Arthur Gordon McCrae's Grave
The handsome, smartly dressed man looked forward to his trip on the great ship, Titanic. Arthur Gordon McCrae, a young engineer, wanted to meet his friends in Canada.
He was only 32 but he'd led an interesting life which had taken him a long way from home. McCrae was the grandson of Georgiana McCrae, a talented author and artist who emigrated to Australia with her husband, Andrew. She was also the illegitimate daughter of the 5th Duke of Gordon. (NB: I read her journal recently which I enjoyed very much).
Born in Adelaide, McCrae attended Sydney Grammar School and graduated with an engineering degree from the University of Sydney. After graduating the young man decided to go in search of adventure. He worked at a gold-mine in West Africa. After this he travelled to Siberia where he became the assistant manager of the Spasky copper mine in Akmolinsk, Siberia. He became engaged to the daughter of the mine manager.
Sadly, McCrae's voyage would be his last. He was one of the over 1000 passengers who died on that fateful voyage. Arthur Gordon McCrae is buried in Fairview Cemetary, Halifax, Nova Scotia under a large Celtic cross, a long way from home.
News
Steven Rafter has written a novel about Arthur Gordon McCrae. Read about it here: 209: A Story
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As a young and adventurous Australian, it was expected that he would travel around the world before settling down with marriage, babies and paying off a mortgage. Every generation has done the same.
But poor man never got back. At least the Canadians gave him the dignity of a proper funeral and grave site. So many people who died at sea seemed to have been lost at sea.
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