Atlantic Crossings in the early twentieth century

Alfred Farndale in the Atlantic on RMS Carmenia, 1928

The story of five brothers and two sisters who crossed the Atlantic in the age of Titanic to emigrate to Canada

We saw a great iceberg this morning. It was a great sight. This is a great rock of ice. So you must know we were passing through a cold front. This is a big vessel about two hundred yards long I should think. Every body seem quite happy.

Martin Farndale in a letter dated 21 June 1905

You might enjoy this some music and a scene setter.

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Martin Farndale, June 1905

Martin Farndale was the first of the Tidkinhow family to emigrate to Canada. He homesteaded on the Trochu land in Alberta and raised cattle. He left home without telling his parents, and embarked on 15 June 1905 from Liverpool on the SS Tunisian.

From the passenger list for SS Tunisian 1905

Launched in 1900, the Allan Line's SS Tunisian was built by Alex Stephen & Son of Glasgow. She took her maiden voyage on 5 April 1900, from Liverpool to Halifax and Portland, Maine. A month later, she made her first trip to Québec and Montréal. The Tunisian boasted refrigeration, good heating and ventilation. It also had hot and cold, fresh and salt water on tap and four-birth emigrant cabins with spring mattresses. In 1912, five days before the RMS Titanic sank, the SS Tunisian reported heavy ice in the area that was to become the site of the disaster. The Tunisian was travelling eastbound at this time from St. John to Liverpool.

As he headed into the Atlantic, he wrote a letter home to his sister, Lynn.

June 16th 1905

Friday morning

Dear Sister

Just a few more lines. I left Liverpool on Thursday night for Canada on SS Tunisian. I have had a good night's sleep. I have booked second class on board and is very comfortable. We are passing by the north of Ireland this [ ]. The ship makes a call here to take on more passengers. This letter will be sent on from here. I shall not be able to post any more letters till I land at yond side. I am enjoying the trip well so far. I hope mother will not fret if she get to know before I write. I will send a letter to her as soon as we land. I am going to do best . I am going a long way up the country. I am to Calgary in Alberta. It is chiefly cattle farming there. There is several more young men on ship that are going out from there can catch. But I have not meet any lady that is my way yet. You must try and cheer mother up. There is nothing for her to trouble about. I am as safe here as riding on the railways in England. I shall be about other 7 days on the water. I will send a few letters off before I start my land journey. I have not time write more. I want to up on deck. We are just about to land at Londonderry I believe.

I must leave hoping you are all well.

M Farndale

A week later, as Newfoundland was sited, he wrote another letter.

Letter cannot be posted for England till we land so you will know if you get this that I landed all right.

Wednesday June 21st 1905

Dear Sister

I shall soon get my sea trip over now. Land was sighted today Newfoundland I believe. Every body is beginning to lighten up now. But it will be Saturday morning before we land at Montreal.

I have enjoyed voyage up to now. I had one day sea sick. It was awful. I don't want that any more. We have had few very cold days. It is always cold in this part of the Ocean. We saw a great iceberg this morning. It was a great sight. This is a great rock of ice. So you must know we were passing through a cold front. This is a big vessel about two hundred yards long I should think. Every body seem quite happy. There is a smoke room and a music room. And the best of everything to eat. Third class seems to be rough quarters. But they are in another part of the ship. There will be about eight hundred passengers on board all together. Some men pulling long faces when the vessel left Liverpool. I never thought anything about it. But I was like the rest. I watched England till it disappeared out of sight. I hope mother will not trouble about me. I will be all right. I thought it was my best thing to do. I had nothing to start in business with in England. I shall be able to get about £50 per year and board with the farmers out here. If I can stand the climate. And I can settle. I shall be able to start farming for myself in about two years.

Thursday

All letters are to be posted tonight on board so that they will get away as soon as we land. They don't [ ] to a few hours when they land. So all has to be ready.

First and Second class are having a Grand On Board tonight. We shall be quite lively.

I now finish. Hoping you are all well. And remain your affectionate Bro.

M Farndale

Jim Farndale and George Farndale, March 1911

On 31 March 1911, almost exactly a year before the RMS Titanic sank in a similar part of the Atlantic Ocean, James (“Jim”) Farndale sailed to Canada on the SS Canada of the same White Start Line as Titanic. Jim departed Liverpool and arrived Halifax, Nova Scotia on 10 April 1911.He travelled with his brother, George Farndale, who emigrated with him. There is a transcript of Jim’s diary recording his emigration to Canada.

SS Canada was one of Dominion's original contributions to the White Star-Dominion Line. Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, she was launched in 1896 and SS Canada departed on her maiden voyage on 1 October 1896 from Liverpool with a stop at Quebec before arriving in Montreal. She was used as a troopship during the Boer War from November 1899 to Autumn 1902. In April 1912, SS Canada's captain had claimed he was in the same ice field as the Titanic, ignored wireless warnings and maintained her full speed. She resumed troop service after the outbreak of World War I from 1914 to 1918.

Jim recorded his voyage.

Friday 31 March 1911

I left home on March 31. It will be remembered, how we hurried to station and were just in time, also that George had gone the night before, and was to meet me at Darlington. It was on the afternoon of this day, I was on the Guisborough and met two ladies, one of them looked very hard at me, and caused me to wonder why she did so. When my friends pushed me into train with my luggage. I know nothing of who was inside the compartment, but on looking round I saw the young lady whom I had seen on my way to station, but the rather curious thing about it, was, she had spent six years as a nurse in Canada. (She is a nurse at Middlesborough) and had been to Webster’s seeing their sick bay. She told me they had been talking about me in the afternoon, and she thought I must be the person. She knew all about Canada and was quite interesting to talk to. When we got to Middlesbrough I felt quite sorry for I’d been learning so much.

I was met by my friend, Harry Watson, at Middlesbrough, who had come from South Shields to see me off and stayed with him till the last night to Darlington, so you see how my evening was spent. I never had a chance of feeling lonely.

Beckwith (a young fellow going out on the same boat) whom I had previously met at Redcar passed through Middlesbrough and was going to spend the evening in Darlington so we agreed to meet there later.

It is rather curious how things happen, Watson whom I have referred to had known Beckwith before he went to America the first time, and Beckwith knew the young lady, also whom I’ve referred to, but none of them knew that I knew any one of them. Again, another coincidence.

I got into the train and parted from my friends at Middlesbrough and took my seat in the compartment, when a lady sprang up and challenged me. It was a family from Bolton some of you may remember how I heard of them going on same boat and called to see them at Bolton, but only saw the lady, although I did not at first recognise her. Well, now if I’ve made it plain it would almost appear as though this had all been arranged, but it all just happened.

On reaching Darlington I was met by George, and later towards train time Beckwith strolled up. We now learned that there was an excursion to Liverpool, which was to leave an hour later than we intended going, and arrived two hours earlier, but as we had luggage some of us were bound to travel with it; George took the exit: leaving Beckwith and I to follow and he saved about 7/6. Our train was so crowded that they allowed us to go in a 1st class compartment. We had a good time and were very comfortable till we reached a place call Northampton, where we had to change and wait an hour and about 3am we had a quick stroll through this place, which was fast asleep. We laughed as we thought how foolish we were. Next train we were not so fortunate, but we managed to keep everybody out of our compartment so as to be able to get a little rest for after having had a long two days running about, we were sorely in need of it. We thought, and were told, we had no more changes till we reached Liverpool, we had taken off our boots, put on slippers and were having a little rest, when the “fools” told us to change, so we had to rush up and pack.

It was about 8am when we reached Liverpool and were filthy somewhat like sweeps and very tired. George who had been there a good while, met us. Our first step was to look after luggage. All we had to do was to check them and give our names. The ship company: officials are there to meet train so it is quite simple. We went on and got to business, had breakfast, and washed which was most necessary. We strolled round town, doing our little business, got tickets made all alike, money changed, and made a few purchases etc.

I got some cards to send off, but the others wouldn’t wait, so had to write them in the street when I had time.

We went down to Dock about twelve o’clock, but the boat was not in and it was about 2.30pm when she steamed in. The place was packed with people and was very difficult moving about.

However they were soon ready for us to go on. We just walk past the Doctor bare headed and he looked savagely at us and we passed right on. We went ahead to find our berths, which was a simple matter. As our hand luggage was very heavy we got the Co to take it along with the others, so had been taken on board early. They sort it all out and take the wanted baggage to the berths for us, but it is some hours before some of it gets there and we wanted certain things as soon as we landed on board and it was with great difficulty that we secured if from the others. They would not allow us to pass with it.

Our next move was to book seats at table, of course the seat you book first you keep all the voyage through and we had up our minds that we would book first sitting if possible, the reason why is; that it gets very late before second sitting and one has to walk about passing time away in the morning, which makes one feel sick. They begin booking seats straight away in the saloon and give us our numbers. Another difficulty arose; I went to book seats, and took the three tickets with me, but as Beckwith was not on same deck as George and I, he could not sit at same table, and he very much wanted to, but after a lot of persuasion I succeeded in getting us all seated together.

I found out there was time to write some letters (the pilot takes off mail about an hour after sailing). I was busy with my letters when she began to move. I hurried out to see the scene, people were shouting from both sides and clouds of handkerchiefs and hats were waived as far as we could see but we were soon out of sight of it all and away out at sea.

People were allowed on board to see off friends until time of sailing, when they are ordered off, but some had been left on and had to be put off at sea on another boat.

The mail had come on board and was spread out on saloon table for us to sort for ourselves. There were lots of letters and telegrams. We sailed into a very smooth sea and the night was just perfect, we soon passed away from land.

Saturday 3 April 1911

We did not land at Ireland, but sighted and passed it about 8pm on Saturday night. This was the last we saw of Britain. We dined at 6pm. The boat is gently rolling everybody seems tired, especially ourselves so went to bed in decent time.

Sunday 2 April 1911

Very fine morning, and everybody seems in good spirits, there is, of course, no sickness as yet, but there are some pale faces and judging from myself a few giddy heads. At breakfast:- the tables all filled up, the sun is shining very brightly and is so warm and many people are sitting and lying in the sun.

Personally I do not take much breakfast but soon strolled out into the fresh air and left the others behind, they chaff me a little; of course they are old hands at this business. The food is really very good, and there is everything necessary. This had been a truly glorious day, sea very smooth.

About 10.30am we went to service in the largest saloon, the Chaplain is a fine young fellow, he’s a pastor going to the States and is acting as Chaplain, he gave a very nice address and the serviced passed off well and was short.

We can hire deck chairs at 3/6 each, we get tickets and put our names on, they are very comfortable and lots of people sit on deck all day, some bring their own chairs, but they must be a lot of trouble.

This afternoon we amused ourselves taking some snapshots, as it was so fine.

There is a library, which is a very comfortable room; we can get books at a certain time each day, and ours to pay a trifle for. There is also plenty of writing material and good accommodation for writing.

There is a smoke room and a bar, with attendants, who seem to be pretty busy most of the time. Amongst the men, there is a lot of gambling, of course everyone is trying to do some thing to pass away time if its only sleeping. In each saloon there is a piano and lots of people to play, having brought music with them for the purpose.

We breakfast 7.30, second sitting at 8.30. Lunch at 12 and dine at six. They bring round something they pretend is leaf tea (serving ladies first) also tea and biscuits in the afternoon. There is plenty of fruit and if anyone is sick they will bring us anything we need either to bed or on deck. So there’s no fear of starving.

Sunday has passed off very well and in splendid weather. People seem slow to make friends at the beginning of the journey.

Any announcements the officials wish to make are placarded up in saloon entrance.

The collection I have just noticed at service is 30/- and I think it goes to Seamen’s charities.

We noticed on board a lot of women, wearing a blue bow and we wondered why they did so, we have since found out, they are being sent out by the B.U.P.A and are in the charge of a Matron. I understand they are shipping some out every month. A lot of them are going right west to the coast and some to Calgary. There is forty of this party, quite a squadron. They all sit together at table, three tables full of them. There are a lot of women on this boat. I’ve heard lots of people say they never saw so many on a boat. I should say more than half second class are women.

Monday 3 April 1911

Very fine morning, but sea just a little choppy and not so warm, boat rolling a little. There is not much signs of sickness although some are looking a little pale and a few are absent at table.

A big steamer passed us today going same way, it was out of sight in a few hours. Anything of this kind draws a crowd everybody is interested at any sign of life. This was a very fast boat; it must have been a Cunard liner. It was rather annoying to be left behind so quickly, but our boat is not travelling so fast about fourteen miles an hour.

I had a little talk with the pastor, he said he was afraid he would be sick on Sunday whilst he was performing his duties but he was quite all right today. His wife is on board and they are both busy writing letters of introduction for people, when they reach their destinations.

Today we received a wireless message from England but only short, it was put up for us to see.

I was talking to a nurse who has been all her life in Canada (Toronto) and has been over to England and Ireland for six months. I asked her about the winters in Canada. She said it was the only thing she had missed during her holiday. She thinks the winters are splendid in Canada.

I was sitting in the library near some ladies, writing today, when one of them turned round and asked me if I was an author, I, of course said no, but I may as well have said yes. She said I was making such copious notes she was sure I was writing a book (“of course ladies want to know everything”).

I have met several young men who are going to Calgary. One gentleman I met, who is travelling round the world, with a party they are going to Vancouver then east to Japan and back through Europe. He told me he was going to try and speculate a bit in Vancouver and was quite interested in land.

There are a lot of nice people on board, to look at the whole crew one would wonder what they were going for, they are more like a pleasure seeking party, than anything else. There is a lot of Clerks etc. and many of them say they are going on the land. I have met several surveyors and engineers.

Tuesday 3 April 1911

This morning the sea is rather rough and there is a strong wind facing us and the spray, for the first time, is blowing up on deck, from the waves, it is also a little colder and the boat is rolling more than ever today. There is a little sickness this morning.

Later in the day:

The weather has become quite changed. The wind having risen and raining a little. We are now being “Rocked in the cradles of the Deep”. Most of us are feeling it a little now. I myself am feeling very bad, and cannot eat much, it is not a nice feeling, but it is something new and all interesting. There are lots of very interesting people on board, and as time goes on one makes lots of friends.

Wednesday 4 April 1911

This is what happened on Wednesday:

I have missed a day out, which was very rough all day; towards evening the wind rose and the sea at bedtime was very heavy and we thought we were in for a rough night. I’ve not been able to eat at all today; there has been a lot of sickness.

We passed some sailing vessels. I don’t know how they live at all; they were tossing just like corks on the boiling sea. We soon left them. There was a lecture on Esporantos, but I was feeling too ill to do down to hear it, and one feels best in fresh air on deck. There are some gifted singers on board. Some professionals. There is music and singing every night.

Esperanto is the world's most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Created by the Warsaw based ophthalmologist L. L. Zamenhof in 1887, it was intended to be a universal second language for international communication, or the international language, la Linguo Internacia. Zamenhof first described the language in Dr. Esperanto's International Language, Unua Libro, which he published under the pseudonym Doktoro Esperanto. Early adopters of the language liked the name Esperanto and soon used it to describe his language. The word esperanto translates into English as one who hopes.

Thursday 5 April 1911

Has brought a great change over us all after a terrible rocking all night everybody or nearly so is sick, half in bed including myself. I had something brought to me to eat, but very little (although I’m so bad I cannot eat). I was forced to laugh when George and the other fellows were getting up, every few minutes the boat would give a big heave, and one of these fellows a young “fool” (sleeping on opposite side to us) instead of going out to wash was washing in room, when suddenly the boat gave a big swing and his water was dashed all over, and came on to George’s bed, practically everything was moving in the room. I had some bottles on washstand, one of Eucalyptus oil was broken and spilled, they are all growling about the smell of oil. They had to dress by instalments as they could not stand for long at a time. Our berth is an outside one, with a port hole, or little round window and as we lie we look right on a level with the sea and watch the great waves rising mountains high, beating away and rising again.

I’m told there were very few people at breakfast this morning. The little window was sunk deep into the water, and then right into the air, making the room first dark and then light. Which was rather unpleasant and making one more dippy. I tried several times during the morning to get up and failed, but at last after dressing at intervals, unwashed and collarless, with overcoat and rug, I managed to crawl on deck, and found there a fine state of affairs, which was quite a novelty to me. The fore part of deck, as the wind and rain was facing in the night before they had run canvasses round to keep out the storm which formed a good warm shelter on each side of deck.

Instead of people walking gaily round deck, they were huddled in these covers lying, a helpless mass of human beings anyhow to get ease. However I took my place and lay for hours on the hard deck with just my rug. This was the most any of us did.

There were, of course, a few people moving about and could afford to laugh at us but everyone was effected more or less and those who walked staggered like drunken men, and it was only by the aid of stormy ropes that anyone was able to walk. On these occasions they tie strong ropes from side to side and from end to end of deck, for supporting passengers, the waves are rising and splashing on deck.

It is indeed a fine sight to watch a rough sea and it is fine also to be right in the midst of it, and have the same sight all round. There were no chairs used today they would not allow anyone to use them and I should think, no one would wish to use them. The Stewards and Stewardesses were busy all day attending helpless people on deck and in bed, for very few people went to meals. Towards evening the sea calmed slightly and many of us began to walk about a little. I walked a good deal and by bedtime felt a lot better but stayed out very late on deck and we saw a decided change in the weather, before retiring. This will appear to have been a bad storm but a storm is not very bad and there is nothing takes it place and I must say I have enjoyed it more than anything else all the way and after it was over was glad I’d been in it; for it is an experience worth having.

They say we passed some more sailing vessels today. George and Beckwith had been chaffing me all the way, about being ill, and said it was homesickness, but on this particular day they had not much to say. George was ill a little, but Beckwith was not much affected; he had been in to every meal; even he was a bit pale.

Friday 6 April 1911

This morning the sea is quite calm, but there is some fog, and it is a bit chilly, although there are a few sick people, most of them have turned out today, but are still looking pale. Everybody seems in better spirits and there is much more activity on board. There are notices up this morning urging us to get our money changed; that the Purser will change money at certain times during the day. Also asking Halifax passengers to sign their names to a list in saloon entrance so that their luggage may be sorted. The next time I travel over here I shall be on a quicker boat, six days is long enough unless it was in Summer when it would be very pleasant. We have been in a thick fog today, and the fog signal is most deafening. I was looking forward to my voyage but am now looking more eagerly to the end of it. I don’t like the smell of the sea now.

The party of “blue bow ladies” are having a meeting, I suppose arranging for landing.

On the two stormy days the guards were round the tables to keep the things, they are not a little inconvenient they just resew them on the edges over the table clothes.

Saturday 7 April 1911

There is a strong wind blowing, but the sea is very calm. Rather cold and foggy; everybody is looking anxious and the chief topic of conversation is; what time shall we reach Halifax tomorrow, for after today’s reports we now know that if all goes well we shall land tomorrow. Everyday they put up the report on progress and we know how many miles we have done and how many still to go; it is shown on a chart just how we are going and the route. The tables are all filled today and everybody seems quite recovered. There is, tonight, a concert organised by passengers, it is the final. They have got our programmes and are 3/- each and are going for seamens orphans etc.

My seasickness cure did no good, or perhaps I didn’t give it the chance. I simply hadn’t energy to take it. I should never bother with anything except a little special diet. I have been told by many people to eat whether having an appetite or not, but I will never act on that advice again. I think that is wrong; fasting for a few days is more likely than the other. Sea-sickness is not worth thinking about, as it never kills, its no obstacle, but there is a great difference in people; an old Sea Captain told me (who’s been a sailor all his life) that he is still sick every time he goes to sea and some folks are half-dead, whilst others are not affected in the least.

The clocks have been put back half an hour each night at midnight since we left Liverpool. The sea is tonight very calm; the sky is quite clear and I’ve been watching the first American sunset which is exceedingly pretty.

I have been down several times looking among the 3rd class, the conditions are very bad, the people are fearfully crowded, and they have no room to walk about as I escaped on the stormy days they could not go out on deck as they are only a trifle above the water line, they would be washed overboard. There are a good many foreigners down there, also, but there aren’t any on 2nd class.

The concert passed off very well, the proceeds were £6-17/-. There was a collection in addition to the selling of programmes, and it all goes to same cause. The chair was taken by the Chaplain and the saloon was packed.

Tomorrow we breakfast half an hour earlier, as they expect an early landing.

Sunday 8 April 1911

Everybody is astir early, and the deck is crowded with people looking for land. It is a very clear morning, but severely cold. People are packing and getting out their baggage, the gangway is being crowded with piles of baggage.

After breakfast we tipped the Stewards; each passenger tipped their bedroom and table steward. I expect they are very badly paid and so probably rely on tips. It is rather a nuisance, but there is one good point about it, they are much more obliging. When they expect something, each table steward has about eight to attend and bedroom steward so many rooms, so they will make a good thing as some will give each a dollar, some more, and of course many less.

About 9 o’clock:- they slow down and are waiting and watching for pilot everyone is flocking to the decks . We all expected we had our last meal on board, when to our great disappointment, a dense fog set in and presently it came on a snow storm and blew very hard and we all had to retire to saloons, there to await developments. There are all kinds of rumours that the pilot is lost and that we are scouting round finding him, once we came to a stop, for first time in nine days, but there is no news of pilot.

However the storm still goes on, and we have now turned round and going back into sea, and it is definitely settled that we shall not land today. We are just hovering around passing away time in a thick fog and blinding snowstorm. So we have, after all our preparation to settle down again.

This afternoon a good many people were in the saloon and the Chaplain invited a vote as to whether he should have a service and we had one, which was very nice and put time on. A woman down in 3rd class broke her leg and they are gathering for her and will be delayed in port, they have collected about £10.

I was really glad we were staying on all night, as I’m afraid we should have spent a rough day on land probably at Halifax and we were quite safe on board.

Monday 9 April 1911

They were all astir quite early about six o’clock. I went out on deck and found we were sailing right into port with land on each side. The hills were all covered with snow and looked very rugged. The snow the previous day had made the deck very slushy and was fast melting.

After breakfast, everybody seemed to be on deck and there was tremendous bustle and excitement as we sailed up to Halifax.

Unfortunately, however, there was another large Ocean boat sailing in ahead of us and of course that meant delay. It was the “Hesprian”, which sailed the day after us. There was a rumour that she had nearly run into us the night before, amidst the fog, but she no doubt was a little too near us.

The Doctor and Inspectors came on and went down amongst the 3rd class passengers.

Tugboats were steaming about and after what seemed a very long wait they pulled us up to the landing stage. They were soon at work getting out the baggage and everything was brisk. Halifax looks a very old-fashioned town. There was quite a lot of sleighing going on. We could see them in the streets from the boat. We however, again lunched on board and it was somewhere about 2pm when they headed us all in the largest saloon and the inspectors were soon at work. We have to produce our sailing tickets and a ticket which is given in the day before by boat officials and all families together. They want to know what we have done in England? How much money? What are we going to do and are we going to stay? They give us a stamped ticket and its over. We pass on.

Halifax pier 1905

The Doctor just sits and watches us all pass; of course there is a Doctor on board all journeys and he talks with Gov and so suppose he knows if any one on board ails anything.

It was about 3 o’clock when they at last allowed us to go off and we just had to show the ticket given us. We carried our bags which were very heavy and the man at the further end of custom houses passed them and allowed us to pass out.

We moved on to a restaurant in the town, where we left our hand baggage and had supper.

We then found Post Office and posted letters, had a look through town. There was not much but fast melting snow; hence the slush. It is not a very large place, but has its car service. It lies in a very hilly position, right on a hillside. There does not seem to be much business going on here, the shops are small and mean looking. So that there was nothing worth wasting time over. Some of our party were inclined to stay all night but we finally decided to get out as soon as possible.

It was quite unnecessary but we felt safer having it with us. The stewards from boat carry it right into Customs House for us, and its quite a simple matter getting them to do if, if one looks after them.

Our next business was rather more difficult, sorting out our heavy luggage and getting it passed. It is just piled up in huge heaps, tons of it and it is difficult in such a crowd. There were two boats landed on this particular day and two before were estimated 5,000 landed in three days; imagine the crowds, it was intense; so it will be easy to imagine the slowness of the process of sorting luggage. There are no porters to do everything as in England but everybody has to look after their own. However, after a lot of trouble turning over heavy bags we finally found each of our own. The customs men just walk round with chalk and mark them but the difficulty lies in getting them, as everyone wants them at same time, so that when one comes our way, we just have to make a rush at him, and try to persuade him to work at ours, so at last we were successful. He asked what we’d got in, if we’ve anything he can collect duty on. Its so easy to say no but we had high hopes and quite prepared to let him have a look if he was so inclined. However he passed it without further trouble.

We next had to proceed to RG checking office, a very important matter, we showed our tickets and they gave us checks, one of which had to be put on boxes. When we came to mine, the fellow fumbled asking if it contained lead. I informed him there was not more than 300lbs and asked if he wished to see what it contained but he said they would not allow so much weight in our package, however he finally passed it over and I was alone with it for the time being.

The trains had all been sent off, they could not get the immigrants away quick enough; we found it would be hours before we could be away.

People were lying about in the shelters, it was so crowded, the place very hot, but we were bound to stay there and wait.

RMS Titanic, April 1912

RMS Titanic was a British ocean liner that sank on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, to New York. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, about 1,500 died. This was one of the deadliest peacetime sinkings of a single ship.

RMS Titanic was operated by the White Star Line and carried some of the wealthiest people in the world, together with hundreds of emigrants. The disaster drew public attention, and caused major changes in maritime safety regulations. RMS Titanic was the largest ship afloat when she entered service and the second of three Olympic-class ocean liners built for the White Star Line. The ship was built by the Harland and Wolff shipbuilding company in Belfast. Titanic was under the command of Captain Edward John Smith, who went down with the ship.

Kate Farndale, July 1913

Catherine Jane (“Kate”) Farndale went to Canada in 1913. She travelled on the Victorian from Liverpool to Quebec arriving on 24 July 1913.

RMS Victorian was the world's first turbine-powered ocean liner. She was designed as a transatlantic liner and mail ship for Allan Line and launched in 1904. She was built in Belfast and had a sister ship, Virginian. When RMS Titanic sank on 15 April 1912 RMS Victorian was about 300 nautical miles, some 560 kilometres, astern of her, travelling in the same direction. Victorian's wireless operator received news of the sinking from RMS Carpathia via RMS Baltic. The operator told Victorian's Master, Captain Outram, but her passengers were not told until she reached Halifax. Outram said that Victorian had to divert very far south to avoid icebergs, and that his lookouts saw a great field of ice and 13 icebergs at one time.

William Farndale, August 1913

William Farndale was a passenger on the Victorian, a ship on the Allan Line, departing 13 August 1913 from Liverpool to Quebec, recorded on the manifest as a labourer, aged 22.

Alfred Farndale, March 1928

Alfred Farndale married Peggy Baker and Bedale church on 16 March 1928 and immediately after their wedding they travelled to Liverpool to cross the Atlantic and start a new life on the Prairie.

They sailed for Halifax on 17 March 1928, the day after they were married on the Cunard line ship, the RMS Carmania, a transatlantic steam turbine ocean liner, in service from 1905 until she was scrapped in 1932. She had been refitted as a cabin class ship in 1923, with 1,440 berths.

The First Class Passengers The Second Class Smoking Room Second Class Dining Room

Third Class had a very large Dining Room located amidships seating 500 at a time, and it was panelled with American Ash and teak dado. The tables were fitted with revolving fitted chairs, and there was a sideboard as well as a piano for entertainment. There was a Smoke Room and a Ladies Room both with comfortable lounge chairs and tables, as well as ample deck space. There were cabins for two, four six berths, all with wardrobes and washstands. Ample public facilities were provided and they were maintained to Cunard’s standards. The Steerage passengers stayed in large dormitories.

Lunch menu in 1922

RMS Carmania had been involved in a rescue after the SS Volturno caught fire in the Atlantic in 1913.

Grace Farndale, 1928

Grace Farndale followed her brother Alfred, and her best friend Peggy to Canada, crossing the Atlantic shortly after them in 1928, on the Athenea.

SS Athenia was a steam turbine transatlantic passenger liner built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1923 for the Anchor-Donaldson Line, which later became the Donaldson Atlantic Line. After the construction of the Pier 21 immigration complex in Halifax in 1928, Athenia became a frequent caller at Halifax, making over 100 trips to Halifax with immigrants. She worked between the United Kingdom and the east coast of Canada until 3 September 1939, when a torpedo from the German submarine U-30 sank her in the Western Approaches. Athenia was the first UK ship to be sunk by Germany during World War II, and the incident accounted for the Donaldson Line's greatest single loss of life at sea, with 117 civilian passengers and crew killed.

I went on the Athenia a small ship, ill-fated as it was sunk in the Second World War. It was a nice ship. There were 1,000 third class passengers in the bowels. I was second class and I got mixed up with a lot going on to the ship. There was a doctor asking questions in a sort of wire cage place, about health etc and how many illnesses we'd each had we'd had etc. He asked me the name of my doctor and I said I hadn't one. He gave me a hard look and smiled and said, “very good”. Martin was around and was mad and said they had no business to be questioning me. When they found he was with me and I was going to relations and had enough money, they let me through. Great relief! It was a great thrill going on the boat and finding one's berth. There was a lot to do and all our papers were again checked. One was continually pestered, and red tape. I was so excited, I pushed back into my handbag and could never find anything.

We were in time for lunch when we got on board. It was a bit of a scramble but an excellent lunch. In fact the whole voyage the food was sumptious. I shared a berth with a middle-aged woman going out to be married. She was an old fashioned cup of tea. It was 1928 and I was amazed at the amount of clothing she wore, woollen combs and about half a dozen petticoats, to say nothing, over a red flannel and white embroidered one on top. I didn't know people wore so many in that day and age. I had only a vest, girdle, stays, and pants and pulled them off with one stroke and was into bed. This person was very nice and told me she hadn't seen her future husband for 26 years and wondered if he'd think she'd changed. I tried to persuade her that she would be alright. I wondered though.

After I got settled into my berth, I went out on deck and I met an awfully nice girl from Pickering, a doctor's daughter, travelling alone, Joan Kirk. We chummed up and had meals at the same table and were together the whole way. She was visiting her brother at Hamilton, Ontario, a poultry farmer. We had a lot of fun together. She was a tall pretty slim girl, quiet, age 21. We were both seasick and sat on deck chairs. A very nice young waiter brought our food out on deck for us. We had rugs and were very comfortable until we tried to walk and we were like drunken sailors. But we never missed a meal. Joan and I did rather keep our keep to ourselves. Martin lectured us from time to time about not walking and getting our sea legs. But we went on sitting. There was another girl who rather hung on to me, a nervous young person, on her own. I just had to look after her in the end. She was delicate and couldn't cope with herself. She was alone.

It was a rough journey and took nine days and we were glad when we saw land. I remember Martin saying, “take your first look at Canada.” We were held up with Canada fog before we could enter Halifax. The minute we stopped, the sea sickness ended. I never felt better in my life, could have jumped over the moon with joy. They made Joan and I go through a lot of paraphernalia again when we arrived. Martin went right off and he said he would be there when I got off. The delicate girl they found was TB and wouldn't let her enter. She got hysterical and clung on to me saying, “don't leave me.” However they took her away and I never knew what happened. I was distressed about her. I was worried sick Martin wouldn't be there, we were so long in getting off the ship. Joan and I had our hand luggage, as much as we could carry, and a black man carried the rest for us to the train, which was wasn't far away. He set off at such a rate, we ran and couldn't catch up to him. We giggled so much, and Martin came along, very amused.

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