Patrick Canavan

Mr Patrick Canavan, known as Pat, was born in Knockmaria, Addergoole, Co Mayo, Ireland on 12 September 1890.

He was the son of Anthony Canavan (b. 1848), a farmer, and Bridget Kelly (b. 1858), Mayo natives who had married on 19 February 1881.
One of seven children born to his parents, his siblings were: Anne (b. 16 December 1881), Catherine (b. 7 March 1883), John (b. 31 October 1884), Thomas (b. 31 March 1887), Bridget (b. 14 September 1893) and Anthony (b. 8 February 1898).

The family appear on the 1901 census living at house 5 in Knockmaria, Addergoole and on the 1911 census at house 11, Knockmaria. By the time of the latter record Pat was described as an unmarried farmer's son. The family were Roman Catholic and spoke both Irish and English.

Pat's elder brother Thomas and sister Kate had emigrated to the USA in years previous and Pat intended on joining them. He travelled with a large group from his area, now referred to as the Addergoole Fourteen, led by Catherine McGowan. Also travelling with him were his cousins Mary Canavan, James Flynn and Annie Kate Kelly. Pat boarded the Titanic at Queenstown on 11 April 1912 as a third class passenger (ticket number 364858, which cost £7, 15s). His ultimate destination was to the home of his sister Kate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Annie Kelly, one of the few survivors from the Addergoole contingent, described Pat Canavan and John Bourke herding members of their group towards an iron ladder at the aft poop deck which would lead them to higher decks.

Pat Canavan died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

His two siblings in America, Thomas and Kate, remained there; Thomas was married and raised a family in Philadelphia before his death in 1970 aged 83. Kate never married and died in New Haven, Connecticut in 1982 aged 99.

His parents remained in Knockmaria and his father died 10 March 1933 and his mother on 15 November 1947.