Bridget Lee was born in Pullabawn, County Cavan, Ireland, the daughter of Joseph and
Catherine Lee (née McLean). She was born into a farming family and she was one of the eldest of her siblings, although it cannot be determined how large her family was. Although in later life she stated her date of birth to have been the 20th March 1867, the evidence indicates that she was born in November 1862.
She was unmarried, and around 1879, she emigrated to the United States of America, settling in New York City, where she entered domestic service, most often being described as a laundress. She made frequent visits back to her native country to visit her relatives, usually every three to five years.
In 1915, she had been living in New York City with her unmarried niece, Margaret ‘Maggie’ Galligan, and in the spring of that year, both ladies decided to return home for a holiday. As a result, they booked passage on the Anchor Lines ship the S.S. Cameronia for her voyage across the Atlantic.
However, at the end of May the British Admiralty requisitioned that vessel for war service as a troop ship and the passengers, some of the crew not needed for her new purpose and most of the cargo were instead transferred to the Lusitania, which was scheduled to leave the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York port, on the morning of 1st May 1915. This sailing was then delayed until just after noon, to accommodate her extra cargo and personnel and Bridget Lee and Maggie Galligan was allocated a room in the second cabin section of the ship.
What must have seemed at the time like an amazing piece of good fortune for them turned suddenly into tragedy, however, just six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, when the liner was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20, in sight of the Old Head of Kinsale in Southern Ireland and only about 250 miles away from her Liverpool destination and home port. Despite the fact that nearly two thirds of the second cabin passengers died as a result of this action, both aunt and niece survived.
Having been rescued from the sea and landed at Queenstown, they both eventually made it back to their Cavan homes.
While there, they gave an interview which appeared in the Anglo-Celt newspaper on Saturday, 15th May. The article stated: -
SAVED FROM LUSITANIA
CAVAN PASSENGERS’ EXPERIENCE
Among the 777 passengers of the Cunard liner Lusitania who were saved out of a total of 1,960, after the great vessel had been torpedoed by a German submarine off Kinsale Head on Friday last, are two Co. Cavan ladies who were interviewed by an Anglo-Celt representative on Tuesday, at the residence of Mr. Francis Smith, Killycannon, Cavan, a brother-in-law of Miss Bridget Lee, who said she was accompanied on the trip by her niece, Miss Maggie Galligan, formerly of Ardlogher.
She had been a resident of New York for 25 years, during which time she had crossed the Atlantic several times. Miss Galligan went to the United States about 5 years ago.
They had their passages booked on the Carmania [actually Cameronia], but were with a large number of other Irish people transferred to the ill-fated Lusitania at the last moment, the Anchor Line boats having been
requisitioned by the British Government to convey troops from Canada for the front.
Miss Lee, who looked none the worse of the terrible ordeal through which she had passed, continuing, said that she was at lunch when the first shock was felt, the general topic at the table being the submarines. Everyone rushed out of the dining room, but the stewards and waiters assured them that there was no cause for uneasiness. Miss Lee and her niece then returned to their seats, and when the second shock came it was with difficulty that they made their way out.
They were supplied with lifebelts, as owing to the suddenness of the attack, there was a delay in the launching of the lifeboats. The scene was a terrible one. She and her niece clasped each other’s arms, and then suddenly the vessel went down, and they went with it, praying fervently to God for mercy.
She could not tell anything that happened then, but she next found herself, still clasping her niece, on the surface of the water, and seeing a deckchair floating, they caught hold of it, as did a gentleman who was also in the water. In this terrifying state they held on for two hours, desperately clinging to the frail support, until they were picked up by a lifeboat in which there were twenty other passengers.
They were then transferred to a tug-boat and taken to Queenstown, where they remained until Monday morning. Miss Lee said the spectacle of dead bodies floating on all sides was one never to be forgotten. She added that the only Cavan people she had come into personal contact with on the boat were a lady from Cootehill district, and Mr. Ernest Moore, of Lisdarn, who was returning home after a two year sojourn in the United States.
The woman from Cootehill district was probably Miss Susan Coleman, who also survived. Unfortunately, Ernest Moore was not amongst the survivors. The article continues: -
She had been speaking to Mr. Moore on the morning of the disaster, and that was the last she saw of him. She was most anxious to know if he had been saved. The Cootehill lady was amongst the survivors, Miss Lee having met her in Queenstown before leaving. All their luggage was lost. Had they been allowed to sail in the Anchor Line steamship in which they booked, they would have been saved their desperate ordeal.
Not long after her return, Bridget Lee made a claim for compensation for loss of her clothing, to The Lusitania Relief Fund. This fund had been set up in Liverpool, soon after the liner had gone down, by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other local businessmen, to provide financial compensation for second and third class passengers who had suffered as a result of the sinking. It was thought at the time that saloon passengers would not need any help! Both Miss Lee and her niece were granted the sum of £3-0s-0d by the awards committee to replace clothing lost in the sinking.
Probably due to her frightening experience, Bridget Lee remained in Ireland until well after the War had ended and only returned to New York City in December 1919, when she boarded the Baltic at Liverpool on the 6th December.
She lived from this time with her niece, Mrs. Bridget Galligan, and her family at 172.
West 65th St., Manhattan, New York City, continuing to work in domestic service for many years.
Bridget Lee died in the Lutheran Hospital, Manhattan, New York City, on the 4th May 1938, aged 75 years.
Ireland Catholic Parish Registers 1655 – 1915, New York Extracted Death Index 1862 – 1948, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, 1925 New York State Census, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, New York State and Federal Naturalization Records 1794 – 1943, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Liverpool Record Office, Anglo-Celt, New York Times, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/226, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.