# Empress of Ireland



## The Dog (Jul 8, 2010)

The Forgotten Empress

Sorry to break into this thread but I can't get in anywhere else.

CPR Liner Empress of Ireland was wrecked not long after Titanic and lost more passengers than did Titanic and yet she is the Forgotten Empress. Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers hope to put that right , 
There will be a memorial service at the Sailors Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas on Liverpool's Pier Head at 2-30pm BST on Thursday 29th May 2014. 
Please spread the word and you are all welcome.

Dear Editor 
Have you ever heard of the Empress of Ireland
In 1912 RMS Titanic Hit an iceberg and sank with heavy loss of life.
In 1914 RMS Empress of Ireland was in a collision in thick fog in the 
Gulf of Saint Lawrence and sank with more passengers lost than in Titanic
In 2012 a memorial service was held in Liverpool Cathedral for RMS Titanic 
In 2014 a memorial service was NOT held in Liverpool Cathedral for 
RMS Empress of Ireland
Empress of Ireland is truly the “Forgotten Empress,” 
The Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers have arranged a memorial service for “our people” who died in “our Empress” 
The service will take place on the one hundredth anniversary of the tragedy in the Sailors Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, The Old Churchyard, Chapel Street, Liverpool L2 8TZ at 2-30pm on 29thmay 2014.
This service will take place simultaneously with that being held in Rimouski Quebec, the scene of the tragedy.
We are keen to contact people related to crew members or passengers on the ship and to involve them in the service
We are in touch with some but we need to broadcast a request for more to come forward, the service needs more coverage. can you help?
We will be much obliged if you can help.
Have you ever heard of the Empress of Ireland? 
No! Well, there you are then
You and all comers will be most welcome on the day.
We enclose an invitation for you to attend the service to give you some idea of the form it will take. World War 1 broke out shortly after Empress of Ireland sank and a much greater tragedy overshadowed her loss. Maybe this is why she is the "Forgotten Empress" 
Please note my Mobile telephone number is now 0753 100 7554 someone nicked the last phone. 

Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers


Eldonian Village Hall Burlington Street Vauxhall Liverpool L3 6LG
Telephone / Mobile 0753 100 7554 e-mail [email protected]

Representing
Anchorage Club, Apostleship of the Sea, Blue Funnel Association, British International Sailors Society, The Conway Club, Derbyshire Family Association, Indefatigable O.B.A. K.G.F.S,, Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers, M.N.A Blackpool, M.N.A. Salford,
M.N.A Wirral, Mersey Mission to Seafarers, Mersey Master Mariners Association, Russian Convoy Club, Shipwrecked Mariners Society, South Liverpool Sea Cadet Corps, Vindicatrix Association, War Widows Association, And the Sailors Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas.

Ships Nostalgia members Date 15th May 2014

RMS Empress of Ireland 
One Hundredth Anniversary Memorial Service 2014

Dear fellow members.

The Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers are pleased to invite yourself and companions to a memorial service for those people lost in the sinking of RMS Empress of Ireland in the Saint Lawrence River on the 29th May 1914.

The service will take place in the Liverpool Parish Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Chapel Street, 
Liverpool L2 8TZ at 2-30pm on Thursday the 29th May 2014. 

Empress of Ireland left Quebec bound for Liverpool with a full complement of passengers and crew including one hundred and forty two children and one hundred and sixty seven members of the Staff Band of the Canadian Salvation Army. 

Shortly after leaving Quebec Empress of Ireland entered a dense fog bank and stopped. She was in collision with another ship and sank within fourteen minutes taking with her all but four of the children, of the Salvation Army Band only eight survived.

More passengers died in this tragedy than did on Titanic, yet she is the Forgotten Empress.

The music during the service will be provided by a Salvation Army band and the Liverpool Harmonic Gospel Choir.

The wreath will be laid on the Altar by Charlotte Mulvaney 7 Canadian born and related to William Mulvaney, trimmer of Liverpool. This child personifies the emotional and blood ties between Canada and Lancashire. 

Other children taking part in the service will all be related to members of the crew.

I am sorry for the short notice of this service but I do hope you can attend. 

We will also welcome as many Branch Standards as can attend.

For too long this tragedy has been forgotten, we want to ensure that this ship is never again “The Forgotten Empress.

Yours sincerely


Patrick Moran
Chairman Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers.


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## doyll (Mar 9, 2007)

I agree RMS Empress of Ireland deserve more recognition, but please point out the much higher loss of crew on the Titanic. 

You are making a big deal of passenger loss and totally neglecting to comment of the fact that Titanic lost 526 more crew member bringing the total loss of life to half again as many and 

RMS Empress of Ireland had 1,477 persons on board the ship, of those (840 passengers, 172 crew) 1,012 died. She lost more passengers but less crew.. less total lives lost. Titanic lost 698 crew members. 

RMS Titanic had 2,229 persons on boar, of those (818 passengers, 698 crew) 1,516 died 504 more lives lost and 526 more crew lost their lives.


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day doyll.sm.yesterday.04:31.re:empress of ireland.i have read the very interesting historical thread's.sad as it may be, the loss of passenger's lives.i must thank you for briging to our notice the death of the crew members,the unsung hero's of the sea,to all those lost,including passengers may they rest in peace.regards ben27


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## doyll (Mar 9, 2007)

Cheers ben27. 
Indeed, I see no difference in value of life. Crew or passenger.. all lost lives are equally tragic. The fact that Empress of Ireland lost 840 passengers to Titanic loss 818 passengers (22 less) is heavily overshadowed by Titanic's much greater loss of crew.. more than 4 times as many crew died on Titanic.. 698 crew members lost compared to Empress of Ireland's 172 crew members lost.


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