing with the Salvation Army group. Thanks very much for you time. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me.

                Angela Grafton  agrafton@telus.net  Gibsons, B.C. Canada  -------  13 Sep 2003
Very nice site you guys. The photos are amazing! If anyone has info on Mrs. Susanna Caroline Grafton, please contact me. Trying to find out as much info as I can. Thanks!

                 R Marsh  marsh cr@forces.gc.ca -------  12 Sep 2003
Many years ago I read the story of the E of I and I was ashamed of my ignorance of Canadian history.To honour the Empress and her victims I spent two years constructing a detailed precisely scaled model which I am told does her justice.It is my small way of making sure that the legacy of the Empress of Ireland stays here in Canada where it belongs.

               JOHN GOODMAN  megafadeyi@yahoo.com  LINZ AUSTRIA  -------  10 Sep 2003
THE IS A LOT OF GOODYS I LOVE TO HERE

                B MacDonald  emdbmd@hotmail.com  Canada  -------  05 Sep 2003
Loved your site, I was overwhelmed when I saw a picture of Matthew Tales who was aboard the "Empress of Ireland" He was my great great grandfather as I am a great grandaughter of James Tales who was one of the children who was left in Canada when his father returned to England. It is a wonderful site.

                Ingrid Sabatini   sabatini@mb.sympatico.ca   Ste. Anne Mb, Canada   ------- 31 Aug 2003
My grandmother Kathleen, who passed away at the age of 107 last year, came to Canada from England in 1913. They had attempted to book on the Titanic, but it was unfortunately full. She traveled to Canada on the Empress of Ireland. Her story of travel is recorded on tape. She talked of a birth on the ship. The baby was named Alberta, because the family was homesteading in Alberta. Her story is incredible. Her family name is Riddle. Her mother, brother and older sister traveled at the same time. Are there lists that I can view of the passengers list from that year?   Thank you Ingrid Sabatini

                  Rachel Axford   rachel.axford@windom.k12.mn.us    Minnesota   ------- 29 Aug 2003
My Grandmother was a passenger on the Empress of Ireland in the spring of 1914. We have often heard stories of her trip on the ship. She is now 95 and will be thrilled to hear there is information about her ship on the web.

            Connie Nisinger   HRHConnie@aol.com   Godfrey, Illinois U.S.A.   ------- 04 Aug 2003
I just returned from a trip to Quebec City and Rimouski last week to see the Empress-related sights. What a memorable and emotional experience for me! My grandfather, George Zuk, was a survivor, but he lost his first wife and their two children in the accident. Along with Marion Kelch, Irene Johnston, her daughter Gail and son-in-law Greg, I was fortunate to be able to go by boat out to the site of the sinking. We had a short ceremony and threw roses in the water in memory of several of the victims. We also visited many of the CPR memorials in Rimouski and Quebec City...I'll never forget this trip nor all of the wonderful people I met as a result!

The Performance of Their Lives: Laurence Irving, Mabel Hackney, and the Empress of Ireland."  First Knight 7.1 (June 2003): 13-51.

            André Gauthier  angauthi@cgocable.ca  Rimouski   --------31 July 2003
I've just taken a look at your most interesting site. Good work! I live in Rimouski and I do visit the Empress of Ireland museum at least once a year. It's a good thing to see that peoples still remember this tragedy and it's numerous victims. I always have a special though for the children that died on that terrible night. Some senior peoples (now deceased) used to talk about children that survived, but having lost their parents and being left with nothing at all, in a place where they could not even understrand the language (french spoken here). Should have been a nightmare to them, even though the population of the area did her best to help. Let's hope this never happens again

            Irene Johnstone  hijohn@telusplanet.net  Provost, Alberta Canada  --------15 July 2003
A wonderful web site. My grandparents and two young sons peished that fateful night May 29th 1914 the night the Empress of Ireland sank. I, along with my daughter Gail, husband Greg, Marion Keltch (who is head of our project to save the artifacts that the diver Philippe Beaudry has collected ) and Connie Nisinger from Illionis will be visiting Rimouski next week - July 23rd. We hope to possible take a boat to the site of the liner and drop some flowers. We are looking forward to visiting the Museum at Rimouski. We are also looking forward to dinner with Philippe Beaudry evening of the 24th at the Chateau Frontenac. I do have a lot of information about the Empress.           

            Marcella Jackson    Coffeen,Il.  --------30 June 2003
I just found this web-site of the Empress of Ireland.  I am very interested in it because I had two great Aunts on the ship. They were in second cabin page 5. There names are Bessie and Florence Bawden. They were from Hillsboro,Il not Indiana. I have a book about the Empress of Ireland and  it names all the passengers. I will be looking at more of this site. thank you.   Marcella

            Jess Ansley  JessyG83@hotmail.com  UK   --------21 June 2003
I mentioned a family member being lost at sea (stanley Bigland). I found out he actually gave his life belt to 2 married men. Awhile after the tragedy they came to England to find him but discovered he'd died on the ship.   

             Jackie (Martin)Kent    maof15@hotmail.com   Oshawa, Ontario Canada   --------17 June 2003
My grandmother,mother and her brother and Aunt came to Canada on the Empress of Ireland,within a year before she sank. I have a child's deck chair from their voyage on the ship.  They were Frances, Edith, and Alan Haw and Everald Holder.  I would like to know how to view the passenger list to see the exact date they came over.
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Jackie.  The only passenger list that is posted on this web site is the list from the final journey of the Empress of Ireland.  We do not have any others.  To get a list like that you might try contacting CPR archivist Ms. Judith Nefsky @ (514) 395-7951 in Montreal.

            John Williams    North Wales UK --------13 June 2003
Just a small note, Please could anyone point me in the right direction to find out more info on Cpt Frank Carey who sailed the Empress on the 29/6/06.  Im not sure if it was his maiden voyage or the ships.thank you.  I would also like to know if there are any collectors out there who may be interested in a Shillelagh(shil-lay-lee) that was presented to him on this day.  If so please leave your e-mail with your replys and i will get back to you once again thank you very much.   JW

           Derek Grout  gurinskas@mondo.net   Montreal, Canada  ---------12 June 2003
A few comments for Roger Williams, grandson of Second Officer Roger Williams. Further to your posting of Feb. 23, 2003 I thought you might be interested to know there's a photo of your grandfather, along with other officers, on p. 43 of my book "Empress of Ireland: The Story of an Edwardian Liner." You might also be interested to know that you can probably reconstruct a good part of his maritime career. As an officer, details of his career would have been recorded in Lloyd's masters records; they will show, for example, the various ships he worked on and voyage dates. Visit the website of Memorial University to find out how you can obtain copies of his record. You can also obtain detailed information on Crew Agreements at the Public Record Office in Kew for the Empress and other vessels. Contact me and I will send you the name of a man whom I engaged to research some aspects of the book. As to his burial site, the record shows (as you know) simply "LOST". In this case, it means his body, if recovered at all, was not identified. Thus, two possibilities. His body may not have been recovered and is still entombed in the hull or, second, it was recovered during the diving operations conducted during the summer of 1914 but was not identified. There is a mass grave at Rimouski where the remains of 20 identified and 68 unidentified bodies are buried. He is not one of the 20. Other crew members were buried in two Quebec City cemeteries. If you want to visit some places that your grandfather knew, the Breakwater in Quebec City where the Empress docked is still there, and so is the former Seamen's Institute. See my book for details. Hope this helps you. --Derek Grout

             Jess Ansley   Jessyg83@hotmail.com   http://www.geocities.com/conlee83/familytree   Yorkshire, UK ---------09 June 2003
Great site. Came across it after being told by my nan that her Mum's Cousin was killed on that dreadful night. I looked at your passenger list and there he was STANLEY BIGLAND. All i have to do is find out when he went over to canada in the first place and who with. Wicked website!

            Tony hird  tonyhird@blueyonder.co.uk  Liverpool UK  ---------07 June 2003
Further to my earlier message, I visited the Merseyside Maritime Museum and traced the AVA. She was a 5076 tonne vessel owned by the British and Burma Steam Nav. Co. It appears she sailed from Liverpool for Dakar and Rangoon on 26th January 1917 (my father's 15th birthday) and was torpedoed of the coast of SW Ireland some days later. The crew of 92 were all lost. At least I have an approx date of my grandmother's death.           

             Tony Hird  tonyhird@blueyonder.co.uk  Liverpool UK  ---------03 June 2003
I have been tracing my family tree back to 1750. I have discovered that William Hird survived the tragedy. He was an assistant engineer's steward. He was my father's elder brother. I have a newspaper cutting dated 4th January 1979 from a Sydney newspaper, the 'SUN' in which he recounts his escape from the 'Glory Hole'. He tells that he celebrated his 16th birthday only six days before the vessel sailed. On his return to Liverpool his mother begged to leave the sea. His father had died in 1912. Many of his family worked for the White Star Line. It was ironic that she worked as a stewardess for the White Star Line. She was lost at sea on board the AVA which was last sighted off the French coast in 1916. Her name appears on our local war memorial and in York Minster. Bill emigrated to Australia in 1921 - hence the Australian newspaper references.

        June Hayes  Hayesj@telus.net  Langdon Alberta Canada  ---------16 May 2003
My grandfather's sister Annie Juniper and her little boy Arthur were living in Toronto, Ontario . My mother "baby sat" little Arthur. Annie did not like living in Canada and was returning to England on the Empress. They were third class passengers and both were lost           

        Heidi papen  heidipapen@hotmail.com  Belgium  ----------13 May 2003
I was so happy to find the passenger list of the Empress on this site. My grandfather's brother Camille Vernier(s) emigrated to Canada and decided to come back to Belgium with his wife and six children aboard the Empress. My grandfather and his whole family (parents and 11 brothers and sisters) waited for a long time...but their brother and his children, they had never seen, never came back... It felt good to see their names on the passenger list... Thanks, sincerely, Heidi Papen

            Barbara Zuk   Walbar@aol.com  East Alton, IL USA   ----------04 May 2003
My late father-in-law, his first wife Maria or Marie, and his two children were passengers on the Empress of Ireland when it sank May 29, 1914. George was saved, his wife and two children were lost. The two children are buried somewhere at Quebec City but we have been unable to find their graves.   George Zuk was spelled Zouk on the ship's passenger list.

          Geoff Whitfield  whitfieldgeoff@aol.com  United Kingdom  ----------24 Apr 2003
Hello Jenna,      I was interested to see your posting relating to Christopher Halliday. You probably have all of these details but hopefully can correct me if I have too many things wrong! Christopher Halliday was born in Moffat, Dumfries, Scotland around 1863, the son of David and Elizabeth Halliday. As a young man he found employment in Dumfries as a grocer, working on the main Dumfries High Street. He married Helen Aitken on 20th november 1888 in johnstone, Scotland, from the marriage two children, Helen and David were born. He became a farmer in Dumfries before the family emigrated to Pierson, Manitoba in 1898 where he again took up farming, later establishing a store named Lockerbie & Halliday. Some time before 1914 he was widowed and retired from his business, although continued to act as Postmaster for Pierson. 1914 saw him returning to Scotland to visit with family and with a view to their returning with him. His body was recovered and is buried in Winslow, Saskatchewan. Kind regards Geoff

            Jenna  Jenna_halliday2002@yahoo.ca  ----------16 Apr 2003
Their is actually a monument of the empress of Ireland, on one of the southwestern manitoba parks. My Great Great Grand father, Chris Halliday was going back to Ireland, to bring his family over to Canada when the empress went down.

            Alan Salmon   rockandhels@salmon27.freeserve.co.uk   Penzance, Cornwall, UK  ----------06 Apr 2003
I have been trying to trace a crew list for the Empress of Ireland. I happened to come across your website during my research and thought it was excellent. Alan Salmon

            Bernard   Queensland, Australia  ----------05 Apr 2003
You have a wounderful sight about the Empress of Ireland. I was wanting to ask you about the bodies recovered from the wreck sight. I noticed that on the Empress of Ireland memorial or grave marker in Rimouski, PQ that there are names of passengers and crew who don't have 'Body Identified' by their names in your passenger and crew list. Were these other bodies recovered much later? Or is it just an oversight on the passenger crew list. Do you have a complete list of all bodies recovered in number order and their disposition? Thanks

            Private krankenversicherung  http://www.private-krankenversicherung-2003.de/  DE  ----------01 Apr 2003
Hello! Great site! Greetings from Germany

            Marchant  kar_marchant@hotmail.com  ----------26 Mar 2003
My great grandfather came to Canada on the Empress of Ireland. I'm presently working on my family geneology and if anyone has the dates or locations of were she ported in 1901 to 1908 mostly 1908 it would be appritated if you could send them to me.

            Geoff Whitfield  whitfieldgeoff@aol.com   ----------23 Mar 2003
Micheal, The last survivor to die was Grace (Hanagan) Martyn on 15th May 1995 - the first to die is a more difficult question. Several people died shortly after rescue, but one of the first to die, who actually sailed home, was first class passenger Charles Lindsay Claude Bowes-Lyon who was killed during active service on 23rd October 1914.
Reply from SeaView:      Thanks for that reply Geoff.  I had the great pleasure of having dinner with Grace Martyn one evening.  A friend of mine Steve Brooks knew her from years ago when he was involved in diving the wreck site.  He had met her then.  So Steve and I went to St. Catharines to meet with her at the old age home she was at and then went out to Swiss Chalet that night.  She always liked talking to the divers who had been to the wreck site and particularly like my buddy Steve.  We had a great evening.  I was sorry to hear that she had passed away within the next year.

            Adam   Australia  ----------21 Mar 2003
I would like to say that the begining of the'M's' in Second-class passenger list is partley missing. Could you fix this? Thanks
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Adam.  Thanks for pointing this out.  I have corrected it.

            Micheal Phillips   Glasgow  ----------21 Mar 2003
I was wondering who was the first Empress of Ireland survivor to die? Who was the last passenger and crew member to die?

            Joyce Vear  Australia  ----------21 Mar 2003
About the three maids onboard the Empress of Ireland, I have found the name of one of them. It is Hilda Haggerson. She was the maid of Mable Irving. She was from London, England and had been travelling with the Irvings through the USA and Canada. She had originaly booked, with her employers, onboard the Teoutnic (a White Star Line ship) but cancelled and booked on the Empress of Irealand. One other thing she was travelling with, Harold and Elsie Neville of Second-class. Unfortuantly the entire party were all lost in the sinking. It is beleived that Lauence Sidney Irving's body was recovered from the wreck sigh and identified by a signet ring he was wearing. The other two maids, names unknown belong to - Mrs. Maude Cullens (lost) and Mrs. H. R. O'Hara (saved). I hope this helps Ethen from Sydney.

            Irene  Johnstone   ----------20 Mar 2003
My grandparents and their two young sons perished on this fateful journey of the Empress of Ireland, May 29, 1914. They were on their way back to Sweden when tragedy struck.  Marcus Sylvester Blomquist, wife Elisabet (Lisa) Katarina Eriksson(Dotter), sons Olav Sigfrid Blomquist (age 11) and Erick Walfred Blomquist (aged 9) leaving 5 sons and two daughters to continue with their life out west in the province of Alberta. My father Karl (Carl) - the last one of this family died Feb, 3rd 1983.  The name had been changed to Nelson.  I am the only surviving child of Carl Nelson's family.   I am, also, a member of the committe to save the artifacts of this liner from being sold to a buyer in Florida. 

Thank you to http://seaviewinmaging/ for the wonderful information. 

            Alyssa   basketball_gurl_17@basketball.com    Kansas USA  ----------20 Mar 2003
This is such a cool site i did research on here and found EVERYTHING that i needed
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Alyssa.  Glad you enjoyed the web site on the Empress of Ireland and that it was of some assistance to your project at school.

            Connie Zuk Nisinger   HRHConnie@aol.com   U.S.A.   ----------16 Mar 2003
I just received the Empress of Ireland video--it is EXCELLENT!!!  I'm still searching for the burial site of my father's half-siblings Wladisaw & Josefa Zuk.  They did not survive the shipwreck & were identified by my grandfather George Zuk (who was one of the survivors), but haven't had any luck yet. May my ancestors rest in peace AND may the artifacts remain in Canada where they belong.

            Karl  viele_bunte_sachen@yahoo.de   http://www.viele-suchmaschinentipps.de/  Geramny    ----------14 Mar 2003
Hiya, good one!  Really nice site, wirh a very clear and simple design!
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Karl.  Glad you enjoyed browsing the site.  Thanks very much.

                     Paul Martin   ---------07 Mar 2003
Hi I have just seen  a segment on Country Canada about the Empress of Ireland and how you are trying to keep the artifacts in Canada.  Have you tried contacting the Canadian Pacific Railway for a donation after all it was a CPR ship, who knows they may come across with some money. It's would be in their interest as a GOOD Corporate Citizen and the PR wouldn't do them any harm.  Let me know how you make out.
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Paul.  As far as I understand it, CPR has pretty much washed their hands of the Empress.  They don't seem to be interested in it at all.   I do know that any artifacts that are recovered from the Empress have to be reported to the "Receiver of Wrecks - Canadian Coast Guard".  They are then kept for a year and a day and if the owner (CPR) doesn't want them, then the artifacts are given back to the salver with a receipt saying they belong to them (this is before it became an historical site).  CPR didn't want anything to do with the artifacts.  The committee has already approached CPR about helping fund keeping the artifacts in Canada and they have not responded yet.

            David Davies   Adelaide, Australia  ----------07 Mar 2003
Can you tell me if the following passengers were survivors of the Empress of Ireland - Dorothy Balcombe, Mr. and Mrs. Graham, Mrs. Wood and the Greenaway party (Thomas, Margaret and Herbert). Any information will be greatful.
Reply from SeaView:      To see the Passenger List go to "Final Journey Passenger & Crew List" .  These are new pages on this web site.

            Elizabeth White   London, England   ----------07 Mar 2003
Can you tell me if J. R. Abercrombie was from Vavcouver, BC or from India?  Did he survive the sinking?
Reply from SeaView:      To see the Passenger List go to "Final Journey Passenger & Crew List" .  These are new pages on this web site.

            ethan   sydney   ----------07 Mar 2003
I understand there were three maids (personal servants) travelling in First-class.  Who were they?  Did they survive?  Which First-class passengers where they were employed to? Thank-you.
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Ethan.  Sorry I don't have that information. 

            Adam    Australia   ----------28 Feb 2003
I was wondering if the following survived or died in the sinking - William Akerman; Ethel Bachi; Gordon Davidson; Mrs. Carl Flifet (Josephine); the Taavettila Family (Allan; Hilma and Annti)and the Delmont Family (Mr. and Mrs.; Arthur W.; Lizzie and Leonard. Thank-you for any information about these passengers. Adam.
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Ralph.  To see the Passenger List go to "Final Journey Passenger & Crew List" .  These are new pages on this web site.

        Marie-Eve Martin      Laval, near Montreal, Canada   -----------26 Feb 2003
I Just wanted to thank you guys for the wonderful website you have done on the Empress of Ireland.  I had a work to do on it, and because of you, I understood the tragedy a lot better ! Good work !
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Marie.  Glad you enjoyed browsing the site and it helped you.  Thanks very much.

            Ralph Shandley   reshandley@shaw.ca   Sidney,B.C.,Canada    -----------27 Feb 2003
Hi, Enjoyed perusing your web pages.  I've read a couple of books on this tragedy, one listed all passengers.  I am trying to find a Crew List. My great Uncles brother was a crew member on Irelands last trip. Can a record of Enoch Ffoulkes (Foulkes )be found in the Crew List?
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Ralph.  To see the Passenger List go to "Final Journey Passenger & Crew List" .  These are new pages on this web site.

        Howard Hutcinson  8hutchh@sout1.k12.id.us   www.pbs online/ lost liners   Idaho USA   -----------24 Feb 2003
Hey Love your site it's sad I Would Like you to e-mail me if you get this message Im A fan of the Empress Of Ireland

            Roger Williams   -----------23 Feb 2003
Hi,  My name is Roger Williams. My grandfather was, I think, a second officer on the Empress of Ireland. Skipping the tragedy that his death caused to my family, along with all the others; I would like to know if he has a grave or other memorial in or near Fathers Point or Rimouski.  If so I want to visit. Can you help please?    Roger.
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Roger.  There were several Williams on the crew of the Empress (9).  Only one is listed as a 2nd Officer:

He may have been buried at the mass grave at Rimouski, Quebec.  You could contact the Rimouski museum to get a listing of the individuals buried there.  Their web site is: http://www.museedelamer.qc.ca/html/empress.htm .  The contact information is:
Le Musée de la mer de  Pointe-au-Père
1034, rue du Phare Pointe-au-Père (Québec) G5M 1L8
Téléphone  : 418-724-6214  Télécopieur: 418-721-0815
Courriel : mailto:museepc@globetrotter.qc.ca
If they were not buried there then you could also try contacting David Zeni who has done a lot of research on the subject and written a book "Forgotten Empress".   His email is dzeni@earthlink.net .  Hope this helps.

            Euro  europuletti@tiscali.it  Costacciaro (Peruse, Umbria, Italy)  -----------23 Feb 2003
Dear Sir, my name is Euro, Yes, You have well understood: exactly like the common European money. I am Italian, and I live and teach in Umbria, nearby Assisi, "the land of Saint Francis". I would like to know if, in the shipwreck of Empress of Ireland, there was some Italian simple passenger. Besides, I only would like to know, if, in the shipwreck of the Empress of Ireland, there were these two "SURVIVORS" Italian third class passengers: Mr. MORELLI PAOLO and Mr. LUPINI NAZZARENO, or NAZARENO? If You can not help me, please suggest to me where could I find and consult the survivors list of Empress of Ireland? With respect and congratulations for Your excellent website and activity! This information could help me in a piece of research about this forgotten, but fascinating, sea tragedy. Excuse me because of my English: extremely rusty and unbearable impolite. I beg Your pardon! Thank You very much! With respect and congratulations for Your politeness! Costacciaro, Umbria, Peruse, XXII-II-MMIII Dr. Euro Puletti P.S. My name is ?Euro?, and not, please? ??uro?. It comes from ancient Greek. It was the name of the south east wind. My own address is: Euro Puletti, Via Flaminia n. 23, C.A.P. 06021, Costacciaro, Perugia (Italy). E.P.  
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Euro.  I'm sorry but I've looked and do not see either of those names any where on the passenger list for the final journey of the Empress of Ireland.

           Capt. Bill Hewitt (Dolphin Charters)  bhewitt@mnsi.net  www.mnsi.net/~bhewitt  windsor, ont. Canada  -----------19 Feb 2003
Great looking site - already have a couple of your videos - excellent job.

            Jeremy Allgrove  allgrove@clara.net   UK  -----------10 Feb 2003
Many thanks for your reply. You are right that the surname has been misspelt and should be Allgrove not Allgrane. This helps me to try to trace the people concerned further.

            davidbarber    refridgerationman  vancouvercanada   -----------03 Feb 2003
my great aunt and her two children survived this disaster as well as her unborn child

            Lesley Turner    lesley.turner2@btinternet.com    Norfolk, England  -----------02 Feb 2003
I believe my Great Grandmother, Mrs White was on the Empress of Ireland when she went down,I'm not sure if anyone else was with her, I do know that my great Grandfather,David White, stayed in Canada awaiting her return from England where she was coming to collect her son and his family of five young children, (he lost his wife the previous year). The only other information I have is that she would have probably been in her 50's, they emigrated to Canada with the Salvation Army a few years previous, I think they lived in Erith in the U.K. before they emigrated and that her destination would have been possibly Plumstead (London or Kent). My great Grandfather, I believe, remained in Canada working for the Salvation Army, where he eventually died and was buried. I would really appreciate any information you can give me. With kindest regards

            Adam Daly    Ringwood, Australia    -----------01 Feb 2003
Thank-you for your reply. I was reading the New York Times Newspaper of, May-June, 1914 and noticed it mention that their were three maids in First-class. Did they survive? I know that there employers were as follows - 1. Mrs. Mable Irving (died) and the maids name was, Miss. Hilda Hagerson. 2. Mrs. Maude Cullen (died) and maids name unknown. 3. Mrs. H. R. O'Hara (survived) and the maids name unknown. If you could fill in the gaps I would be happy. How many bodies were recovered? How many member of the Salvation Army were onboard and how many survived? One last question. Is it true that the Titianic and the Lusitania disasters had conections to the sinking of the Empress of Ireland. Thanks for any information.

             Chris Randall   nancychris@cableone.net   Idaho USA   -----------26 Jan 2003
Your site is cool i have a book on the empress is there any way i can h elp

            CHRIS RANDALL  nancychris@cableone.net    USA  -----------24 Jan 2003
Sad site it makes me want to cry and I am I love the empress of ireland e-mail me please she was a beutiful vessle iam 13 going on 14 i read a lot about ships this one makes me want to cry.
Reply from SeaView:      Hello Chris.  I'm glad you enjoyed seeing the Empress on our web site. 

            Howard Young   youngjh@gosympatico.ca   Ontario,Canada    -----------21 Jan 2003
Excellant site

           Connie Zuk Nisinger  HRHConnie@aol.com  Godfrey, Illinois U.S.A.    -----------18 Jan 2003
My grandfather (George Zuk) was a survivor of the Empress of Ireland shipwreck. His wife & 2 children drowned. I'm trying (without any luck) to locate the children't graves (they were identified by my grandfather & buried, but we don't have a clue as to where)...apparently his wife went down with the ship. He later met & married my grandmother--my father is named after his dead half-brother. Unfortunately, my grandfather didn't talk about the shipwreck much & he died while my father was young, so we don't know much. If anyone can give me some hints as to where else I can seach for information, it would be GREATLY appreciated! Here's my bio & photo for him on the FindAGrave website: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7037174 .  NOTE: (I could not connect to this web page).
Reply from SeaView:      The listing below indicates that your grandfather was saved and transported June 10th to New York.  You can see that Josefa and Wladislaw's bodies were recovered.  I see that the spelling is different.  There is also a Zuk on the listing [(ZUK (or ZSHUK), Kirilo] but no other Zuk's so I don't think this is the one you are looking for.  The children may have been buried at the mass grave at Rimouski, Quebec.  You could contact the Rimouski museum to get a listing of the individuals buried there.  Their web site is: http://www.museedelamer.qc.ca/html/empress.htm .  The contact information is:
Le Musée de la mer de  Pointe-au-Père
1034, rue du Phare Pointe-au-Père (Québec) G5M 1L8
Téléphone  : 418-724-6214  Télécopieur: 418-721-0815
Courriel : mailto:museepc@globetrotter.qc.ca
If they were not buried there then you could also try contacting David Zeni who has done a lot of research on the subject and written a book "Forgotten Empress".   His email is dzeni@earthlink.net .  Hope this helps.

            Private krankenversicherung  http://www.private-krankenversicherung-ak.de/     -----------12 Jan 2003
Great site!

            Jamie Hay  jamtart@telusplanet.net   Edmonton, Alberta    -----------03 Jan 2003
Excellent site! I have book marked it and will come back periodicvally to check for updates. The under water videos are very unsettling yet help to complete the picture of this unkown disaster. Thank you for your efforts.

            Carol Robinson  crobinson22@hotmail.com    Maple Ridge, British Columbia/Canada  -----------03 Jan 2003
I'm wondering if a WILLIAM SKENE was a passenger on the Empress of Ireland. We found a very old bible (which looks waterlogged!) and in there is a newspaper clipping of the tradegy of this ship.
Reply from SeaView:    Sorry I do not see the name Skene anywhere on the passenger/crew list for the final voyage of the Empress of Ireland.

            Jeremy ALLGROVE  allgrove@clara.net   UK    -----------30 Dec 2002
My father's first cousin, one James Rawlings ALLGROVE, had a wife, Florence Alice (nee Daws), who was travelling back to England with her two young daughters. I do not know the names of the two daughters, although I think the elder one was called Vera, as I can find no record of their births in the Family Records Office as I suspect that they were born in the USA. I would be very interested to have any further information such as names etc and, if possible, ages. I do know that there was some confusion about the booking as they arrived to find their cabin occupied by four men! I look forward to hearing from you.
Reply from SeaView:    I had difficulty finding the name Allgrove on the passenger list.  The list has them spelled as Allgrane.  I believe this to be correct since the first names are Mrs. F and Vera.  The listing reads:

            Adam Davly    Ringwood, Victoria Australia  -----------28 Dec 2002
I was wondering how many personal servants were onboard the Empress of Ireland. Did they survive? Who were their employees? I have found your sight on the Empress of Ireland very interesting. I have learnt quite a lot about the passenngers and crew who sailed on her last voyage.
Reply from SeaView:    Hello Adam.  There were quite a few servants on board at the time.  Many of the crew were able to get off since they were on duty at the time of the sinking.  Those people who had not retired for the evening had a better chance at getting off during the 14 minutes it took to the vessel to sink.  The employer of course was the Canadian Pacific Railway.

            JohnWooFan    jwf@pirannos.de   germany   -----------26     Dec 2002
Happy new year!

           Richard Easterbrook   reaste1430@aol.com     UK  -----------26 Dec 2002
I have a photo of passenger Harold Neville as he may have looked touring in Irving's company, now ready for email, but, Dan, I have lost your home email as I have changed PC.    Richard Easterbrook. 
Reply from SeaView:    Thanks Richard.  I finally received your photo and I have posted a page dedicated to Harold & Elsie Neville.

David Tucker  david.tucker@btconnect.com   Scotland   -----------19 Dec 2002
Message: re Empress of Ireland, Thomas Jones.  Thought you might be interested. My aunt who died in London (England) in 2002 was our unofficial family archivist. In her trunk, I found reference to Tom Jones who went down with the Empress. Don't know if he was passenger or crew, but he had married my great-aunt Lily just ten months before. Lily was one of eight Hodgsons, one brother lived 100 years, another just 11 weeks - tragedy was neverr far away in those days.  Any status you can find for Thomas E. Jones? Thanks
Reply from SeaView:      The listing shows T. Jone in Second Class.  There were 13 Jones' on the crew but none with the initial T.

I have been looking for an Edie Griffiths. I was told that she might be connected To the Empress of Ireland in someway. Would she have been on the ship when it sank. I would be grateful for any information. Thank you.
S.Burton   Suzysleuth@aol.com      Dorset England - Wednesday, November 07, 2001 at 06:45:52 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:     The last name of Griffiths does not show up on the passenger or crew list of the final journey of the Empress of Ireland.  Sorry.

Hi! I just stumble onto your sight! It's great! Do you cover all ships (vessels etc?) I am searching on behalf of a friend (we both working on our family trees) and she is trying to find information on the following: John RYAN (was her great granfather) was amerchant seaman (born 1882 from Liverpool England). He ddied on board the British ship called CLIFTONHALL on its way from Liverpool to Quebec Canada. Apparently, fell down one of the ports on board and broke his neck) When the ship docked at Quebec, he was buried. She cannot find any record of this (and actual cause of death) or where in Quebec he was buried. Sometimes John Ryan was known to say he came from Dublin, for some strange reason! A death certificate or place of burial cannot be found. The date of death/burial is: 14/15 march 1923. Very much appreciate any help you can give on this matter.
With thanks in advance. You may email me direct. Dotemorris@aol.com thanks again, Dorothy E. Morris, Whitby On.Can.
Dorothy E. Morris Dotemorris@aol.com   Whitby , Ont. Canada - Friday, November 02, 2001 at 12:15:44 (PDT)

I'm a little shakey on my history, but I believe the Empress of Ireland was involved in another accident a few years before her meeting with the Storstad.  My great?-grandfather, surname Braine, was part of the crew and was listed as a fatality in a NY Times article. His home was listed as London, England.  He is buried in Canada.
Leslie Ellis      banth@home.com        Hatboro, PA USA - Wednesday, September 19, 2001 at 19:58:07 (PDT)
Reply from SeaView:   The only other collision I know of was when the Empress of Ireland hit what might have been an abandoned derelict vessel that caused some superficial damage with no injuries.  You may be thinking of her sister ship the Empress of Britain which was in a collision with a Norwegian collier the Helvetia.   The Helvetia sank from the collision.  This accident ironically happened in the St. Lawrence not far from where the Norwegian collier Storstad hit the Empress of Ireland and sank her.  This happened two years before the Empress of Ireland sank so perhaps this is the incident in which your great grandfather perished.

Good Day To All;
I must convey my deepest admiration and humble appreciation for you having made such a splendid site in dedication to this terrible event. These disasters have always captured our emotions and shall always hold us in awe. They teach us that mere size of a vessel does not assure infallibility. Thank you for allowing my thoughts.
H.L. Kimberlée Anne-Marie Elisabeth Karolein Baroness/Baronin von Preußen-Fackenthal-aus-Frohnleiten
baronin.vonf@schweiz.org         Geneva-Genève, N/A Switzerland and the USA - Wednesday, August 29, 2001 at 11:49:17 (PDT)

I saw this on the Discovery Channel some time age and was extremely shocked that this was definitely a "forgotten" tragedy in the analog of Irish history. I am a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians here in Hamilton, New Jersey and would like to know if I could possibly obtain a full-length picture (copy of course) of the Empress to hang in our Club. I would like to formally present it with a copy (if possible) of the actual newspaper article broadcasting the sinking in 1914 to the Division members. I definitely think her sister ship, the Titanic, overshadowed this catastrophy, but I would like to bring this tragedy to the knowledge of our members and their children and remind them not to forget this sad moment in Irish history. You have my e-mail; cost is not a consideration, of which I would pay gladly for these items to preserve part of my Irish history. Who knows - - I may have had ancestors on that ship, since my mother's side of the family comes from Canada. Hope that your organization will keep the memory of this beautiful ship alive for years to come.
Melissa L. McFadden     mcfadden62@aol.com         Hamilton Square, NJ USA - Monday, August 20, 2001 at 07:51:47 (PDT)

Previously you kindly checked the passenger list of the Empress of Ireland on her last voyage for my great aunt's name but I believe I gave you the wrong surname. I think her married name was Elsie South. I would be pleased if you could check again. Thank you for your help and a fascinating web site.
Lesley Jones        Lesley Jones      ljones@so1617a.f9.co.uk         Kidwelly, Wales - Friday, August 03, 2001 at 06:15:15 (PDT)
Reply from SeaView:   Sorry Lesley, I could not find any South's on the passenger list of the finally voyage of the Empress of Ireland.

dearly love the page, have been interested in the Empress of Ireland ever since i was a kid and staying with my great grandmother at a boarding house in Dartmouth in 1975. One of the borders was a survivor of it.
tony ciccariello     ajciii@hotmail.com          jackson, nj usa - Thursday, August 02, 2001 at 20:04:27 (PDT)

Mary LaBram McNeely         McNeelyma@aol.com          Okemos, Mi. USA - Monday, July 30, 2001 at 09:46:40 (PDT)

I viewed this Guest Book first out of interest about The Empress of Ireland. My mother (Olga (Mills) Larke gave me the Forgotten Empress by David Zeni as it was out of publication when I was searching for it in the States. My Grandmother, Grace (Larmond) Mills (husband George) arrived in Canada on it's last crossing. She traveled to meet her husband in Saskatchewan and they lived in Struan, Saskatchewan until her late 70's and she moved to British Columbia and died a few weeks before her 100th birthday. I cannot believe this excellent site exists and cannot wait to pass the word along to the rest of my family in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. I shall visit this site often! Thanks!

Carol Londres   carollondres@yahoo.com      Plano, TX USA - Friday, July 13, 2001 at 23:19:06 (PDT)

I think this is a great site, but could you possibly give me information on the Hanigan family? I know that little Grace lived, but could you give me information on what happened to her parents? Also, could you give me information on all the children who were on the Empress of Ireland? All you got to do is give me a list of their names, tell me if the lived or died, and if any of their bodies were recovered. Please do this ASAP, for this is a great site and i really need information on the unfortunate children of the Empress of Ireland. Thank you!

Philip   PGCDKIKO@aol.com - Friday, July 13, 2001 at 18:54:54 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:            I see the Hannagans on the passenger list reading as:
Second Class
Name                             Ticket Purchase at                Remarks
HANNAGAN, Adjt. Ed           Toronto, Ont.                          Lost .............body identified
HANNAGAN, Mrs.                 Toronto, Ont.                          Lost
HANNAGAN, Miss Grace      Toronto, Ont.                         Rescued.......Returned to Toronto
I'm afraid I have no way of telling you the names of all the children on board at the time of the tragedy.  The listing I have does not go into any more detail than what I have given you above.  Sorry.

Interesting site - Thank you. Where can one find information on trips that the Empress took in 1904?   I believe a great aunt traveled on the Empress landing in Quebec sometime in 1904 and would like to confirm that informatioin if at all possible.    Any help would be most appreciated.  Thanks in advance.
Kurt Kremlick   kremlick@juno.com     Kalamazoo, MI, UUS - Friday, June 29, 2001 at 17:47:52 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:     To find out more information about other voyages of the Empress of Ireland previous to the sinking you could try contacting the CPR archivist Ms. Judith Nefsky @ (514) 395-7951 in Montreal.

I found your site interesting to view. Wish something was said regarding the large number of members of The Salvation Army that were lost on the Empress. The Salvation Army has an interesting display regarding the Sinking of the Empress of Ireland at their museum on Bayview Ave in Toronto.

E. Neil Evenden    neil.evenden@sallynet.org      Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada - Saturday, June 02, 2001 at 18:55:29 (PDT)

Dear Dan:     It wasn't until today that I knew that the unfortunate demise of the Empress of Ireland took more lives than the Titanic. I only found this out, because I am researching "the family tree" and was talking via land lines, to my 81 year old uncle in Ontario..and he mentioned it, in passing, that that was the same ship, that my grandfather (John Philip Lempriere) was put on, to deliver him safely, upon the shores of france,in WW1. My Uncle said that my grandfather was devestated by the news that "his" ship had been sunk...in Canadian waters, without the aid of the enemy! I don,t know what to call it, except friendly fire,..without weapons! In researching as much as I have been able to, your site, is, hands down, the most accurate, and the most truthful, for all of the information that is available.

Dale Lempriere/Metcalfe     Metcalfe@noralta.com       Bonnyville, AB Canada - Thursday, May 17, 2001 at 19:28:40 (PDT)

My husband's father and his parents and brothers were to go back to Ireland on the Empress of Ireland on that last voyage , but were sent off the ship because my husband's Uncle Paul got the whooping cough. I sent this story to David Zeni a few years ago.    I was wondering if there are passenger lists for the Empress to Canada on previous voyages. This same family, Edward Duffy, Hester Duffy, with children Paul, James, William, Thomas came to Canada on The Empress of Ireland in 1912, from Ireland.

N. Duffy    nlduffy@sympatico.ca - Monday, May 07, 2001 at 09:28:33 (PDT)

Tracy Dixon   tdick@sympatico.ca     Parkhill, Ont Canada - Sunday, May 06, 2001 at 16:26:23 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView (John Veber):   John Writes:
I have been researching the shipwrecks of Longpoint for many years and photographying them for almost as long. The City of Dresden was built in Walkerville, Ontario, in 1872. She was a wooden propeller steamer and had upper cabins for passengers. Rebuilt in 1886, she ran from Windsor to Leamington. By 1922, this little steamer was 50 years old very tired and unseaworthy. On November 17 1922, the City of Dresden was loaded at Belleville with $65,000 worth of whisky which consisted of Corby's Special Selected and Old Crow. The destination was listed as Mexico because of proibition. She ran into bad weather off Long Point L. Erie and anchored in Gavelley Bay untill the storm shifted from the North. Her anchor was weighed and the City of Dresden rounded the South side of the Point and sailed into history. The old hull could not take continuous pounding of the waves and took on water faster than the pumps could handle. Cases of Whisky were thrown overboard the length of Long Point to lighten the load. In 1976 a case of Wiskey was found in the sand. As she settled lower in the water her steam whisle was sounded continuously as a distress signal which could be heard in Port Rowen. This attracted all the towns folk who rushed to Long Point to see the wreck. The ship began to break up on a sand bar off shore so the lifeboats were launched. They both rolled and the Captain's son, Peregrime, was washd away in the surf and drown. As the ship broke up the Wiskey came ashore and the spectators recovered the cargo and hid it. Telephone lines were cut so it would take awhile for the law to get there. By the time they got there the booze was gone. I met a fellow years ago who was there and he showed me the exact spot were the City of Dresden meet it's end. The ship was never recovered and it's bottom is still probobly about 300 yards from shore. I flew over the area took photos of what could be a piece of the hull but that still has to be invsetigated. I can send you a photo of the ship if you would like. I am interested in your grandfather's story.

Suvi Räisänen   suvi1981@hotmail.com     Äänekoski Finland - Tuesday, April 17, 2001 at 04:49:35 (PDT)

Michelle Campeau    micmack@sympatico.ca - Tuesday, March, 20, 2001 at 20:27:24 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:            I see your Grandmother's sister's name on the passenger list reading as:
Third Class
Name                             Ticket Purchase at                 Destination              Remarks
HARVEY, Miss                    Windsor, Ont.                     Liverpool, Eng.             Lost
It would be interesting to hear more about your relative lost on the Empress of Ireland.

Phil Slagle    elgalsp@aol.com      Itasca, Il USA - Tuesday, March, 20, 2001 at 10:36:37 (PDT)

Michael Cresswell          http://www.mick-cresswell.co.uk/post@mick-cresswell.co.uk England - Friday, March, 09, 2001 at 14:43:20 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:            I see your relatives on the passenger list reading as:
Third Class
Name                             Ticket Purchase at             Destination              Remarks
CRESWELL, Jos.                  Lethbridge, Alta.                 London                     Lost
CRESWELL, Fanny               Lethbridge, Alta.                 London                     Lost
I can only suggest checking with the mass grave a Point-au-Père, Quebec or the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Etobicoke.  If they were with the Salvation Army, they probably were buried in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.  Since the listing says "Lost", their bodies were not likely found.

Joanne Doucette  joanne@caea.com Toronto, ON Canada - Wednesday, March, 07, 2001 at 09:32:05 (PDT)

Randi Redding   Randi_Redding@hotmail.com Enid, ok 73701 - Tuesday, March, 06, 2001 at 08:10:25 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:       You could get a hold of Ian Kinder who has reproduced the Empress of Ireland blueprints.   His address is 301 Frances Ave., Unit 1405, Stoney Creek, Ontario L8E 3W6  Canada  (905) 662-1620.  You can also check out our web site about the Empress construction on page http://members.home.net/rmsempress/empress1.htm .  We also sell a video that explains the building of the Empress of Ireland.   You can check that out on our web page http://members.home.net/rmsempress2/empvideo.htm .

Karen Neale     kneale@mergetel.com Thorold, ON Canada - Monday, March, 05, 2001 at 19:40:56 (PDT)

My family lost our great-grandmother, Mrs. Peryer, on either the Empress or the Titanic. (no one seems to know for sure) She was traveling from England to visit my grandmother in Canada. Is there a complete ship's passenger somewhere, so that the mystery can be solved once and for all??? Cheers!!
S. Gilliam   Sharons589@aol.com Benicia, US California - Wednesday, February 28, 2001 at 20:42:19 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:   At first I thought I would not find the name on the passenger list since you said Mrs. Peryer was travelling England to Canada. The Empress sank going Canada to England. But I did find that name. It reads:
Third Class
Name                             Ticket Purchase at             Destination              Remarks
PERYER, Mrs. J.                London, Ont.                      London                     Lost
Could this be your great-grandmother?

Judith WIMBORNE     mailto:special@spirit.com.au      Canberra,  Australia  -   Saturday, February 10, 2001

Reply from SeaView:     Yes.  We already have a web page dedicated to Mr. & Mrs. J. Gabriel at http://members.home.net/rmsempress2/horwood.htm
Cabin:    Second Class
Name:                                             Ticket Purchased at:                Remarks:
MARKS, Mr. J. Gabriel (P.J.?)             Suva, Figi                                 Lost    Body Identified
Cabin:    Second Class
Name:                                             Ticket Purchased at:                Remarks:
MARKS, Mrs.                                      Suva, Figi                                 Lost    Body Identified

Reply from SeaView:     Yes.  We already have a web page dedicated to Mr. William Horwood at http://members.home.net/rmsempress2/horwood.htm
Cabin:    Second Class
Name:                                         Ticket Purchased at:                Remarks:
HORWOOD, Mr. William             Toronto, Ont.                                 Lost

Reply from SeaView:      Thanks Carol.  I see John Ryan's name of the crew list as a fireman that was saved.
Cabin:    Crew
Name                                    Position                      Remarks
RYAN, J.                                 Fireman                         Saved

Ron Johnston     ron.johnston@merseymail.com Liverpool England - Tuesday, January 09, 2001 at 17:55:16 (PDT)

Reply from SeaView:      I see your great grandfather's name on the Second Class passenger list.  It reads:
Cabin:    Second Class
Name                             Ticket Purchase at                         Remarks
HALLIDAY, Mr. C.                Pierson, Man.                                  Lost......body identified

I liked your page on Empress of Ireland , My grandmothers Brother George Oswold Willis was on this ship. He worked as second saloon-smoke room steward
Arthur Moore  - Thursday, November 16, 2000 at 13:12:11 (PST)

Reply from SeaView:       I see your great grandmother's brother's name on the Crew passenger list.  It reads:
Cabin:    Crew
Name                                    Position                      Remarks
WILLIS, G.                     Smokeroom Steward            Lost