Elizabeth Eleanor Hampshire was born in Stalybridge, Cheshire, England, 28th November 1878, the daughter of Joseph William and Mary Hampshire (née Lomax). Her father is a mechanic, and could have been married prior to marrying her mother. While still an infant, she was living with Mrs. Ellen Crompton, a widow, and her children, at 25. Primrose Lane, Glossop, Derbyshire.
Later, while still a child, she was adopted by Micah and Hannah Whitehead, who resided at 42. Arundel Street, Glossop. She grew very close to one of the Whitehead children – Florence, who was six years older than her, and Elizabeth was known as Nellie Whitehead as she was growing up with this family.
Both Elizabeth Hampshire and Florence Whitehead were working in one of the local cotton mills, and by 1911, were independently living in a house together at 18. John Street, Glossop, and later at 34, Mount Street, Glossop.
In September 1914, Elizabeth and Florence arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States of America, on board the
Laconia, on a six month holiday to visit Elizabeth’s brother, William, who was a chemist in Milton, Massachusetts, and also her sister, Jane, who was married and living in Webster, Massachusetts. For their return to Glossop, they booked second cabin passage on the Lusitania, from New York City to Liverpool and joined the vessel at New York in time for her sailing just after mid-day on 1st May 1915. They shared a cabin, E135, with Miss Henrietta Pirrie and Mrs. Jane Williams.
When the ship was struck, six days later, they were both fortunate enough to survive because they were able to get into one of the boats which was successfully launched.
Whilst sitting in the lifeboat, waiting for it to be lowered, saloon passenger Ernest Cowper handed a six year old girl, second cabin passenger Helen Smith to Miss Hampshire, who put her on her lap. It was through this action that Helen Smith was eventually saved, although the rest of her family, father, mother and an infant sister, perished.
On their safe return to Glossop, on Sunday 9th May, Miss Hampshire and Miss Whitehead gave a brief interview concerning their experiences which was published in
The Cheshire Daily Echo on 10th May 1915. It said: -
They stated that they were in the dining room when the torpedo struck the vessel. They felt a shock which seemed to shatter the vessel and this was immediately followed by the smashing of glass.
Rushing on deck, they found that already the boats were being lowered. Helped by members of the crew and some of the male passengers they obtained a place in a boat. Four children were thrown into their boat, two of them being twins whose parents they afterwards learned were picked up by another boat.
Both ladies praised the conduct of the captain, crew and male passengers who gave every assistance to the women and children.
The twins referred to by the friends were probably third class passengers Sutcliffe and Ethel Riley aged four years, the son and daughter of Eddie and Annie Riley. The Riley family was travelling from Lawrence, Massachusetts, via Boston.
Another interview, given to another local newspaper, The Hyde Reporter, gave another version of their experiences. It stated: -
Describing their experiences, they said that they were dining about 2 p.m., when they felt a shock which seemed to shatter the vessel, and this was immediately followed by the smashing of glass etc.. Rushing out on deck, they ascertained that the vessel had been torpedoed and saw that the boats were even then being lowered. There was no time to obtain lifebelts, but they were assisted into a boat.
Miss Whitehead described how the vessel disappeared while they were rowing about in the vicinity picking up survivors, and added that four children were thrown into their boat, two of them being twins, whose parents were later picked by another boat and brought to shore.
Miss Whitehead also stated that as one end of the vessel dipped down into the water, that the other rose to a great height; just before the final plunge she saw one of the passengers calmly and deliberately dive from the elevated end and into the waves. Fortunately, said Miss Whitehead, the sea was calm, but it was cold.
Having safely returned to their home in Glossop, they returned to work, and then in April 1920, Elizabeth Hampshire again crossed the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in New York City on board the
Carmania. Her destination on this occasion was Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where four of her brothers now lived. She resided at 688. Weeden Street, Pawtucket, and worked in a yarn dye works.
On the 1st August 1925, Elizabeth married Peter Kennan Graham in Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Graham had been born in Scotland in 1890, and was therefore twelve years younger than Elizabeth. He had emigrated from Scotland in 1922, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1932. He worked as a labourer for the City of Pawtucket, and the couple lived for many years at 15. Abbott Street, and then at 133. Morris Avenue, Pawtucket. There were no children from the marriage.
On the 19th May 1977, Elizabeth Graham died in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and her remains were laid to rest in Moshassuck Cemetery, Central Falls, Providence County, Rhode Island, beside her husband, Peter, who had died in 1952..
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1881 Census of England & Wales, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, 1925 Rhode Island State Census, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Massachusetts Passenger Lists 1820 – 1963, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Rhode Island State and Federal Naturalization Records 1802 – 1945, Boston Globe, Cheshire Daily Echo, Hyde Reporter, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Last Voyage of the Lusitania, UniLiv D92/2/62, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.