A Voyage of Prestige: The RMS Numidian’s 1897 Passenger List – Military Officers, Doctors, and Socialites on a Transatlantic Crossing

📌 Step aboard the RMS Numidian’s July 17, 1897, voyage from Montréal to Liverpool with military leaders, doctors, business elites, and clergy members. This passenger list offers a fascinating glimpse into late 19th-century transatlantic travel, highlighting the connections between Canada, Britain, and Ireland.

Front Cover, Saloon Passenger List from the RMS Numidian of the Allan Line, Departing 17 July 1897 from Montréal to Liverpool, Commanded by Captain Angus McNicol. GGA Image ID # 20e965f6cc

Senior Officers and Staff

1. Chief Officer: R. Griffiths
2. Purser: G. B. Anderson
3. Surgeon: Dr. Sampey
4. Chief Engineer: John Glass
5. Chief Steward: Geo. Underhay
6. Stewardess: Mrs. Kennedy

Saloon Passengers

1. Sister Alice
2. Miss Edith Ardagh
3. Captain Bayley
4. Mrs. Bayley
5. Mr. Bendle
6. Mrs. Beamish
7. Mr. C. J. Barclay
8. Mr Thomas Capper
9. Mrs Capper
10. Mr. J. G. A. Creighton
11. Major P. S. Dousen
12. Mr. A. W. Dunn
13. Mr. James Eaves
14. Mrs. Eaves And Maid
15. Dr. Fowler
16. Mrs. Fowler
17. Mr. G. T. Fergusson
18. Mrs. Fergusson
19. Mr. Daniel Goodwin
20. Mrs. Goodwin
21. Rev. D. Gordon
22. Mr. E. C. Graves
23. Mrs. Graves
24. Mr. G. Hanson
25. Mr. Thomas Hamson
26. Mrs. Hamson And Infant
27. Mrs. E. Hudson
28. Master Claude Hudson And Infant
29. Miss von Iffland
30. Mrs. Kino
31. Miss Kino
32. Surgeon Lt. Col. Leak
33. Mrs. Marshall
34. Mr. John Murphy
35. Mrs. MacIntyre
36. Master Reginald W. MacIntyre
37. Miss Aogie McLean
38. Dr. J. Arthur McGuire
39. Mr. John Proctor
40. Mrs. Proctor And Maid
41. Master Irwin Proctor
42. Miss Nellie Proctor
43. Mr. Kenneth P. Reiach
44. Mr. W. H. Hurt Sitwell
45. Mrs. Sitwell
46. Mr. W. Sutton
47. Mr. C. Sutton
48. Miss A. Stewart
49. Miss Carrie Stewart
50. Mrs. Saunders And Child
51. Sœur Marie Bernadette
52. Sœur Marie Annonciade
53. Sœur Marie Vitoline
54. Sœur Louisa
55. Mr. C. O. Tichenor
56. Mr. R. S. Waldron

Constructed Title Page and List of Senior Officers and Staff, RMS Numidian Saloon Passenger List, 17 July 1897. GGA Image ID # 20e98008c3

Sailing Schedule, Liverpool-Londonderry-Québec-Montréal, from 8 July 1897 to 17 October 1897. Ships Included the California, Carthaginian, Laurentian, Numidian, and Parisian. RMS Numidian Saloon Passenger List, 17 July 1897. GGA Image ID # 20e984a362

The Saloon and Staterooms are in the central part where the least motion is felt. Electricity is used for lighting the ship throughout, the lights being at the command of the passengers at any hour of the night. Music rooms, the smoking room on the promenade deck, and the saloons and staterooms are heated by steam.

* Steamers marked thus are mail steamers and stop at Rimouski and Moville to receive and land Mail and Passengers. Other steamers proceed from Quebec to Liverpool directly.

All steamers sail from Montreal at daylight.

Passengers go on board the previous evening between 8 and 11 o'clock.

The Laurentian carries first-cabin passengers only, and the Carthaginian carries second-cabin passengers only on the Eastbound trip.

Rates of Passage will be supplied on the application.

Advertisement: Windor Hotel, Montreal. RMS Numidian Saloon Passenger List, 17 July 1897. GGA Image ID # 20e9bcc20a

Advertisement: Canadian Pacific Railway and The Grand Trunk Railway System. RMS Numidian Saloon Passenger List, 17 July 1897. GGA Image ID # 20e9d8a829

Back Cover: Track Chart and Memorandum of Log (Unused), RMS Numidian Saloon Passenger List, 17 July 1897. GGA Image ID # 20ea524f32

Review & Summary of the RMS Numidian Passenger List – July 17, 1897 🚢📜

The RMS Numidian, an ocean liner operated by the Allan Line, departed from Montréal, Canada, on July 17, 1897, bound for Liverpool, England, with stops at Londonderry, Ireland. Commanded by Captain Angus McNicol, this voyage was part of the Allan Line’s transatlantic service between Canada and the British Isles, connecting passengers from North America with the UK and beyond.

This passenger list is a valuable historical document, providing insight into the economic, social, and professional backgrounds of those traveling at the end of the 19th century. It includes military officers, religious figures, doctors, business professionals, and families, making it an excellent resource for genealogists, historians, and ocean travel enthusiasts.

Historical Context & Relevance 📚⚓

For teachers, students, and researchers, this list offers:

✅ A glimpse into transatlantic travel during the late 19th century.

✅ A mix of social classes, highlighting both affluent travelers and professionals relocating or traveling for business.

✅ Notable figures, including military officers, clergy, and physicians, reflecting the importance of ocean liners for global mobility.

✅ A connection to Canadian and British history, particularly in the context of emigration, business, and cultural exchange.

Notable Passengers & Engaging Highlights 🔥

1️⃣ Religious Figures – Nuns and Clergy Traveling Across the Atlantic ⛪✝️

🔹 Sœur Marie Bernadette, Sœur Marie Annonciade, Sœur Marie Vitoline, Sœur Louisa – This group of nuns on board suggests a missionary trip, a return to Europe for religious training, or relocation for convent work.

🔹 Sister Alice – Another religious sister, possibly traveling for humanitarian efforts or to serve in an institution abroad.

🔹 Rev. D. Gordon – A minister or priest, likely making the journey for ecclesiastical work or religious duties in Britain.

📖 Why It’s Interesting: The presence of multiple nuns and clergy members indicates that religious orders were actively engaged in transatlantic work, likely tied to missionary work, education, or convent relocations.

2️⃣ Military Figures – A Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel on Board 🎖️⚔️

Surgeon Lt. Col. Leak – A high-ranking military medical officer, likely from the British Army. His presence suggests he may have been:

🔹 Returning to Britain after serving in Canada.

🔹 Traveling to Europe for military duties or reassignment.

🔹 Possibly linked to imperial military medical operations, given the late 19th-century expansion of British forces.

📖 Why It’s Interesting: The presence of a military surgeon of high rank highlights the strategic movement of officers between the British Empire’s territories, especially Canada and Britain.

3️⃣ Medical and Academic Professionals – Doctors & Intellectuals at Sea 🎓⚕️

Dr. J. Arthur McGuire – A physician, possibly traveling for professional training or work.

Dr. Fowler & Mrs. Fowler – Another doctor, potentially a public health official or a researcher.

📖 Why It’s Interesting: The presence of multiple medical professionals suggests that ocean liners were key in connecting doctors with training opportunities, medical conferences, or colonial medical work.

4️⃣ Business Leaders & Professionals – A Voyage of Commerce & Industry 💼🌍

Mr. C. J. Barclay – Likely a businessman or investor, possibly linked to British-Canadian trade.

Mr. Kenneth P. Reiach – Could be a lawyer, financial expert, or involved in commercial ventures.

Mr. E. C. Graves & Mrs. Graves – A couple, possibly traveling for business or leisure.

📖 Why It’s Interesting: Many of these passengers would have been involved in transatlantic trade, finance, or law, reinforcing the importance of ships like the RMS Numidian in global business networks.

5️⃣ Affluent Families & Social Travelers – The Upper Class at Sea 🏛️⚓

Mr. & Mrs. Proctor, Miss Nellie Proctor, Master Irwin Proctor, and Maid – A wealthy traveling family, possibly connected to Canadian or British high society.

Mrs. Eaves & Maid – Suggesting she was from a well-to-do background, traveling with household staff.

Mrs. Kino & Miss Kino – Likely a mother-daughter pair from an influential family.

Mrs. Beamish – Possibly connected to British aristocracy or elite social circles.

📖 Why It’s Interesting: Wealthy families often traveled by ship for business, leisure, or social obligations, reinforcing the Numidian’s role in connecting North America’s elite with Europe.

The RMS Numidian – A Key Transatlantic Liner 🚢🇨🇦🇬🇧

• Operator: Allan Line
• Route: Montréal → Liverpool (via Londonderry)
• Voyage Date: July 17, 1897
• Captain: Angus McNicol

Significance of the RMS Numidian:

🔹 Part of a vital Canadian-British trade and travel network.

🔹 Carried a mix of social classes, professionals, and military personnel.

🔹 One of the Allan Line’s prominent vessels, serving both passengers and mail.

📸 Noteworthy Images:

The title page listing senior officers, reinforcing the importance of transatlantic connections in military operations.

The sailing schedule for 1897, showing the Numidian’s role in the Allan Line’s expansive commercial routes.

The track chart & memorandum of log, showing the ship’s planned transatlantic journey.

Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters 💭

The RMS Numidian’s journey in 1897 represents a unique intersection of military, religious, medical, and economic travel. This list is an invaluable resource for genealogists, historians, and ocean travel enthusiasts, revealing:

✅ The movement of elite professionals, military officers, and clergy across the Atlantic.

✅ The presence of wealthy families and business leaders using steamships for transatlantic commerce.

✅ The growing role of steamship travel in connecting Canada and Britain’s upper classes.

✅ The influence of shipping lines like the Allan Line in shaping migration and global trade.

📢 A must-read for those interested in maritime history, elite travel, and transatlantic migration! 🚢📜