In the early morning of April 15, 1912, the Titanic, 4 days into its maiden voyage, sank after colliding with an iceberg on its wau from Southampton to New York City. It is a story wrapped in tragedy that has captured our attention for 107 years. Even so, we have a tendency of focusing on the dramatic, and not paying attention to the documented but often overlooked details that can bring the narrative into a local context. Case and point - the role the community of Louisbourg played in the Titanic story.

The Canadian Government Steamship Montmagny was the third of four ships chartered by the White Star Line to search for casualties in the aftermath of the sinking of the Titanic, leaving Halifax on May 6 to help in the recovery. It was a lighthouse supply and buoy tender belonging to the Department of Marine & Fisheries Captain Peter Crerar Johnson.

In spite of the poor conditions, the Montmagny's crew recovered four bodies, (Body numbers 326 to 329 in the official records), one of possibly a male ship steward who was buried at sea. The ship delivered the three remaining to Louisbourg, NS on Monday, May 13th, 1912 where the Sydney & Louisbourg Railway, and then the Canadian National Railway, transferred them to Halifax where they were buried. These are the records of the victims.

Mr. Harold Reynolds, 21, was a third class passenger. He was a former private in the British Army, and described himself as a baker's assistant. He added a year to his age (1) in the manifest. On 9 April 1912 Reynolds visited his mother at the family home, 10 Court Hill Road, Lewisham but gave no indication that he had made plans to travel. On 15 April 1912 his mother enquired at the Lewisham Office as to his whereabouts. He was reportedly on his way to join a fellow baker in Toronto who had emigrated to Canada and apparently who had prospered there. His body was recovered by the Montmagny (#327) on 10 May 1912 and he was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 22 May 1912.

© Bill Fowler, Canada.

Miss Hileni Zabour, aged 16 and of Syrian descent and listed as being a housekeeper, boarded the Titanic as a passenger at Cherbourg with Thamine Zabour, 19 years of age. They travelled as third class passengers, and both lost their lives in the sinking. Her body, was recovered on 10 May 1912 (#328), and now rests in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

© Bill Fowler, Canada.

Mr. Charles Edwin Smith was 39 years old and a member of the crew, being a 2^nd class bedroom steward. When he signed-on to the Titanic in Southampton on 4 April 1912, Charles gave his address as Hollydene, Portsmouth Road, Southampton. His body was recovered (#329) by the Montmagny and was buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 20 May 1912. His widow Martha never remarried and continued to live at Hollydene. She died on 10 July 1938. His last surviving child was his youngest daughter Sybil, who died in 2001.

© Bill Fowler, Canada.

This story, along with many others, are told at the Sydney & Louisburg Railway Museum in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. Join our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram @slrailwaymuseum as we tell stories and learn and find new things to share with our growing community.

Main photo credit: Montmagny courtesy of the Nova Scotia Archives.