Gerda Theoline Nielsen was born in Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway, on the 1st May 1886, the daughter of Thomas and Gurine Nielsen (née Ovaldsen). She was the youngest of five known children, her older sisters being Andrea, Elen, Nilsine, and Thomasine.
Her family name was often recorded as Nilsen, Nielson, and Neilson, although the correct spelling was Nielsen!
Her father was a seaman in the Mercantile Marine, and after Gerda’s mother died, he moved with his family to 223. Alice Street, South Shields, County Durham, England. He retired from the sea and became a cobbler. He died in 1909.
On the 1st October 1910, Gerda Nielsen had left Liverpool on board the Cunarder, Mauretania, bound for New York in the United States of America and arrived there on 7th October. Once there, she pursued her trade as a milliner, and in early 1915, having decided to return home, maybe because of the war, she booked a third class passage on the Lusitania from Brooklyn, New York, which was presumably where she lived, to return home.
Gerda Nielsen joined the liner at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 on the west side of the city on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time for her scheduled 10.00 a.m. departure, which was then delayed until 12.27 p.m.. This was whilst the liner loaded cargo and took on board passengers and crew from the Anchor Liner the S.S. Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned as a troop ship.
Whilst on board, Miss Nielsen met fellow third class passenger John Welsh, who came from Gorton, in Manchester, Lancashire. Welsh was a mechanical engineer and they formed a relationship which not only helped save her life, but would provide her with a life partner.
The Halifax Courier for 15th May 1915 relates what happened: -
Mr. James (sic) Welsh of Gorton and Miss G. Neilson became acquainted on the voyage in the Lusitania, and had agreed to become engaged when they reached England. As they approached the Irish coast they discussed the submarine danger, and agreed that they would remain together should the worst happen.
When it came, Mr. Welsh got a lifeboat and managed to keep himself and Miss Neilson afloat for about half an hour after the vessel sank. One of the lifeboats then came up to them, and the lady was taken aboard. Mr Welsh’s position was precarious, for the boat was already fully laden, but as the result of Miss Neilson’s pleadings, he also was pulled into it.
Having been rescued from the sea, Gerda Nielsen and John Welsh were landed at Queenstown and having eventually got back to England, they made for John Welsh’s home in Gorton. From there, they applied for a special licence to be married and just six days after the sinking, on the 13th May, they became man and wife at All Saints’ Register Office at nearby Chorlton, and took up residence at 52. Derby Street, Gorton.
This wedding was covered by the newspaper, The Daily Despatch, and then syndicated throughout the country, presumably because of its Lusitania interest. The Hull Times for 22nd May stated: -
They were betrothed on the day before the disaster, with the understanding that they would be wed on landing; they had met on the Lusitania for the first time.
“I am afraid I shall never be able to forget those awful experiences,” declared Miss Neilson to a ‘Daily Despatch’ representative, prior to yesterday’s ceremony, at which three relatives of the bridegroom were the only other persons present. “But”, she added, “so far as my marriage to Mr. Welsh is concerned I am happy – as happy as can be – at the prospect of being his life partner. He was willing to die for me – surely years of courtship could not have provided evidence of greater devotion.”
Miss Neilson has worked as a milliner in the States, and Mr. Welsh has also lived for some time in America, where, in the space of a few years, he saved about £2,000. Like that of many other passengers on the Lusitania, however, his wealth went to the bottom of the ocean.
There is, indeed, a decided touch of pathos in the position of the newly wedded pair. They left the registry (sic) office without any immediate prospects of being able to provide the home they had discussed and planned for in the happy hours before the great tragedy. Describing the scenes after the ship was struck, Mr. Welsh said that he fetched lifebelts from the cabin, fastened one around Miss Neilson and put another on himself. He put her in a boat from which immediately afterwards, the passengers were hurled into the sea.
“From my position on the deck I saw Miss Neilson fall from the overturned boat. ‘Jack! Jack!’ she cried as she gazed upwards. I raised
the network around the rails, dived and caught her. She placed her arms round my neck and I swam off with her from the side of the ship and the stricken, struggling crowd already in the water.
On turning round, I saw that the Lusitania was about to take her final plunge – we were only about twenty yards away. I well remember my words to Miss Neilson at that awful moment ; ‘Little girlie, if you love life, hold on to me for all you are worth. I am going to save you or go with you.’
My powers as a swimmer served me well. After about half an hour – Miss Neilson still clinging to my neck – we were fortunate enough to reach the side of a lifeboat, and managed to get a hold on the little looped life-lines which ran round the side.
It is impossible for me to adequately express myself regarding the marvellous courage Miss Neilson showed at this critical time. Her pluck was wonderful.”
Miss Neilson had a few pounds in her clothes when taken into the lifeboat, but after their marriage, Mr. Welsh remarked that their possessions consisted of but little more than they “stood up in.” Yet they appeared extremely happy and contented with their lot.
Later that summer, they jointly applied to The Lusitania Relief Fund, for financial help. This fund had been set up immediately after the liner had gone down, by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other local businessmen to help second and third class passenger survivors and the relatives of those who had perished, who had come upon hard times as a result of the sinking. It was thought that saloon passengers would be sufficiently well financially appointed that they would not need any help.
The awards committee gave the newlyweds a once-and-for-all payment of just £6-0s-0d., to help with the cost of replacing clothing they had lost in the sinking.
Sometime after their marriage John and Gerda discovered that they were unable to have children. This fact, and her experience of surviving the sinking of the Lusitania, had a detrimental effect on Gerda’s mental health and eventually John had her committed to a mental hospital in South Shields. Although it was hoped that she would recover, she never did, and remained in mental institutions for the remainder of her life.
Gerda Welsh died on the 2nd June 1961 in South Shields General Hospital, after a long illness, aged 75 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Norway Select Baptisms 1634 – 1927, Norway Church Records 1812 – 1938, 1891 Census of Norway, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1939 Register, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, General Register Office, Daily Despatch, Halifax Courier, Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Hull Daily Mail, Hull Times, Newcastle Journal, Last Voyage of the Lusitania, UniLiv D92/2/208, PRO BT 100/ 345, Graham Maddocks, Chris Bailey, Mabel Cullen, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.