Canada's most Fatal shipwreck in maritime History
Tragic Shipwreck Of 1914 Is Commemorated In Empress Of Ireland Museum Reminding People The Victims Didn't Perish In Vain
Tragic events in history serve many purposes, but most apparent, ironically, is the thankfulness for life. The Empress of Ireland was a steam ship that crossed the Atlantic many times from 1906-1914. On May 29th, 1914, the Empress of Ireland was struck by a Norwegian carrier going the other way. 14 minutes later, the Empress lay at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, claiming about 70% of the passengers and crew- 1012 lives. “Most people didn’t know what happened,” explains Annamarie Bourassa, Assistant Director for the Pointe-au-Pere museum, “it was the middle of the night and most people were sleeping. However, even the people awake were unaware what happened due to the thick fog.” In fact, fog was to blame for the collision that sank the Empress. Also, the watertight doors, meant to prevent a quick sinking, were not shut because “they figured it was just the St. Lawrence River and they weren’t needed,” Bourassa says.
The sinking is the largest number of deaths in Canadian maritime history. The interesting aspect of the history is the preservation made possible by the museum. Not just artifacts and the culture surrounding life in 1914 Canada, but human stories - present day people who were directly affected by the wreck. “We had an 100 year commemoration and people from all over the world came and shared stories,” Bourassa explains. Not only people that had grandparents and great-grandparents on the ship, but families that started a new life in North America from the many crossings of the Empress of Ireland. “People are proud to be apart of the history of the ship,” Bourassa says, “people would come from Italy, Germany, all over Europe and go to provinces in Europe and the US.” On May 28th, 1914, the Empress of Ireland had 1400 passengers and crew going to Liverpool with many people returning back to their homeland. “A lot of immigrants were going back to see relatives. People that come to work for the year, like at Ford in Detroit, would return to their home countries during the summer,” explains Bourassa.
A lot of these passengers had descendants that share their stories and reflect on the events of May 29, 1914. Ms. Donna (Clark) Parker shares the story of her Grandfather, Will. Will Clark and his wife, Lavinia and daughter Nellie came from England to Toronto. Lavinia and Nellie boarded the Empress to return home, but Will wasn’t able to go because he couldn’t get off work. He saw them aboard, then took the train back to Toronto. Upon arrival, he read the news and came to find what happened to his wife and daughter. They were never found and he returned to Toronto. He married again and had two children who had many grandchildren - Donna is one of his grandchildren. She writes, “This story is a treasured part of our history… We are all aware that when plans are made, life can often take a tragic turn and that, but for this tragedy, none of us would be here today.”
Many stories like this are shared at the museum and in the commemoration of 100 years. There are stories of sadness, heroism and appreciation. One story is of Liisa Lampinen, a lady who was 74 when she perished on the Empress. She lived in Michigan and decided to return to Finland to care for her sister. Lois Funke, her great-granddaughter writes, “She gave her life jacket to a young man knowing she would drown. Later, a member of that man’s family went to express their gratitude.”
The survivors recount what it was like to be in the ship at the time. Most of the letters and interviews state that they did not know what had happened and many did not believe it was serious, until the ship turned on its side and water was everywhere. Margaret Greenaway, a survivor, writes to her in-laws, “I tell you it was awful to hear the wails and moans, and the calling for God to have mercy…I lost my grip and just went down, down, down, the Water was filling me…When I opened my eyes, I lifted my head and all around me were dead bodies floating…”. She eventually was rescued and miraculously reunited with her new husband, whom she got separated from in the 14 minutes it took the ship to sink.
Besides stories like these and artifacts from the ship, the museum has a submarine that was in service from 1964-2000 and a lighthouse. Scuba divers still visit the wreck in the St. Lawrence River. It is only 130 feet below the surface, however conditions are less than ideal. “You must be highly skilled to reach the ship,” Bourassa explains, “one diver told me it’s like swimming in milk.” The water is really muddy, the current is strong and it is very cold. Because of this, at least 6 divers have died attempting to reach the wreck. Bourassa says not many people visit the wreck anymore because of the conditions, as well as the wreck being protected by the government since 1998 so it illegal to remove any artifacts from the ship.
Even though people don’t physically visit the wreck anymore, the stories and artifacts are on display and passed on at the museum. Museums like these give people the realization of how many people, hardships, and events took place to bring them to where they are now and, for most, that is a humbling and grateful experience.
Andrew Malo
A graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Education, Andrew has taught for the past decade in Chicago, New Mexico, and Japan. He enjoys tinkering with trucks and motorcycles, woodworking, reading and computer programming.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Camping Rimouski, which is a 15 minutes drive from Pointe-au-Père Maritime Historic Site. The campgrounds primarily serves travelers, providing 127 sites suitable for all vehicle types up to 60' and electric supply 30-50 amps.