Contents
About MeganticSolutions
WEBSITE – How It Got The Name MEGANTIC
Megantic was named ‘Megantic’ after the SS Megantic.
This ship was on the Liverpool to Montreal Atlantic Route and later New York Run.
In World War 1 the ship was attacked by German U-boat U-43 but survived.
Michael is the owner of this website and Michael’s Grandfather served on board the SS Megantic. He also died on board & was buried at sea. When looking to name the website Megantic seemed an obvious choice.
See below to read a more detailed history of the SS Megantic. When it was built, how it got its name and the historic event it was involved with.
About MeganticSolutions
WEBSITE OWNER
Michael is the owner of this website. He holds a Masters Degree in Law and Employment Relations and a Post Graduate Research Diploma in The Motivational Potential Of Staff amongst his qualifications.
He has a great affinity to all countries of the United Kingdom and Ireland in that each of his grandparents came from each of the countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. This becomes interesting when watching the rugby and deciding which team to support!!
He is a contributor to charitable causes.
SOME THINGS TO NOTE
Always being optimistic. Life is an adventure however things change and need a tweak here and there occasionally. You are asked to bear in mind that adjustments may have to be made as we progress.
Overall MeganticSolutions is about trying to offer the right balance to businesses and individuals in terms of promoting value and opportunity.
Introducing people to opportunity and things that they do already, but invite them to do it differently.
Michael at meganticsolutions is truly passionate about what the opportunity at meganticsolutions offers.
About MeganticSolutions
Megantic – Further Reading
Some might say that Megantic rhymes with gigantic. It does but you may be aware that it has much more of a personal meaning for the site owner.
The SS Megantic was a steam ship.
In 1907 the Dominion Steamship Company placed an order to build a steam ship named SS Albany but whilst it was being built the ship was transferred to the White Star Line. The White Star Line entered the Canadian run and they renamed the SS Albany the SS Megantic after Lake Megantic in Quebec.
Of 14,878 tons and a displacement of 20,800 tons it was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast and launched in 1908. The maiden voyage was the 17th June, 1909 between Liverpool and Montreal. As a comparison to size, at 550 feet (167 m) it was about half the length of the largest passenger ship ever built, the Royal Caribbean International Freedom of the Seas
During the 1914-18 War she was briefly on the Liverpool to New York run but then turned into a troopship in 1915. In 1917 she was attacked by the German submarine U-43 but managed to escape unscathed.
In 1919 after the First World War she was refitted and her first class accommodation was enlarged. She went back onto the Liverpool to Montreal run. In January 1920 she sailed Liverpool to Sidney on behalf of the British Government and in 1927 did a single voyage as a troopship to China. After 1928 she sailed the Southampton to New York route and was also used for cruising off season from New York to the Caribbean. Because of the world depression SS Megantic was taken out of service in 1931 and eventually scrapped in 1933.
About MeganticSolutions – SS Megantic and Dr Crippen
Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen
The second item of interest regarding the SS Megantic is that on the 31st January, 1910 a woman called Cora Crippen disappeared from her home. It was London, England following a party.
The husband was an American called Hawley Harvey Crippen, famously known as Dr Crippen.
The body of Cora Crippen was found and her husband was circulated as wanted for murder.
He escaped with his lover, who dressed as a boy, on the Canadian Pacific liner SS Montrose sailing from Antwerp to Montreal.
Captain Kendall of the SS Montrose thought he recognised the fugitives. Before getting out of range of the land based transmitters sent a wireless telegram to the British Authorities. As a result Chief Inspector Dew of Scotland Yard was made aware. In order to avoid extradition problems and possibly never being able to bring him to justice he needed to arrest Dr Crippen before its next port of call after Montreal which was New York. The Chief Inspector took a faster ship to Montreal arriving before the SS Montrose. He boarded disguised as a Ship’s Pilot and arrested Dr Crippen and his lover.
Dr Crippen was escorted back to the United Kingdom on board – yes – the SS Megantic. He was found guilty and executed by hanging on the 23 November 1910 aged 48 years.
The arrest of Dr Crippen has gone down in history as the first criminal to be captured with the aid of the then new wireless communication technology.
OK so it was a steam ship but that doesn’t make it important you might say.
Well it does if your grandfather served SS Megantic, died on board and was buried at sea!!!