Margaret Wallace, known as “Maggie”, was born in Rusheen, Ballylongford, Co. Kerry, Ireland, on the 7th December 1879, the daughter of William and Margaret Wallace (née Molyneaux). Her father was a farmer and Margaret was one of ten children.
On the 21st August 1898, she boarded the S.S. Lucania at Queenstown and immigrated to New York in the United States of America. She found work as a housekeeper in New York City, residing at The Holley, 26. Washington Square. On the 20th September 1898, shortly after Margaret had gone to America, her brother, Michael, accidently drowned in Ballylongford. Other members of her family also emigrated to the United States of America, including her sister, Delia, who arrived in April 1912.
In the spring of 1915, however, Margaret and Delia decided to return home together to Ireland and as a result, booked themselves second cabin accommodation on the Lusitania for the journey across the Atlantic. They joined the liner at Pier 54 in New York harbour in time to catch her sailing which eventually left late, at 12.25 p.m. on 1st May 1915.
Margaret was killed, six days later after the liner had been torpedoed, as was her sister and as no trace of either body was ever found afterwards, neither has a known grave.
Margaret Wallace was aged 35 years.
In the early summer of 1915, her father sought financial help from The Lusitania Relief Fund, of Liverpool. This fund had been set up not long after the sinking, by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other notable Merseyside business people, to provide financial assistance for survivors and relatives who had been adversely affected by the disaster.
Mr. Wallace claimed that he was dependant on the income of his daughters, but the awards committee could not have been totally happy with his claim, for they only awarded him an initial payment of £3-0s-0d., and promised to make further enquiries as to his financial situation.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Liverpool Record Office, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/212, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.