Only 30 out of 102 people aboard the SS Penguin survived the ferry's tragic sinking on Wellington’s South Coast on February 12, 1909. But there was one more than is usually counted.
With the loss of 72 people, it is still considered one of New Zealand’s worst maritime disasters. Ada Hannam lost her husband Joseph and her four children Ronald, Margaret, George and baby Ruby - she was in fact the only woman to survive the sinking at all. And at the time, she was also a couple of months pregnant. The interisland ferry was on its way to Wellington from Picton when tragedy struck. It had started in fair conditions but by that evening the winds had picked up and visibility had dropped. Captain Francis Naylor was cautious and headed further out to sea hoping for a break in the weather but it turned out to be the worst action he could have taken. It is believed the ship hit Thoms Rock causing a gaping hole through which water began to pour in. Once the cold seawater hit the hot engines, there was a huge steam explosion. Women and children were loaded into lifeboats but the seas were unforgiving, dragging the boats under. Ada got her four children into a lifeboat but as it was lowered it was swamped. Baby Ruby was washed from her arms but she managed to catch hold of the clothing. She couldn’t reach her other three children and struggled to get back into the lifeboat with Ruby. She could see her husband, Joseph, on the deck of the sinking ship. For a while Ada and the others in the life boat were tossed about. Close to dawn they got near the shore but the boat capsized. Ada ended up under the lifeboat with 17-year-old Ellis Matthews. Ironically the capsize saved her life. Ada and Ellis were able to breathe in the trapped air pocket. But they could not get help because, unknown to them, other struggling men had climbed on the overturned lifeboat. Ada knew she had also lost Ruby. But she held her body until the end. Ada calmed Ellis, telling him they would survive. And unable to swim, he clung desperately to her. It took five hours for the lifeboat to drift close enough to land for them to be saved. But it wasn’t the end of the survivors’ problems. They were on a remote coast, in a storm, wet and exhausted. Ada then walked up a steep track to a homestead and the next day went on horseback to Makara. Rescue parties arrived to find bodies strewn along the coast, among them were Ada’s children and husband. Ada Louisa Hannam (nee Thompson, born January 7, 1882 in Picton) had married Joseph William Hannam (who was born in Christchurch) in 1901. Joseph and the four children are all buried in Picton Cemetery. On September 18, 1909 she gave birth to a son, Joseph Walter Hannam. Joseph went on to become a sailor. He died in 1984 - the last survivor of one of New Zealand’s worst disasters. Ada herself died in Onehunga, Auckland in December 11, 1952. They are buried side by side in the Mangere Lawn Cemetery. Most of those who lost their lives were buried at the Karori Cemetery. We love stories: http://genealogyinvestigations.co.nz/index.html
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorFran and Deb's updates Archives
December 2024
Categories |