Mabel Elizabeth Gardner was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the 14th August 1869, the only child of Edward W. and Elizabeth C. Gardner. Her father was a merchant.
On the 15th July 1897, Mabel married James J. Bryson, a veterinary surgeon, in Manhattan, New York City, and shortly afterwards, the couple moved to Toronto and took up residence with Mabel’s mother, who by now was a widow. There were no children as a result of the marriage, which wasn’t a happy one, for on the 3rd October 1904, Mabel filed for divorce in St. Clair, Michigan. Her reason for seeking a divorce was due to her husband not supporting her. Her application was granted on the 1st July 1905.
Perhaps to put her failed marriage behind her, she decided to go to England, taking her mother with her, and on the 23rd August 1905, they arrived in Liverpool on board the
Minneapolis. Then, on the 24th August 1910, she married William Crichton, an American divorcee, and they lived at 4, Cardinal Mansions, Carlisle Place, Westminster, London, England. Her husband was employed by the Hart Manufacturing Co., 76 & 77. Rochester Row, Westminster, London.
On the 24th January 1915, Mabel arrived in New York on board the Minnewaska, on route to Connecticut to visit friends. For her return to England, she booked a saloon passage from New York to Liverpool on the May sailing of the
Lusitania. She stayed at the Hotel Astor in New York, before boarding the vessel on the morning of 1st May 1915 - with ticket number 46088 - in time for her scheduled 10 o‘clock departure. Once on board, she was allocated room A19, which was under the personal supervision of First Class Bedroom Steward Charles Randall, who came from Liverpool.
The Lusitania did not actually leave the Cunard berth at Pier 54 until just after mid-day, because she had to wait to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Lines ship
Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for war service as a troop ship at the end of April. Then, six days later, when the Cunarder was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine
U-20, off The Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland, Mabel Crichton was killed. At that stage of her journey, the
Lusitania was only about twelve to fourteen hours steaming time away from the safety of her Liverpool home port.
Mabel Crichton’s body was recovered from the sea, however, and having been landed at Queenstown, it was given the reference number 190, in one of the temporary mortuaries set up there and described as: -
Female. Mrs. W (sic) Crichton. Aged 43 years, 5’ 4” high, dark brown hair, very stout make, full breast, full short round face, short nose slightly cocked.
Property. 1 Plain gold ring, 1 Gold diamond ring, 1 gold diamond brooch.
On 18th May 1915, her remains were sent to London for burial, and she was cremated on 21st May. On 7th June the property taken from it was sent to William Crichton at 77, Rochester Row, London.
Three days later, on 10th June 1915, administration of Mabel Crichton’s estate was granted to her widowed mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Gardner, her effects amounting to £884-2s-4d, (£884.22p.). On 19th December 1916, William Crichton died.
Cunard records describe Mabel Crichton as a United States Citizen, as this became her nationality after her marriage to William Crichton, who was born in America.
Bedroom Steward Randall survived the sinking and was later able to return to his Liverpool home.
Following the end of the war, Macpherson Crichton, a brother of William, and executor of his estate, filed a claim for compensation for the death of Mabel, which was brought before the Mixed Claims Commission. The Commission awarded the sum of $3,000.00 in compensation.
New York Extracted Marriage Index 1866 -1937, Michigan Divorce Records 1897 – 1952, 1871 Census of Canada, 1881 Census of Canada, 1891 Census of Canada, 1901 Census of Canada, 1911 Census of England & Wales, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, UK Incoming Passenger Lists 1878 – 1960, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 601, Probate Records, PRO 22/71, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv.D92/1/8-11, UniLiv D92/2/442, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.