The RMS Hesperian was a passenger ship of the Allan Line, which served the Liverpool - Québec - Montréal route from 1908 to 1915.  On the night of 4 September 1915, the submarine SM U-20, under the command of Kapitanleutnant Walther Schwieger, who sank the Lusitania, torpedoed Hesperian.  The Hesperian sank over a day after being torpedoed, on 6 September 1915, while being towed to Ireland.  Thirty-two people were killed when a lifeboat upset while lowering.  Hesperian was also carrying the body of Lusitania victim Frances Stephens on her last voyage, with Mrs. Stephens being sunk twice by the same submarine and commander.
Schwieger was reprimanded for this action, as the previous week Count Bernstorff, the Imperial German Ambassador to the United States, had assured Washington that “passenger liners will not be sunk without warning” after the Lusitania disaster.
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The ship
Hesperian of the Allan Line was a cargo and passenger steamship built by the Scottish shipyard Alexander Stephen and Sons, Ltd., of Linthouse, Glasgow, Scotland.  She was launched on 20 December 1907 and embarked on her maiden voyage on 25 April 1908 on the Liverpool - Québec - Montréal route.  The ship was named after the Garden of the Hesperides of Greek Mythology, a mythical land to the west, near the Atlas mountains, famed for the three “nymphs of the evening” who lived there and its tree which grew golden apples.
Hesperian was a single-funnel, double screw ship 485.5 feet (147.8 meters) in length and 60.3 feet (18.3 meters) wide.  Her size was 10,920 gross registered tons.  She could accommodate 210 passengers in first class, 250 in second calss, and 1,000 in third class.  Starting in January 1910, Hesperian was contracted out to the Canadian Pacific Line for a voyage from Liverpool to St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Last voyage
Hesperian left Liverpool on Saturday, 4th September 1915 at 7:00 p.m. for Québec and then Montréal. Her commander was Captain William Main. On board were 814 passengers and 300 crew members. In addition to civilian passengers, she would be carrying wounded Canadian soldiers home and cargo.
No United States citizens were passengers, although one steward was an American national. Most of those aboard were either British or Canadian. The passengers knew of the risk of a German U-boat attacks or the possibility of running into run a German mine, as in the course of the submarine war already many British merchant ships, including Lusitania, had already been sunk.
The passengers list included the following people:
Ellen Carbery from St. John, New Brunswick, one of the first private Canadian women decorators and the founder of Ellen Carbery’s Ladies Emporium. She would be lost in the subsequent sinking.
Marjorie Campbell Robarts, sister of John Robarts, a high Canadian dignitary of Bahai Faith, who survived.
Major Percy Guthrie, a Canadian battalion commander and a former member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, who survived.
Also on board was the casket of Frances Stephens, the widow of a Canadian politician George Stephens. Four months prior, Frances Stephens was lost in the sinking of the Lusitania. Her body was shipped aboard Hesperian to Montréal in order to be buried beside her husband. She was therefore sunk twice by the same U-boat and commander, with her final resting place at the bottom of the Atlantic rather than by her husband.
Attack
The German submarine SM U-20 of the Imperial German Navy under the command of the 30-year-old Kapitanleutnant Walther Schwieger was about 85 miles off of Fastnet Rock, Ireland, on the evening of 4 September 1915.
Schwieger sighted Hesperian steaming at full speed just hours after the ocean liner had left Liverpool. Through his periscope, he saw Hesperian zigzagging towards him. Even though he did not know the identity or the purpose of the ship, he made the decision to attack. As he did with Lusitania, Schwieger fired a single torpedo at his target.
The torpedo struck Hesperian‘s starboard bow at 8:30 p.m. and exploded in the forward engine room. The impact sent a wall of water and debris shooting into the air and striking the bridge and the boat deck with great violence, causing significant damage. The ship shuddered and listed to starboard. Furniture slipped and dishes fell and broke. Steam escaping from the engine room enveloped the upper decks.
Captain Main had the ship stop immediately, rang the alarm bells, and ordered the SOS signal to be sent. He also ordered his officers to lower the lifeboats. Despite it being nightfall, the evacuation was orderly and fair, and most boats were manned and lowered safely. A port side lifeboat upset while lowering, killing 32 people. Eyewitnesses reported afterwards that there had been no great panic among the passengers.
The survivors were rescued during the night by several wary British ships in the vicinity and taken to Ireland.  One man who had been blinded on the Western Front had his sight restored by the shock of the explosion.  A boy had been left behind, sleeping in his bunk, throughout the sinking.
The ship’s watertight bulkheads kept the ship afloat, although she was now riding lower in the water. The vessel was evacuated in less than an hour. Only Captain Main and several officers had remained on board as a skeleton crew.  The body of Mrs. Stephens was still aboard as well. Captain Main hoped to beach the Hesperian or have her towed to Queenstown.  The ship never made it.  On 6 September 1915, Hesperian succumbed to the waves, sinking some 37 miles from land and not far from the Lusitania wreck.
Political fallout
The week prior to the sinking, Count Bernstorff, the Imperial German Ambassador to the United States, had assured Washington that “passenger liners will not be sunk without warning” following the Lusitania sinking. Â When word reached Germany of Walther Schwieger’s actions, Schwieger was ordered to Berlin in order to justify his actions and apologize officially.
He was accused of having sunk another unarmed passenger liner without warning, despite the explicit directions given to submarine commanders not to do so.  Kaiser Wilhelm did not want to risk further provocation of the United States.  Schwieger complained about his unfair treatment, but in 1917, Schwieger would be forgiven by Berlin. He received Germany’s highest decoration, Pour le Mérite, also known informally as the “Blue Max.”
Schwieger would be killed in action in World War I when his command, the SM U-88, was lost with all hands, presumed to have struck a mine north of Terschelling while outbound from Germany for the French coast.
Hesperian specifications
| Flag | United Kingdom | |
| Shipping company | Allan Line | |
| Port of registry | Glasgow | |
| Gross tonnage | 10,920 | |
| Length overall | 485.5 feet / 147.8 meters | |
| Beam | 60.3 feet / 18.3 meters | |
| Number of funnels | 1 | |
| Number of masts | 2 | |
| Machinery | Steam turbine engines geared to double screws | |
| Service speed | 15 knots maximum | |
| Builder | Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| Yard number | 425 | |
| Registration number | 124,266 | |
| Launch date | 20 December 1907 | |
| Maiden voyage | 25 April 1908 | |
| Sunk | 6 September 1915 | |
| Passenger accommodation | 210 first class 250 second class 1,000 third class |
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Related pages
Frances Stephens, saloon passenger
Links of interest
RMS Hesperian at the German Wikipedia
Detailed description of the last voyage of the Hesperian
Photos of the ship and a salvaged chronometer
Gare Maritime:  Double Jeopardy – Lusitania‘s Unique Victim
References:
“The Great War: The Sinking of the Allan Liner R.M.S. Hesperian.” MedievalHistory.net. Web. 19 June 2011. < http://www.medievalhistory.net/hesper~n.htm >
Molony, Senan. Â ”Double Jeopardy -Â Lusitania‘s Unique Victim.” Â Gare Maritime. Â Web. Â 18 June 2011. < http://www.garemaritime.com/features/lusitania_victim/ >
“RMS Hesperian.”  Wikipedia: Die freie Enzyklopädie. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 28 April 2011. < http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Hesperian >
hello thanks for the info re .hesperian.my dad sailed on the hesperian from glasgow to quebec in the spring of 1911,would he have had to get a nother ship to take him to liverpool,as i see it sailed from liverpool to canada ,or did it sail from glasgow in the bebining ? also did it handle any clydesdaale horses on the voyage or only people ? thank you so much don munro wpg.mb.can.
thank you for visiting the website! Hmm. Occasionally ships would be contracted out to other shipping companies, which would cause changes in their routes. But as far as I know, Hesperian was intended to sail to and from Liverpool, although I don’t know how many times this was changed. Ships like Hesperian are primarily passenger ships, but because they have fairly large cargo holds, it’s not beyond possibility that she could have carried Clydesdale horses. However, I do not have any cargo manifests to verify this.
Thank you for the info on this ship. My grandfather was one of the wounded Canadians on board, after being wounded at II Ypres. I was looking for info on him and the article helps a lot. I am trying to verify a family “legend” about why he was named as “Chevallier de la Legion d’Honneur” related to his saving civilians from the ship.
I an greatful for the information in this article as i have found it hard to find much out ,my Great grandmothers sister was on board with her two children ,she gave her infant daughter (Maria)to some one hold while she went down for the life jackets ,but when she came back the lady/gent and Maria were gone! My great grand aunt survived ,after reading this i wonder if Maria was taken onto the the life boat the capsised ,there were a lot of survivors but I still cant seem to find out exactly what happened .
Does any body have a crew list for this ships last voyage. I grandfather was reputed to be on it. He was John Maddox a steward
Mr. Maddox
Were you ever able to obtain a passenger list. My aunt was a passenger on the Hesperian with my grandmother and father. My aunt was listed as missing among the 32 passengers and crew.
Ken Jenkins
Hi , No I was never able to get a ships crew list.
My great great and maybe even another great grandmother was in the war and was on this ship “Hesperian” the Captain was “Captain Main” I have a photograph from May 1915
I have other picture with some names on too! some of the names in the album are as follows.
My G G Grams ” Alma Naomi Dancey”
Captain main
Mrs. Jaqqard (not sure of the spelling)
Captain Drawsake
Tina Mowbray
Mollie Flint
Roy ???
Miss Stinson
Moore Barrocks (the group)
Floys Shannon and Gordon
My 4X Great Aunt was a Stewardess on the Hesperian. She was one of the casualties but I’m still unable to track down where she was buried. Does anyone know anything of where these poor souls ended up?
Hi,
I have a passenger and crew list for the Hesperian’s final voyage if I can be of any help. Steward J.W. Maddox is listed, along with little Maria Jenkins
I am looking for evidence that a relative was among the casualties on the ‘Hesperian’- Emily Morrey born 1884/5 Prees, Shropshire who was on her way to the States to get married. We were led to believe that she died on board the ‘Titanic’but having found no mention of her in the passenger lists it seems she died on 4 Sept 1915 at sea which makes it highly probable that she was on the ‘Hesperian.’ Can you help, please/
Hi My grandfather was J N Maddox and as far as we know he was born in liverpool.I have a photo of him in montreal. The photographer was E C Ford of 196 st lawrence blvd
It is possible that your grandfather was listed as J.W. Maddox. The list of crew I have is a transciption printed in the Cork Examiner. Having used crew agreement lists for a while now I know it is quite easy to mis-read certain letters, eg w for n, c and e. I wish I could be more definite
Emily Morrey, age 31, is listed on the passenger list as a second class passenger, travelling on ticket 25013. She is listed as a teacher. A note on the original passenger list records that she was listed as missing after the Hesperian sank.
Hope that helps
This really settles the mystery, thank you very much.
No problem. You’re welcome
My Grandmother was on the ill fated trip of the Hesperian that was torpedoed on Sept 4 1915. Her and her family survived but lost everything. Does anyone have a passenger list on this last sailing?
Doreen
What names are you looking for? I have a full passenger and crew list, and am happy to look up your family.
Looking for Leopoldene DeGorog gandmother my father Rudoph,Stephani,Catherne and Elizabith.all Aints.
Hi,
The de Gorog family are listed as travelling on first class ticket 12089.
Mrs L. de Gorog
Miss Leopoldias
Master Richard
Miss Stephanie
Master Rudolf
Miss Katherine
and also Mrs de Gorog’s mother, Mrs Adolphias Pejatsheki
The spelling is not mine.
A number of stories appeared in the press after the sinking, including one that one of the boys was forgotten in the rush to leave the ship. Found by a crewman, he was taken to the bridge. Captain Main then saw the boy to a lifeboat. Another story that appeared recounted how Mrs de Gorog pulled her mother into a lifeboat from the sea.
Thank you so very much, none of new My Grand mother’s mother was on the ship also.I have that spelling at Adolfine Peituchek I’m sure about that spelling also. thanks Roy E.de Gorog.
Thanks for sharing your great grandmother’s name. I’ve never seen it spelled the same twice – not on the Board of Trade lists or any list of survivors. Glad I could help
Craig
Hello,
My great grandmother Mrs. Jane Gibson and children who were Lydia, Thomas, Robert and Ella were on the Hesperian. They were coming to Canada to meet her husband who was John Robert (Jack) Gibson. She may have gone by Mrs. Jack Gibson. My grandmother Lydia had long hair and when she was in the water someone pulled her into the life boat by her hair. One of her brother’s was sucked into the a port hole from the suction but managed to get out again. They all survived. That’s all I really heard about the sinking.
Thank you for any information, Doreen
Hello Doreen,
Your family are listed. they travelled third class on ticket 44993 as Mrs J.H. Gibson, age 35, Lydia, age 15, Thomas, age 11, Robert, age 7, and Ella, age 4.
The family were then booked on the Corsican (same ticket number), sailing to St. John’s, Newfoundland, in November. When they arrived Mrs Gibson was listed as Jane.
Thanks for sharing what you know of the family on the Hesperian. It is incredible to think what these people went through, especially as they were many women on the ship travelling with children. It seems incredible that more people weren’t lost.
Best wishes
Craig
Craig,
Thank you so very much. Where did you get the list? Are in England? I live in British Columbia, Canada
Thanks again, Doreen
Hi Doreen,
You are welcome. I’m in Wales. The departure lists from the UK lists are available on the findmypast website. The arrival of the Corsican in Canada can be found on the Canadian Government website – although you have to look page by page until you find the name. Ancestry offers the same passenger lists, but you can search by name, which makes things quicker.
Glad I could help
Craig
Do you have any other information on the Hesperian as I relative of the infant Maria just trying to find out what actually happened to her Mother and brother survived .I can only presume she ended up in the tipped lifeboat ,do you have any further info ? thanks Donna
Hi Donna,
Kate jenkins was travelling on second class ticket 37176, with her children, Arthur E, age 11, and Miss M.C, age 11 months. Kate’s age was given as 35. I assume this is who you refer to as Miss Maria Jenkins was lost.
In the Irish Times of September 7th 1915 there was an interview with Mrs Jenkins. In it she explained that she and her children were on deck when the Hesperian was torpedoed. Anxious not to take the children below decks she left Maria in the care of Arthur, while she went to find lifebelts. When she returned on deck she found Arthur alone. A steward had come along and taken Maria. He had passed it to a woman in a lifeboat. The lifeboat capsized as it was lowered, and Maria was lost. This is the only account I have seen by Mrs Jenkins.
Kate and Arthur returned to Birmingham afterwards and stayed there until July 1916 when they crossed to Canada on the Scandinavian. By then Kate’s husband had joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Hope that helps
Craig
Hi Craig
How can I get copies of crew list from Hesperian?
My great uncle george wynne we believe was on the ship and others from Liverpool
Hi,
My copies of the crew list came from the Cork Examiner from September 6th 1915, supplied by Cork Library. Full crew agreements for many ships are held at the National Archives in Kew. The last time I searched for any, I have to be honest and say I used a researcher. The staff at the NA were less than helpful. I have looked at my crew list but there is no George Wynne, although many of the crew were from Liverpool. Could your great uncle have been on another ship that was lost? There was a George Wynne saved from the Lusitania when it was torpedoed in May 1915. That George Wynne was age 16, and was employed as an assistant cook. His father, Joseph, a sculleryman, was lost in the sinking.
Hope that helps
Hi Craig
Thanks for the quick reply, he is the same person from the lusitania which I already knew. I have recently discovered an old tape recording from 1976 in which George talks about what happened on the lusitania and then goes on to say he was torpedoed in the same year on the hesperian as well,that is why I was trying to confirm it. do you know if your list is a complete one?
Thanks for your help
Joe Wynne
Hi Joe,
As far as I know the list is complete – it lists each crew member and their position on board. It is possible, as it is from a newspaper, that a few names have been missed. That said, had George survived both wrecks I am surprised that the press didn’t cover it. When a fireman from the Titanic survived the loss of the Empress of Ireland he was interviewed widely, and I have also seen a passenger from the Falaba who survived a second wreck, and was interviewed. Have you tried contacting Mike Poirier? He knows more than I do about the Lusitania. He may have a record in his files.
Best wishes
Craig
Again, thanks for your swift response Craig, I agree with everything you say about press etc, but I am new to this research stuff and listening to him talking on tape he sounds so convincing about this story, I dont know where the tape originated (it was my aunty who gave it to me, she is in her eightys now) and who he was speaking to but it sounds like a local radio interview. As I am from Liverpool I attended the rememberence service at the Lusitania propellor on the 7th May 2012 (last week)and the maritime museum said thay are trying to put something together for the 100th anniversary in 2015 ( passenger and crew details and stories from Liverpool people)Thats what started me down this road. I dont know who Mike Poirer is or how I would contact him, If you can help let me know.
I have turned the tape into an Mp3 which I want to send to the museum but before I do I would like to confirm what George said is correct.Even so, the story he tells of the Lusitania’s sinking is quite powerfull.
Thanks Craig
Hi Joe
The quickest way to confirm is to go to the town he lived in 1915 and check the September papers.
Mike
Hi Joe,
I suppose we all started somewhere – only that somewhere is a long time ago now, and it is easy to forget how hard it can be when you start researching. Sorry, if we don’t always seem to understand. Mike’s advice about checking the local press is good. As you live in Liverpool you could visit the library and check out the Liverpool papers for September 1915. You may not find a direct account by George, but you may find a crew list which gives his name. I have to say I haven’t tried the Liverpool papers, so I don’t know what to expect. I will say that it can take a couple of weeks for stories to filter through, so be prepared for a search. Since George left an recording of his experiences it might be worth getting in touch with the Imperial War Museum. Not only would they be interested in his story, but they may have some knowledge of who may have recorded the interview. I have found the staff at the musuem very helpful in the past.
Good luck
Craig
Hiya Craig and Mike, thanks to both of you for your help and advice. I intend to investigate further as soon as I can. We do have a large central library here in Liverpool so thats where I will begin.If I unearth any information I will let you know.
Thanks again
Joe Wynne
Excellent. There might also be a good account in the May papers of his Lusy experience as well, or of a shipmate that knew him