Christina McFarlane Knox was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the 6th September 1883, the daughter of John M. and Isabella M. Knox. Her father was a glazier and the family home was at 26. Robertson Street, Glasgow. She was one of four known children in the family.
After completing her education she found work as a clerk, before immigrating to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1912 or 1913. On the 20th August 1913, she married James Maxwell Stewart in Toronto. Her husband had emigrated from Glasgow in 1912, and was working as a cost clerk, and it is likely that the couple had met and become engaged in Glasgow before her husband immigrated.
The couple established their home at 47. Jesmond Avenue, Toronto, and on the 21st August 1914, their first child, a son named John Knox, was born.
In the spring of 1915, Christina Stewart decided to return for a holiday to Glasgow, and bring her son with her so that she could introduce him to her family and friends. She booked second class passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania from New York to Liverpool on the first part of their journey to Glasgow.
Having arrived at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915, they boarded the liner in time for her 10.00a.m. departure. This was then delayed until the afternoon as she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war service as a troop ship, at the end of April. The Lusitania finally left port just after mid-day and just six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May; she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20. At that point in her voyage, she was within sight of the coast of southern Ireland and only 250 miles hours away from her Liverpool home port and destination.
Both Christina Stewart and her son were fortunate to survive this action, and having been safely landed at Queenstown, she gave a brief account to a newspaper reporter that was syndicated around the world. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on the 10th May: -
“I was in my cabin with my 8 month-old baby, who was sleeping in the berth, when I heard the crash. I snatched my baby up and went on deck. A man yelled, “Come on with the baby”. I handed him the infant and he said, “Now for yourself”.
“We were two and one-half hours in the boat before we were picked up by a steamer”.
Christina Stewart and her son managed to make their way to her family in Glasgow and remained there until they boarded the St. Paul in Liverpool on the 13th November 1915 and sailed to New York, from where they travelled overland to their home in Toronto.
On their return to Toronto, Christina Stewart lodged a claim with the Canadian Commission for the loss of their clothing and personal effects. The made no claim for any injuries or medical expenses. The amount sought by Christina Stewart was £75-5s. (£75.25p) which was converted to $369.19. In 1926, the Commission awarded her the full amount of her claim.
The Stewart family continued to reside in Toronto and had two more children.
Christina Stewart died in Toronto on the 29th June 1972, aged 78 years.
Ontario Canada Births 1832 – 1915, Ontario Canada Marriages 1826 – 1938, 1891 Census of Scotland, 1901 Census of Scotland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, UK Incoming Passenger Lists 1878 – 1960, Cunard Records, Canadian Claims Case No. 766, Cleveland Plain Dealer, PRO 22/72, PRO BT 100/345, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.