Efforts Being Made to Save Artifacts
From Leaving Country
Sunken Ship Has Provost Connection
Intense lobbying to save artifacts from a sunken ship to be sold outside of Canada is being stepped up as a deadline looms.

Czar resident Marion Kelch is heading a national campaign to save relics from the Empress of Ireland that went down in the St. Lawrence River on May 29, 1914.

People from this area had relatives on board the ship that took 1,013 lives when it sank in 14 minutes after being hit in fog by a Norwegian ship called the Storstad. There were 462 survivors. Anther famed ship, the Titanic lost about 1200 people, with approximately 600 survivors.

Four members of the Bloomquist family (who later changed their name to Nelson) perished on the ocean liner Empress of Ireland. Their relatives include descendants who in the early years lived in the Goodlands School District—grandchildren Mabel Atkins and Irene Johnstone, (who lost two grandparents and two uncles), the Borgstroms and others. As well there are other families in the area whose ancestors came from Europe on the liner including the Israelsons of Cadogan, the late Ludvig Satre of Irma and Joyce Gould (mother of Mary Carson of Hughenden).

The liner made 95 voyages during its seven years of service bringing over 117,000 people. It is estimated that 400,000 descendants of those passengers now reside in Western Canada.

The man who dove to retrieve the artifacts wants to sell them and has a buyer in Florida offering $1.5 million U.S. but is willing to take $1.5 million Canadian if the treasures stay in Canada.

“The Empress of Ireland is a story not well known by Canadians, but it is the second worst Maritime disaster in Canadian history (the Halifax explosion in 1917 is number one)” Kelch said in an interview.

She is spear-heading a group that she put together two years ago called “The Committee to Save the Empress of Ireland Artifacts.” Its aim is to keep the relics in Canada.

The man who owns the artifacts and who made over 600 dives to the wreck since 1970 was contacted by The News at his home in Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal. Phillippe Beaudry said the wreck was discovered by others in 1964 and he became interested in the site six years later when he was at a dive shop and met a cameraman who was doing some filming. The first weekend of diving “I got hooked” and also found out that the Empress of Ireland was quite unknown and decided that the word should be spread. He says that some Americans were smuggling items out of the ship sunk in 165 feet of water. He complained to the RCMP over the issue and kept working on the project since then. “If I was looking for money I would have made a move (sold the artifacts) a long time ago.”

The 57 year old man works as a business consultant in management and finance and holds a Masters degree in International Finance and Management from the University of Montreal.

Beaudry says the water is very cold where the ship lays and that “it is a very tough dive . . . one of the toughest dives” he has ever done. Considering travelling to meet survivors from the ship and hunting for archives and conducting media interviews he estimates he has spent a total of five years full time on the project. The diving, he says has been minor compared to his other efforts in connection with the ship. Beaudry estimates he has spent a quarter of a million dollars over 25 years and “sure, that’s a lot of money, especially in 1970 terms.” He dives with conventional SCUBA gear with twin air tanks, electronic computers and gadgets along with a dry suit to do it easier in the 38 degree Fahrenheit water. Most of his dives were solo.

The diver says that he too wants to see the artifacts remain in Canada and commends Kelch for her efforts. The federal government, he adds had a chance to play a key role in saving the artifacts from leaving Canada. At the last minute, he says cash did not appear from the federal government. “The Prime Minister says the Empress is a national interest” and Beaudry says the government should move money away from the controversial gun control registry “that is going nowhere and put it into something like this.” He also blasts the Quebec provincial government “who didn’t want to pay anything” for the preservation.

Kelch staged a musical theatre production in Czar in February 1993 called the “Empress of Ireland” and Beaudry remembers attending it. “It was very good.” Kelch, he adds has done pretty well and when he went to the “small village of Czar, I just couldn’t believe it. I was very happy with what she did. She is very passionate and goes right to the limit.” Beaudry says that he is very pleased with the people in the Prairies who are so proud of their past—not, he says like the people on the East coast who “just don’t care.” This is a national — and international issue he points out.

The diver will keep hardly any artifacts for himself “maybe a couple of pieces of china.” All the main navigation instruments and best archives will be sold.”

Most disappointing he says is the fact that people are not recognizing the value of the Empress of Ireland and I would feel sad for this country for not recognizing our history.”

He didn’t have family lost on the ship nor any other connection.

The Quebec man has been involved with 70 television programs and has had over 150 interviews. Since December 1 he has had over 20 media interviews about the issue and “seven people called me on Monday.”

Kelch adds that this is “absolutely a top story across Canada.”

She says that there is a moratorium on the sale but time is running out.

She has commitments from Heritage Canada to pay half the price—$750,000 —so her group needs to come up with another $750,000. On December 19 the time limit ran out and the owner of the artifacts applied for an export permit the next day. Kelch contacted Beaudry and got an extension of time from him. “He has promised me not to sell it (outside of Canada) until March 1.”

Kelch says there is only one thing to do: ask the people of Canada to donate to acquire the collection for a museum in Canada called The Canada Science and Technology Museum.

“I was always interested in this story because I couldn’t believe Canada had such an incredible disaster and no one knew about it. So I wrote a play in ’93 about it.” She purchased a dining plate from the bottom of the river from a diver in Toronto when she was interviewing a man for that play. She now guesses that the plate’s worth about $2,000 and had it on display at the performance 10 years ago.

About the current campaign to save the artifacts: “We don’t have a cent” but so far there is about $5,000 in commitments including donations from as far away as Germany. Fund-raising will soon begin in earnest.

Kelch, who lives on the ranch north and east of Czar and has been retired from teaching for three and one half years has been spending eight hours per day working on this project.

There are 401 artifacts and over 500 archival items in question including the ship’s bell, brass fixtures, a Marconi navy phone, cutlery, and beer and champagne.

She’s been on several television interviews and in newspaper stories and has received e-mails and support from across the country.

“I am optimistic, we will do some incredible posturing with the federal government . . . we have strategy.”

She’s contacted many Members of Parliament and is still waiting to hear from local MP Kevin Sorenson on the issue. Former Prime Minister Joe Clark however “showed an incredible interest.”

The owner of the artifacts “is not a villain” and wants to see the collection remain in Canada “but what do you do?”

The Committee to Save the Empress of Ireland Artifacts address is 2159 Strathmore Blvd., Ottawa, On., K2A 1M9.

Members of the committee include: Derek Grout, author of Empress of Ireland: the Story of an Edwardian Liner; Dr. Denis Salter, Professor of Drama McGill University, author of a comprehensive article on Laurence Irving, famous British actor who perished on the Empress; Irene Johnstone of Provost; Maurice Van Welter, a financial planner and expert on government grants; Virginia Bell, a former math teacher and writer; Fred Creighton who lost his grandparents in the sinking; Rev. Robert Smith, a retired United Church Minister who lives in Camrose; Joyce Gould, (honorary member) who voyaged the Empress of Ireland in 1912 and now lives in Camrose; Nancy Bach Hertzog of Virginia, U.S., the great-granddaughter of Reinhold Bach (distant relative of J. S. Bach) who perished on the liner; Gwen Landry, of Brockville, Ont.; along with Kelch who heads the group.

More interest is beginning to appear and a letter with a $500 cheque from Calgary to Kelch is an example: “I send this check to you with gratitude. I am so thankful to see your write-up in the Calgary Herald otherwise I would have never known about the project. As a born Albertan and army vet I believe we are not taking enough interest in our past history. There is not enough publicity in our history to the public. Please accept with gratitude, Wm. Hnatiuk.”

Meanwhile Florida businessman Leon Lyons who collects diving helmets and has a passion for firearms waits—with American money in hand.

Story and picture in January 15 edition of The Provost News.
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