Catherine Wolfe Brown was born New York City in the United States of America on the 30th April 1877, the daughter of George Bruce and Virginia Greenway Brown, (née McKesson). Both of her parents came from affluent and influential families – her father having been successful in printing, type manufacturing and real estate, while her mother’s family were successful in the pharmaceutical industry. She had a younger brother named George McKesson Brown, who was born in 1878, and shortly after his birth, their mother died. Her father later remarried.
On the 20th April 1895, she married Allen Donnellan Loney in Manhattan, New York
City, and they had one daughter, Virginia Bruce, who was born in 1899 and named after her maternal grandmother, Virginia Marjesson.
From about 1906, the family lived in Northamptonshire, England, at the 17th century Guilsborough House, at Pytchley, which they leased from its wealthy local owners, the Renton family, but Mrs. Loney became homesick for the United States and in September 1914, returned there with Virginia, and her French maid Elsie Bouteiller, to live in Manhattan, New York state.
When the Great War had broken out, Allen Loney had converted two of his motor cars for use as ambulances and for a while, drove one of them on the Western Front, for the Red Cross. His chauffeur drove the other! Perhaps recognising the potential danger he was in, however, his wife decided to re-unite the family and sent for him to take her and Virginia back across the Atlantic to England. He duly arrived in Manhattan for this purpose in April 1915. Catherine had also agreed to take charge of, and manage, a hospital for convalescing soldiers in England.
As a result, the three of them, along with Elsie Bouteiller booked as saloon passengers on the Lusitania and joined the liner at Pier 54 in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time for her delayed sailing which actually began just after mid-day. Once they had boarded, - with ticket number 46061- Mr. and Mrs. Loney were allocated room B85 which was under the responsibility of First Class Bedroom Steward James Collins, who came from Formby near Liverpool in Lancashire. Virginia Loney was allocated room B87, which was also served by Collins and Elsie Bouteiller was not far away in room B81.
Six days out of New York, on the afternoon of 7th May, the Lusitania was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20, within sight of The Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland. Before she went down, Virginia was put into a lifeboat by family friend American millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt, but the lifeboat tipped up and she was thrown into the sea.
The scene is described by Adolph and Mary Hoehling in their book The Last Voyage of the Lusitania: -
Virginia Bruce was a proficient swimmer. With fast graceful strokes she swam away from the listing ship. As she turned her head she saw her mother and father. They were standing by the rail, beside their friend, Alfred Vanderbilt, who had helped her into the lifeboat.
It hurt her deep inside with an unfathomable helplessness to look at them. She knew she would never see them again.
Her thoughts proved only too correct for both her parents and the maid, Miss Bouteiller, were killed when the ship sank and none of them was ever seen again. When news of the sinking reached the family home at Guilsborough, the butler, a Mr. Habbatts travelled to Queenstown in the hope of discovering any news concerning his master and mistress, or Miss Bouteiller, but no trace of any of them was ever found. Catherine Loney was aged 38 years.
Bedroom Steward Collins, who looked after the Loney family in their saloon rooms did survive the sinking, however, and eventually returned safely to his Formby home.
On Friday 21st May 19
only yards from Guilsborough House, where the family had lived. The chief mourner at this service was Virginia. It was reported in the local newspaper The Northampton Mercury on 28th May 1915: -
Gathered in the church were many who had known and esteemed Mr and Mrs Loney in hunting and social circles in our county. There were also present many Guilsborough villagers, who had learned to love them for their kindly interest in the welfare of their neighbours, not infrequently manifested in an open-hearted generosity. The service, as befitted its setting, was simple in the extreme, but there were few present not visibly affected by the deep solemnity of the occasion.
The chief figure of interest was Miss Virginia Loney, only child. She was accompanied by Mrs Sedgwick, an American lady now resident in England, who is an old friend of the Loney family.
Prominent in the church was a massive cross of flowers, inscribed "In fond and respectful memory of a kind master and mistress and friend, from the staff at Guilsborough House". It was made by Mr Dimes, head gardener. The service was followed by a muffled peal rung on the bells of the church by the Guilsborough ringers.
Administration of Catherine Loney’s estate was granted jointly to Henry John Doveton, attorney to the United States Trust Company and George McKesson Brown - who was probably her brother, at London, on 16th September 1915 and her effects amounted to £3,791-7s-0d, (£3,791.35p).
Although they have no known grave, Catherine and Allen are remembered on a permanent memorial in Green-Wood Cemetery, in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.
This consists of a stone tablet, laid flat, upon which is inscribed: -
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
ALLEN DONNELLAN LONEY
AND
CATHERINE WOLFE BROWN
HIS WIFE
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON THE
LUSITANIA MAY 7. 1915.
THEIR BODIES WERE NOT RECOVERED
On 21st February 1924, the Mixed Claims Commission decided on a claim filed by Virginia and the executors of her parents’ estates for personal injuries suffered by Virginia, the loss of her parents, and the loss of all their personal belongings. The Commission awarded Virginia the sum of $25,000.00 for her injuries and the loss of her parents, and a further $1,700.00 for the loss of her personal belongings. In addition, they awarded the executors of the estate of Catherine Wolfe Loney the sum of $15,450.00, and the executors of the estate of Allen D. Loney the sum of $1,235.00
New York U.S. Extracted Marriage Index 1866 – 1937, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1911 Census of England & Wales, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 466, Find A Grave, Last Voyage of the Lusitania, Northampton Mercury, New York U.S. Wills and Probate Records 1659 – 1999, Probate Records, PRO 22/71, PRO BT 100/345, Graham Maddocks, Matthew Fatale, Kate Wills, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.