When I was a girl, my father enjoyed telling me the story of his mother's emigration to America.
He was so proud of her courage and her sense of adventure and he wanted to share that with me.
Born on a farm in County Longford on October 15, 1888, Grandma ~ Mary Anne Sloane ~ was only five years old and the oldest of four children when her mother,
Mary Dennison, passed away in 1894.
But, 2 1/2 years later, her father (James) married Bridget Mulligan.
This was James' third marriage.
With Bridget, he added seven more children to the family (three of whom were born after Mary had emigrated.)
By all accounts, Bridget was a loving step-mother but it must have been difficult for Mary to be the oldest child in such a large family.
When she was about 16 years old, Mary overheard the adults discussing her marriage prospects.
According to my father, that was the moment she decided that she wanted more from life than what she could expect in Ireland.
She decided to go to America..
James' sister, Annie Sloane (1871-1953) had been living in New York since 1896.
Annie was a seamstress and was living alone at 352 West 124 Street, in the Morningside Corridor in Harlem.
Although 352 West 124th has been torn down, this is what some of the buildings in the Corridor looked like at the turn of the century.
The Morningside Corridor
Mary decided that she would be onboard the RMS Caronia when it left Queenstown in Cork on September 20, 1905.
RMS Caronia
Leaving the Queenstown Railway Station
The Cunard Line ran trips from Queenstown to New York about every four days and since all steerage tickets were sold without space reservations, obtaining a ticket was easy.
Before boarding, the Stewards of the Line questioned each passenger to create the Ship's Manifest.
Mary claimed she was a Servant.
Each passenger had to answer up to 31 questions (recorded on manifest lists) before boarding the ship.
These questions included, among others: name, age, sex, marital status, occupation, nationality, ability to read or write, race, physical and mental health, last residence, and the name and address of the nearest relative or friend in the immigrant’s country of origin.
Immigrants were asked whether they had at least $25; whether they had ever been in prison, an almshouse, or an institution; or if they were polygamists or anarchists.
Queenstown Ship Manifest for the RMS Caronia
She probably only brought one small suitcase with her which might have been filled with clothing and food, since steerage passengers were responsible for their own meals.
Once on board, she made her way to her room in steerage, deep in the belly of the ship.
Third Class passengers and those traveling in Steerage found their accommodations spartan and lacking any real style or decor.
Simple bunks, a stainless steel sink and washing and toilet facilities that were often unable to cater to the number of lower class passengers were the nature of ocean travel at the time.
However, because the Caronia was such a new ship,(she had just been launched 14 months earlier) her steerage quarters were more comfortable and neater than some of the second cabin accommodations offered a decade earlier.
The conditions for steerage passengers had improved by the turn of the century.
The single men were all quartered in the main and lower deck forward, and between them and the married people there was a saloon accommodation and engine space.
The single women were still further aft, and had their quarters entirely to themselves, and as they were in the charge of experienced matrons and fully qualified surgeon, they were thoroughly well cared for in every respect.
A hospital replete with every requirement was provided for every section and in addition there were two on deck for infectious cases.
The steerage berths were of canvas.
When not in use the berths could be compactly stowed away, the space vacated becoming available for tables and seats during the day.
The steerage was also provided with a pantry, from which the emigrants could be supplied with tea and coffee made on the same principal as in the saloon, and for the women who wanted to make their own there was an ample supply for teapots and hot water.
The main deck formed a promenade and recreation for the steerage passengers, while the saloon passengers had a special separate deck amidships, all mixing of classes thus being avoided.
Around the turn of the century, it became more common to use the term "3rd class" for the low price accommodation, some ships even had "4th class".
The accommodation for 3rd class passengers on these ships were almost as good as for those traveling on 2nd class, however, it was more crowded and the food was a little cheaper.
These ships could carry about 1,600 steerage passengers.
A steerage berth on the Cunard Line
After seven days at sea, the RMS Caronia sailed past the Statue of Liberty and into New York harbor on September 27, 1905.
How exciting and terrifying this must have been for all aboard who had left their homes and families to come to the New World.
But that excitement soon turns into fear and apprehension once the Caronia docks and Quarantine begins.
After the ship had docked in Manhattan, while cabin passengers were being released to the freedom of New York, steerage passengers poured across the pier to a waiting area.
Arrival at Ellis Island
Each wore a name tag with the individual’s manifest number written in large figures.
Steerage passengers waiting for processing as seen from the second class deck
The immigrants were then assembled into groups of 30, according to manifest numbers, and were packed on the top decks of barges while their baggage was piled on the lower dec
Another Ship's Manifest is drawn up ~
Ship Manifest for the RMS Caronia in New York
Difficult to read ~ I know .....
Because she was so new, quarantine on the Caronia usually only took about 30 minutes.
Those passengers with landing cards pinned on their clothes next moved to the Money Exchange.
Here six cashiers exchanged gold, silver and paper money, from countries all over Europe, for American dollars, based on the day’s official rates, which were posted on a blackboard.
And..... I am sure Auntie Sloane was right there on that Pier waiting for her brave young niece to be processed.....
The aunt and the niece lived together in the Morningside Corridor until Maggie Sloane arrived two years later and the sisters moved in together to a boarding house around the block at 446 West 125th Street.
They worked together as laundresses.
After World War II, Grandma & Grandpa finished their basement on Calhoun Avenue to make an apartment for Auntie Sloane to live closer to them.
Auntie Sloane passed away on Marianne's birthday in 1952.
So, in the beginning, the aunt helped the niece and in the end the niece helped the aunt.
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