Obituaries
The following is information collected by the authors from local newspapers, the Victoria Times and the Daily Colonist, on Sophia victims who were either Victoria residents or who had familial connections to Victoria. In the following table, click on names with links for further information on the deceased.
Names of Victorians, or those connected to Victoria, who died:
| 1. George Tribe | 12. Sewel Dalby | 23. J. McNeil |
| 2. W.W. Schillinglaw | 13. Mr. W.P. Smith | 24. Thomas McMahon |
| 3. Mrs. Charles Cousins | 14. Roland H. Smith | 25. Mrs. and Mrs. E.J. Johnson |
| 4. B. Wilkinson | 15. W.P. Smith Jr. | 26. H.D. Vandecarr |
| 5. Captain F.L. Locke – Master | 16. Captain C.J. Bloomquist | 27. B. Wilkinson |
| 6. J.F. Gosse – Second Officer | 17. Norman Blyth | 28. Mrs. and Mrs. Herbert Davies |
| 7. A. Murphy – Third Officer | 18. Mr. John Zaccharelli | 29. Mrs. and Mrs. Bridges |
| 8. C. Beadle – Purser | 19. John Allan | 30. John R. Bell |
| 9. Mrs. Dan Gillis | 20. L. Litchfield | 31. George Alan Dallas |
| 10. James King | 21. Thomas Neilson | 32. F.A. LePage |
| 11. Charles H. Waller – Chief Engineer | 22. Jerry Shaw | 33. James Oliver Machlachian |
Note: This table is in no order of importance
This page is a work in progress. As further information is found on Victorians who perished, more will be added.
Captain F.L. Locke
Master of the Princess Sophia. He had twenty-five years of experience navigating the coastal waters of BC and Alaska. The Victoria Times called him “one of the most capable and experienced mariners on the coast, and every confidence was placed in him.”1 Locke was born in Halifax. Upon moving to the Pacific Coast in 1891, he worked for Dunsmuir interests, operating the tug boat Lorne.2
Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer Bridges
Mr. Bridges and his wife were “on their way south for a pleasure trip for the winter when they went to their death.” Mr. Bridges was born in Victoria. He lived in Dawson and ran a café called the Yukon.3
Andrew and Thomas Park
Brothers Andrew (18 years) and Thomas (20 years) Park were members of the Sophia crew. Frank Gosse, the Second Officer, was their brother-in-law. This was their second voyage to the north. They were well known in Victoria.4
Mrs. Charles Cousins
Mrs. Cousins was a passenger on the Sophia who had been up north visiting her husband, a member of the firm Cousins Bros. of Selkierk road. The firm designed and built river steamers for the Yukon Railway Company. Mrs. Cousins resided on Emma Street. Her husband would have been with her on the Sophia, but missed the boat.5
F.A. LePage
Born in Germany, he lived in Victoria for 11 years. Formerly he worked as a gardener at the Empress but went to the North in June 1918 to work on Yukon steamboats. He was married; he and his wife lived at 733 Victoria Crescent.6
Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Johnson
Both originally Victorians, passengers Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had been in the Yukon for 10 years. Mr. Johnson worked as a port engineer for the While Pass & Yukon Railway at Dawson. He was born in England and was over 40 years old. Little is said about Mrs. Johnson. The couple were returning to Victoria for winter in “this milder climate.”7
George Tribe
Mr. Tribe was a steward on the Yukon steamer Dawson. He left a wife and four children, who resided at 1507 Work Street.8
James Oliver MacLachian
Nineteen years old, born in Victoria. MacLachian attended South Park School and “was one of the most popular of the young men of the James Bay district.”9 His time on the Sophia was his first voyage as a seaman.10
Charles H. Waller – Chief Engineer
Born 1876 in Victoria, he attended Victoria High School. Before entering service in the C.P.R., Waller served his time with the Victoria Machinery Depot. He is recognized as one of the most competent marine engineers in the CPR service. While on the Sophia, Waller was acting as a relief officer for A. Alexander. He left a wife and three children, who resided in 2405 Work Street, and two brothers Fred, of the R.P. Ritlet Company who lived in Victoria West, and Ernie, a plumber of Pear Street in Oak Bay. 11
Capt. Jerry Shaw – Chief Officer
Born in Glascow in 1875, came to Victoria in 1877 from which he moved to Galiano Island with his mother and brother. At sixteen, Shaw joined the Canadian Pacific Navigation Company, which was later taken over by the C.P.R. Shaw worked in the C.P.R. for over fifteen years, serving as deckhand to skipper. He served as captain on the steamers May, Beatrice and Otter, Joan and Maquinna. This was his second trip on the Sophia. Shaw left a wife, who resided at 29 Menzies St., and a sister on Gladstone Ave.12
Miss C.T. Browning
Stewardess of the Princess Sophia.
Charles Graydon Beadle
Born in Sunderland, England, Beadle served as a purser on the Sophia and had worked in this role for the C.P.R. for 11-12 years. He resided with his wife in Victoria at 867 Humbolt Street. The day of the sinking was his birthday. He was 33 years old.13
David M. Robinson
Although not a Victorian, Robinson deserves mention. He worked as the wireless operator of the Sophia. He was praised for his heroic efforts during the sinking. As the paper says, “he stuck to this job in the traditional way, sending out the last message to the world from the stricken and sinking vessel about to plunge to the depths with its freight of lives.” He lived in Vancouver and was only 20 years old.14
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Davies
Mr. Herbert Davies (30 years) was born in Winnipeg in 1888 and had worked with the C.P.R. as a steward for 8 years. He had been in Alaska for 2 years working as a purser on the steamer Dawson. Mrs. Davies was 25 years old at time of death, the second daughter of Mr. F.G. W. Ramsdale of 770 Hill Street. Two of her brothers served on the front. Arthur was serving in France at the time of her death and, another brother, John had died at the front. Both Mr. and Mrs. Davies were members of the Orange Order and the Salvation Army.15
1. Victoria Times, 28 October 1918, 10.↩
2. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩
3. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩
4. Victoria Times, 28 October 1918, 12.↩
5. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 8.↩
6. Daily Colonist, 3 November 1918, 17.↩
7. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩
8. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 8.↩
9. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩
10. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩
11. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 8, 2; Victoria Times, 29 October 1918, 8.↩
12. Daily Colonist, 27 October 1918, 2; Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩
13. Victoria Times, 28 October 1918, 10; Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2; Daily Colonist, 12 November 1918, 11.↩
14.Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩
15. Daily Colonist, 29 October 1918, 2.↩