Miss Hannah Riordan

Miss Hannah Riordan was born in Glenlougha, Kingwilliamstown, Co. Cork on 27th January, 1894 ¹, the daughter of Peter Riordan ² and Mary Riordan (née O'Connor).

She boarded the Titanic at Queenstown as a third class passenger (ticket number 334915, £7, 14s, 5d). Her destination was 319 Lexington Avenue, New York City where her sister Ellen lived. Ellen was holding a position she had found for Hannah as a domestic worker.

Hannah was accompanied on the Titanic by Daniel Buckley, Bridget Bradley, Patrick Denis O'Connell, her cousin Patrick O'Connor, Nora O'Leary and Michael Linehan from Kingwilliamstown (now Ballydesmond). Hannah was rescued in lifeboat 13 along with Bridget Bradley.

She was naturalized as a US citizen on 10th May, 1928 in New York City. In her application she is described as a maid, 150 pounds, brown hair, grey eyes, 5 feet, 9 inches tall with fair complexion. At the time she was living at 109 E. 72nd Street in New York City.

She was married to John Spollen ³, son of James and Margaret Tilvius Spollen, on March 17, 1936 at St. Anselm's Church in the Bronx, New York. Shortly after marriage the couple moved to 14 Whitesboro Street in Utica, New York. At some point they returned to the Bronx and lived the rest of their lives. The couple had no children.

Hannah Spollen (née Riordan) died on 29th September, 1982. She was survived by her husband and two nieces.

Grave of Hannah Riordan (Mrs. John Spollen) in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Westchester County, New York.
(Courtesy of Joseph LaRocca and Phillip Gowan)

Notes

1. 1894 is believed to be correct, other sources suggest 1896 and 1899.
2. "List or Manifest ..." gives Patrick Riordan as the father, the name Peter comes from the death certificate and a 1901 census entry obtained for Molony (1999).
3. John Spollen was born 11th September, 1899 and died in the Bronx, New York on 4th April, 1983.

References and Sources

State of New York, Certificate of Death
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Robert L. Bracken (2000) Irish Titanic Passengers
Noel Ray (1999) List of Passengers who Boarded RMS Titanic at Queenstown, April 11, 1912. The Irish Titanic Historical Society
List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States Immigration Officer At Port Of Arrival (Date: 18th-19th June 1912, Ship: Carpathia) - National Archives, NWCTB 85 T715 Vol 4183
Names and Descriptions of British Passengers Embarked at the Port of Queenstown, 11 April 1912 (PRO London, BT 27/776/2).
Senan Molony (1999) The Irish Aboard Titanic. Wolfhound Press, Dublin ISBN 0 86327 805 1