People on board

HARVEY, Michael

Michael Harvey was born on the 21st of June 1894 in Kingstown, the youngest of the nine children of Cornelius Harvey and Julia Hobson. Cornelius was born in Killybegs, Co Donegal and Julia in Co Wexford, but they married in Kingstown in 1874. Cornelius was a Sailor who had worked out of Dublin from the late 1860s. He was living in City Quay when they married and their first child was born in that area, but they then moved to Kingstown where Julia had been employed before her marriage. He began work with the City of Dublin Steam Packet Co in 1884 as a Seaman.

Cornelius and Julia had nine children, six surviving, between 1874 and 1894 and they lived at various addresses in Kingstown during this time. They were living in Sexton’s Cottages when Michael was born in 1894. In the 1901 census they were living in Sexton’s Court, York Street, which may be the same dwelling. It was a two-roomed house occupied by the family of seven. Cornelius was on board RMS Ulster in Holyhead on the night of that census. In 1911, when only Michael and his eldest sister were living at home, they had moved back to the City Quay area of Dublin. Julia died in September 1912 and they were then living in Holles Street. By 1918 they had moved back to Kingstown, to 30 Tivoli Terrace East, a road on which other members of the mailboat crew and a Post Office worker also lived.

It is not known when exactly Michael Harvey joined his father in the CDSPCo, but in the years after his mother’s death his two older brothers enlisted in the British army, both with the Royal Gunners Artillery, and one served in India. In the 1918 crew list Michael was named as a Fireman and Cornelius as Crews Cook. Michael was on duty on the 10th of October but Cornelius was not.

Michael Harvey did not survive the sinking, nor was his body recovered. In March 1919 Cornelius was in court claiming compensation from the CDSPCo for the death of his son. He said that his son’s wages had been £3-17-6 and that he had been his main support. It is not known if he received any compensation. Michael’s name is recorded on the Tower Hill Memorial. Cornelius died in 1931 and was buried in Deansgrange cemetery.