Miss Anna Katherine Kelly

Miss Anna Katherine ("Annie Katie") Kelly , 21, was born in early 1891 in Cuilmullagh, Co Mayo, Ireland; the daughter of John Kelly and Ellen Flaherty. She was travelling from Cuilmullagh to Chicago, Illinois to join her cousins, Anna and Mary Garvey, who lived at 303 Eugenie Street. Anna boarded the Titanic at Queenstown as a third class passenger (ticket number 9234, £7 15s). She joined a group of passengers leaving Co Mayo, led by Katherine McGowan.

Kelly said that the stewards did not wake the steerage passengers in time the night of the collision. Those third class passengers who became alarmed and went up on deck were told to go back as there was no danger. Annie was saved in lifeboat 16 after, she claimed, the Bourkes vacated and made room for her to enter. Later, she was haunted by the "wild scenes on the boat just before it went down."

Kelly was hospitalized in New York City and later travelled from New York with fellow survivor Anna McGowan. They had been released from the hospital wearing their nightgowns, old shoes someone had given them, and coats. They were met in Chicago by Dr. Mary O'Brien Porter of the Catholic Woman's league protectorate. Dr. O'Brien Porter appealed to the Mayor of Chicago to give some of the funds raised in the city to the two young women.

After the disaster Anna became a nun, and upon ordination assumed the name of Sister Patrick Joseph Kelly.

Sister Patrick Joseph spent most her life after the Titanic teaching in the Chicago, Illinois area although shealso spent time in Detroit, Michigan and Des Moines, Iowa.  She retired to the mother house in Adrian, Michigan in 1969 and died shortly afterwards.

She did return to Ireland to visit her sister, Mrs Agnes Kelly Flanagan of Gortnaden, Crossmolina, Co Mayo.

Notes
Ray (1999) gives her address as Athenry, Co Galway.

Articles
Chicago Daily Tribune (Illinois), 25, 26 April 1912

Sources
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Noel Ray (1999) List of Passengers who Boarded RMS Titanic at Queenstown, April 11, 1912. The Irish Titanic Historical Society

Acknowledgements
Cameron Bell, Northern Ireland
Robert L. Bracken, USA
Michael A. Findlay, USA
John Kelly
Noel Ray, Ireland
Homer Thiel, USA