113 years later, the sinking of Titanic and its story still fascinates the world. On April 14th, 1912, Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic at 11:40 p.m at a speed of 20 knots and slipped below the surface at 2:20 a.m. the following morning. About 1,500 people were killed. Many Canadians were aboard Titanic that fateful night. Craig Baird of Canadian History Ehx recounts their stories.
The Andersson Family: Johan and Alfrida Andersson boarded the Titanic with their children to begin a new life in Winnipeg. Originally from Sweden, they were in third class but reached the top deck as the boat was sinking. The entire family died.
Neshan Krekorian: Travelling in third class from Armenia to settle in Canada, he was able to get to the top deck. He was able to get into a lifeboat. He spent three weeks in hospital recovering from pneumonia. He never got into a boat again.
Jakob Johanson: Originally from Finland, he lived in the United States before making his way to the Klondike in 1902. Back in Finland, he planned to move to Vancouver. Originally supposed to take the Adriatic, he was transferred to the Titanic. He did not survive.
Leonard Hickman: From England, he moved to Neepawa, Manitoba in 1908. He returned to England to visit family and convinced his entire family to join him. He was on the Titanic with his brothers Lewis and Stanley. All three died.
Dr. Alfred Pain: Dr. Pain was in England learning new surgical techniques and was returning home to Canada. He befriended Marion Wright during the crossing. He got her into Lifeboat 9. Dr. Pain did not survive the sinking.
William Ryerson: He took a job as a steward in the second-class dining room. Born in Port Dover, Ontario, he served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons during the Boer War. He was in charge of Lifeboat 9 and survived the sinking. He later served in the First World War.
Paul Chevre: A famous sculptor, he was on his way to attend the opening of the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. He was commissioned to sculpt a bust of Wilfrid Laurier for the unveiling. He survived the sinking but died suddenly on Feb. 20, 1914.
Charles Melville Hays: The president of the Grand Trunk Railway, he was personally invited by Bruce Ismay (chairman of the White Star Line who survived the sinking of the company’s ship) to take the ship home with his family. He did not survive but his wife Clara and daughter Orian did.
Bess and Hudson Allison: The couple were with their two children Helen and Trevor in First Class on the ship. Joining them was their nursemaid Alice. Bess refused to get in a lifeboat without Hudson. Only Alice and Trevor survived the sinking.
Quigg Baxter: He was on the ship in First Class with his mother, sister and his new wife (married in secret) Berthe De Villiers. Quigg introduced his mother and sister to his new wife as they got into the lifeboat. He did not survive the sinking.
Harry Molson: A member of the wealthy Molson family, he was in England on business. He was supposed to come home on the Tunisian but his friend Arthur Peuchen convinced him to take the Titanic. He was last seen removing his shoes to jump in the water.
Arthur Peuchen: A Lt. with The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, he was asked to help in Lifeboat No. 6 due to his experience as a yachtsman. As he climbed down a rope, his wallet fell into the water. It was recovered in 1987. He survived the sinking.
There are many more stories of Canadians on the Titanic. If you would like to learn more about the Canadians on that fateful ship, you can read and listen to Craig’s podcast.
