Winifred Kilawee was born in Knockaculleen, Dromore West, County Sligo, Ireland, on the 15th May 1869, the daughter of Patrick and Mary Kilawee (née Egan). Her family were farmers, and she had a number of siblings, but it’s not known how many.
Sometime between 1903 and 1905, she emigrated to the United States of America and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she found work as a domestic servant. She had two married sisters living in Pittsburgh – Mrs. Mary Williams, and Mrs. Catherine Heintzelman.
She had returned, at least once, to her homeland to see her family, for she returned to Pittsburgh in May 1914, having spent almost a year in Ireland. Then, in the spring of 1915, Winifred and her sisters received word that their elderly mother was ill, and that if they wanted to see her before she died, they should return. Winifred, apparently, was the only one of the three sisters who was in a position to make the journey. She had left domestic service at this stage of her life, and was working as a waitress.
For the first stage of her journey home, she booked third class passage from New York to Liverpool on the Lusitania and joined the vessel at her moorings, before she slipped out into the North River for the very last time on her final voyage across the Atlantic. Before she left Pittsburgh, Winifred had obtained $1,000 in drafts, and was also in possession of $60 in gold.
One week later, after the liner was torpedoed and sunk, Winifred Kilawee was amongst those lucky enough to be saved and after been rescued from the sea, she was landed at Queenstown, from where she was eventually able to get back to Dromore. She was aged 45 years at the time, although she stated her age to be 30 years when boarding!
After her arrival home, she applied for financial help from The Lusitania Relief Fund, set up by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, and other local dignitaries. This fund helped the survivors and relatives of victims of the sinking who had suffered financial distress through the sinking and on 14th June 1915, she was awarded the initial sum of £2-0s-0d
and later another £5-0s-0d in full settlement. In December 1915, the Committee also sent her £2-0s-0d as a Christmas gift.
Winifred returned to Pittsburgh in June 1916 and returned to domestic service. Although her mother was reported to be seriously ill in 1915, she lived until January 1918, when she died at her home aged 90 years.
Winifred Kilawee never married and continued to work in domestic service until she retired. She died of breast cancer at her home, 3432. Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, on the 29th July 1941, aged 72 years. She was buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, in Pittsburgh.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Ireland Catholic Parish Registers 1655 – 1915, Pennsylvania Death Certificates 1906 – 1967, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1911 Census of Ireland, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Liverpool Record Office, Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Pittsburgh Press, UniLiv D92/2/11, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.