Crossing the Atlantic on the SS Columbia – Second Class Passenger List & Voyage Log, 8 August 1903
Front Cover for a Second Class Passenger List for the SS Columbia of the Anchor Line, Departing Saturday, 8 August 1903 from Glasgow to New York, Commanded by Captain Walter Baxter. Front Cover is a colorful Illusration of a 3-funneled, 2 masted steamship inside a life preserver with "Passenger List" on a banner on top and three flags above that (British, Anchor Line, and US Flags). On the bottom of the life preserver, a banner containing "Anchor Line U.S. Mail Steamers. A Vivid Depiction of a Three-Funneled, Two-Masted Steamship Encircled by a Lifebuoy Design With British, Anchor Line, and U.s. Flags—a Powerful Visual of Transatlantic Unity and Corporate Branding. | GGA Image ID # 15b84e8ab8
📜 Introduction
The SS Columbia, a proud vessel of the Anchor Line, set sail on Saturday, 8 August 1903, from Glasgow, Scotland bound for New York, USA. Under the command of Captain Walter Baxter, the voyage carried Second Class passengers—a mix of emigrants, returning travelers, and tourists—across the Atlantic. This passenger list is not just a roster of names; it’s a microcosm of early 20th-century transatlantic life, filled with stories of ambition, faith, resilience, and new beginnings.
🛳 Ship & Voyage Details
- Ship Name: SS Columbia
- Operator: Anchor Line (Glasgow)
- Route: Glasgow → New York
- Voyage Date: 8 August 1903
- Class Documented: Second Class
- Master: Capt. Walter Baxter
Notable Features:
- Served as part of the Anchor Line’s U.S. Mail Steamers
- Regularly transported both immigrants and leisure travelers
- Featured comfortable mid-tier accommodations for its day
Onboard Services Noted: Multiple matrons, medical staff, and experienced officers for passenger comfort and safety
Senior Officers and Staff
- Captain: Walter Baxter
- Surgeon: David D. F. MacIntyre
- Purser: Mos. C. Tulloch
- Chief Sleward: Chas. Gordon
- Matron: Mrs. Craigie
- Matron: Mrs. Ewing
- Matron: Mrs. Craig
Second Class Passengers
- Mr. C. S. Abbott
- Mr. James Adams
- Mr. William Agnew
- Mr. Adam Armour
- Miss Armstrong
- Mr. William Bardsley
- Mr. Charles Barr
- Mr. George Barton
- M iss B. Beatty
- Miss Alice Beatty
- Mr. Andrew Bell
- Mr. J. Biggan
- Mr. T. H. Bradley
- Mr. Arthur Brewer
- Mrs. Brewer
- Master Arthur Brewer
- Miss Evelyn Brewer
- Mr. Robert Brown
- Mr. John Boyle
- Mrs. Annie Boyle
- Miss M. J. Boyle
- Miss Rose A. Boyle
- Mrs. A. Burns And Infant
- Mr. A. Calderwood
- Mr. W. Calvin
- Mrs. Calvin
- Mr. William Calvin
- Miss Marion Calvin
- Miss Cameron
- Miss Agnes Cameron
- Mrs. Jean Campbell
- Mr. Thos. Campbell
- Mrs. Carr
- Miss Kate Carr
- Mr. Samuel Cathers
- Mrs. A. S. Chapman
- Mrs. Janet Cherry
- Mr. Alex. Chester
- Mrs. E. Chester
- Mr. William Childes
- Mrs. Childes
- Miss Annie Childes
- Mr. Walter Clark
- Master Willie Clark
- Mr. John Clayton
- Mr. Fred. Clayton
- Mrs. Clyde
- Master Joseph Clyde
- Mr. James Cocurane
- Mr. And. Cochrane
- Mr. Patrick Conry
- Mrs. Grace Coombs
- Miss Nellie Coombs
- Miss Kate Coughlan
- Mr. Crawford
- Mrs. Crawford
- Mr. James S. Cromb
- Mrs. Cromb
- Miss Christina Cromb
- Mr. J. 1R. Cuthbertson
- Mr. Alex. Dalziel
- Mrs. Dalziel
- Mr. James Davie
- Mrs. Davie
- Mr. James Deans
- Mr. James Dermody
- Mrs. Maggie Dermody
- Mr. John Dermott
- Mrs. Dickson
- Miss Dickson
- Mr. Ellis Docherty
- Mr. Wm. Docherty
- Miss Celia Docherty
- Mr. Robert Donohue
- Mr. John Drysdale
- Mrs. Drysdale
- Miss Sarah Duffy
- Mrs. J. Dunsheath
- Mrs. Wm. Dunsheath
- Miss Jessie Dunsheath
- Master Jos. Dunsheath
- Mrs. Christina Durand
- Mr. John Elder
- Mr. Henry Ellis
- Mrs. Ellis
- Miss M. A. Esslemont
- Mr. Robert Field
- Mrs. Field And Infant
- Mr. William Finlay
- Mr. Peter Finlay
- Mrs. Fletcher
- Mr. Patrick Gallagher
- Mr. S. J. Gaston
- Mrs. Janet Gibb And Infant
- Master Samuel Gibb
- Mr. Gillies
- Mr. James Gilmour
- Mr. Peter Glen
- Mrs. George Grant
- Miss Jessie Grant
- Master Scofield Grant
- Mr. James Gray
- Miss Margt. Guthrie
- Mr. Archie Hamilton
- Mr. R. Hamilton
- Mr. W. J. Hamilton
- Mr. R. E. Hamilton
- Mrs. Margt. Hamilton
- Miss Hamilton
- Mrs. Margt Hannen
- Master Ed. Hannen
- Master Gavin Hannen
- Mrs. Janet Harkness
- Mr. William Harris
- Mrs. Harris
- Master John Harris
- Mr. William Harvey
- Mr. Adam Harvey
- Mrs. D. Henderson
- Miss S. A. Holmes
- Mr. William Howat
- Mrs. Howat
- Mr. William Hunter
- Mr. J. Hutchison
- Mr. Angus Hutchison
- Miss Kate Inme
- Mr. William Johnson
- Mr. L. Johnson
- Mr. Samuel Johnston
- Mrs. N. Johnston
- Miss Johnston
- Mr. William H. Jones
- Mr. James E. Kane
- Mrs. A. Kane
- Master J. Kane
- Miss Elizabeth Kane
- Mrs. M. Karlson
- Master Albert Karlson
- Miss Erna Karlson
- Mr. Alois Kellner
- Miss Telly Kelly
- Mr. James Kerr
- Mr. K. Kerr
- Miss Nellie King
- Mrs. Margaret Kyle
- Master William Kyle
- Master Joseph Kyle
- Mrs. Agnes Kyles
- Miss Mary Kyles
- Master John Kyles
- Miss Agnes Kyles
- Mr. Robert Lambie
- Mrs. Lamond
- Mrs. Lawson
- Mr. Cameron Lea
- Mrs. Lea
- Master Francis Lea
- Mr. David Lees
- Mr. Matt. Lendrum
- Miss M. Leonard
- Mr. David Linton
- Miss A. Livingston
- Mrs. J. Lynn
- Miss Mary Lynn
- Miss Margaret Lynn
- Master Edison Lynn
- Mr. Mal. McArthur
- Mr. James MacArthur
- Miss J. F. MacArthur
- Mrs. Eliz. MacArthur
- Miss Cath. MacArthur
- Miss B. MacArthur
- Miss J. MacArthur
- Mr. Arch. McCallum
- Mrs. Annie McCarron
- Mrs. B. McClelland
- Miss Mary McClelland
- Miss E. McClelland
- Mrs. K. J. McCord
- Miss Jennie McCord
- Mr. John McCormack
- Miss Annie McDonald
- Mr. Alex. McDonald
- MissJeanie McDonald
- Mr. G. M.Macdougall
- Miss A. McDougall
- Miss L. McDougall
- Mr. D. McDougall
- Mr. James McGarvey
- Miss Mary McGarvey
- Mrs. Thos. McGathan
- Master J. McGathan
- Master P. McGathan
- Miss Eliz. McGathan
- Mr. J. W. McGowan
- Mr. M. McIntosh
- Mrs. McIntosh
- Mr. Thos. McIntyre
- Mrs. McIntyre
- Mrs. J. McKechan
- Miss A. McKechan
- Master J. McKechan
- Miss Chris. McKenzie
- Mr. J. Mackenzie
- Mrs. J. McNeill
- Master Alex. McNeill
- Mr. John McNeill
- Mrs. McNeill
- Mrs. Mary McNelis
- Miss Margt. McNelis
- Mr. S. McQuillan
- Mrs. Mary McQuillan
- Miss M. McQuillan
- Master W. McQuillan
- Master S. McQuillan
- Mr. R. Macrory
- Miss A. McSorley
- Mrs. Ellen Mackie
- Master Chas. Mackie
- Miss Ellen Mackie
- Miss E. Mather
- Mr. George Meehan
- Mr. James Melville
- Mr. James Miller
- Miss Jane O. Milne
- Mr. Miklos Molmar
- Mr. G. Montgomery
- Mr. Hugh Morris
- Mr. Wemys Mowat
- Dr. W. F. Munn
- Mrs. Munn
- Master Ralph Munn
- Master Walter Munn
- Mr. N. M. Murray
- Miss Sarah Nelson
- Mr. Anthony Nelson
- Mr. Thomas Nicoll
- Mr. James Nicoll
- Mr. Alexander Nicol
- Mrs. M. Nimock
- Miss N. Nimock
- Mr. M. Park
- Mrs. Park
- Mr. J. E. Patterson
- Miss Eva Patterson
- Miss M. Patterson
- Mr. S. J. Pettigrew
- Mrs. Mary Player
- Miss Molly Player
- Miss Martha Porter
- Miss M. J. Porter
- Mr. George Prentice
- Mr. John Ramsden
- Master N. Ramsden
- Mrs. Rand
- Master Harold Rand
- Miss Ellen Rand
- Mr. Samuel Rankin
- Mr. James Rankin
- Mr. Alexander Reid
- Mr. John Reid
- Mrs. D. Reid
- Miss Eva Reid
- Miss Gertrude Reid
- Mr. William Reid
- Miss C. Reilly
- Mrs. Eliz. Reilly
- Miss Jessie Roberts
- Mr. R. Robertson
- Mr. Jas. M'D. Ross
- Mrs. Sanderson
- Mr. A. Sanderson
- Master P. Sanderson
- Miss Vict Sanderson
- Miss Ethel Sanderson
- Mrs. Margaret Shaw
- Mr. Robert Slavin
- Mr. H. Sloan
- Mrs. Eliz. Sproul
- Mrs. Jane F. Stark
- Mrs. G. Stevenson
- Mr. J. Stevenson
- Mr. William Stewart
- Mr. S. T. Stewart
- Miss Jane Stout
- Miss Annie Stronach
- Miss M. Sutherland
- Mr. Wm. Sutherland
- Mr. James Taylor
- Mrs. Taylor
- Master Daniel Taylor
- Mr. William Taylor
- Mrs. Taylor
- Master Robert Taylor
- Miss Isabel Taylor
- Miss Betsy Taylor
- Mr. And. Templeton
- Mrs. Lucy Terry
- Miss Lucy B. Terry
- Brother Thomas
- Master A. R. Tilston
- Miss Alice Thompson
- Rev. D. Tomkins
- Mrs. Tomkins And Child
- Miss Mary Tomkins
- Mrs. Joseph Turner
- Master Joseph Turner
- Mr. J. Valentine
- Mrs. Nellie Vane
- Mr. William Walker
- Mrs. May A. Walker
- Miss Eliz. Walker
- Mr. William Watson
- Miss Mary Watson
- Mr. James Watson
- Mrs. Watson
- Mr. John Watson
- Mrs. E. Watson
- Miss Louisa Watt
- Miss Eliz. Watts
- Miss I. Westland
- Miss Eliz. Westland
- Mr. J. M. Wightman
- Mrs. George Wiley
- Mr. Alexander Wilkie
- Mr. William Wilkie
- Mr. David Wilkie
- Miss H. Will
- Miss M. Williamson
- Mr. John Williamson
- Mrs. Williamson
- Master J. Williamson
- Mrs. Janet Wilson
- Miss Lillie Wilson
- Mr. Thomas Wilson
- Mrs. Maria Wilson
- Miss Ellen Wilson
- Miss E. Wood
- Miss M. Woods
- Miss Ella Woods
- Mrs. M. J. Wright
- Mr. Robert Wright
🎭 Notable Individuals & Social Context
Religious Figures
Brother Thomas – A member of a religious teaching order, likely traveling for mission or educational purposes, reflecting the era’s strong missionary movements and church-linked educational outreach.
Rev. D. Tomkins – Accompanied by his family, suggesting ministry-related travel, possibly to serve immigrant congregations in the United States.
Medical Professionals
Dr. W. F. Munn – Traveling with his family, possibly to take up a new medical post or returning from European studies. His presence would have been reassuring to passengers during the voyage.
Families & Emigrant Groups
Many surnames appear in clusters—Calvin, McArthur, McQuillan, Kane—indicating family units emigrating together. This was common among Scots and Irish seeking economic opportunities in America. These groups often settled in close-knit ethnic enclaves upon arrival.
Women Traveling Independently
A notable number of single women appear, such as Miss Alice Beatty, Miss Christina Cromb, and Miss Lucy B. Terry, reflecting the slow but growing independence of women at the turn of the century, whether for work, education, or family reunification.
🌟 Most Engaging Elements in This Passenger List
Diversity of Backgrounds – The list blends emigrants, returning Americans, religious workers, and skilled professionals.
Multi-Generational Travel – Families with multiple generations onboard, from infants to grandparents.
Religious & Educational Influence – Presence of clergy and religious brothers points to cultural and moral leadership during the journey.
The Memorandum of Log – On the back cover, the original passenger recorded daily progress (9–15 August 1903), providing a rare firsthand maritime record of weather, speed, and position.
🎓 Relevance for Teachers, Students, Historians & Genealogists
For Teachers & Students: Offers insight into migration patterns, travel class distinctions, and maritime culture of the Edwardian era.
For Historians: Documents the movement of skilled professionals, clergy, and emigrants before major world events like WWI.
For Genealogists: Serves as a primary source for tracing family origins, understanding travel companions, and identifying immigrant journeys.
For Maritime Enthusiasts: Provides ship-specific branding, officer rosters, and route details that illuminate Anchor Line operations.
📌 Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters
This SS Columbia passenger list captures a snapshot of transatlantic life in 1903—an era when ocean liners were lifelines for migration, commerce, and cultural exchange. Its rich combination of personal names, professional titles, religious affiliations, and a daily voyage log makes it more than a list—it’s a preserved moment of history. The survival of the passenger’s handwritten log is especially valuable, turning the document into a dual historical artifact: both an official record and a personal narrative.
Back Cover: Anchor Line Trach Chart of the Atlantic Ocean and Memorandum of Log, filled out by the Original Passenger covering 9-15 of August 1903. SS Columbia Second Class Passenger List, 8 August 1903. The Original Passenger’s Handwritten Entries Transform This Artifact From a Static Record Into a Living Diary of the Voyage. | GGA Image ID # 15b8835df3
