SS Atlantic

by Irene
(Shelby Twp Mi. USA)

I was 8 years old emigrating to Canada with my mother and brother on the SS Atlantic in November 1953. I was seasick most of the time, but my mother forced me up onto the glass covered deck about the fifth or sixth day on the voyage. The weather was very rough and then a huge wave hit the ship and broke windows. I was lucky I was under blankets and only got glass in parts if my face. Still have the scars today. My brother and loads of people were swept by on the deck, everyone screaming.
It took us many more days to limp into port in Quebec, it was supposed to be Montreal. But we made it. There was a huge hole in the ship when we landed, my mother's things that she could bring over were all ruined in the hold. Most of the passengers didn't even realize that anything happened, they were on upper decks we were in steerage. I will never forget that experience, it was my second almost death by water.

Links to British Immigrants in Montreal pages:

Deborah Waddell is an independent member of the Evalogue.Life network of professional oral historians.