Helga Hirvonen

Helga Elisabeth Lindqvist Hirvonen was  a well-educated Finnish woman who travelled in Third Class on *Titanic* back in 1912. She would survive the sinking.

## Early life

Helga Elisabeth Lindqvist or 'Helka' as she was also referred to, was born in Salo, Finland on Thursday, January 2, 1890. Her father was Karl August Lindqvist. Her mother was Liisa Mikontytär Wiik. The other children were two boys, younger siblings of Helga: Eino William followed by Martin Esaias. The place she grew up was actually part of Russia at that point, but functioned as an autonomous state. In 1899, they moved to the Dalsbruk factory in Dragsfjärd.

She married Erik Aleksanteri Hirvonen. He was from the town of Taalintehdas or Dalsbruk in southwestern Finland. The first is its Finnish name, the second is the town's name in Swedish, as this language was prominent in that area as well. Soon Helga was able to understand the Swedish language as well. It became the place where they settled down.

They looked great together and both had bright blue eyes and brown hair. She was even half a foot taller than he was. On 15 February 1910 their only child Hildur Elisabeth would be born. Erik decided it was a good idea to emigrate. He went first, and took passage on the *Lusitania* to the United Sates in the Fall of 1911. He knew a good friend in Monessen, Pennsylvania and would visit his home. He found a job at the local tinplate plant, and helped in screwing steel materials together, and saved enough money to have his wife and child to come over as well in 1912.

## *Titanic*

Helga Hirvonen and her daughter Hildur left the Southampton harbor on *Titanic* on the 10th of April in Third Class. With her on the voyage was her brother Eino William and another Fin, Mr. August Abrahamson, joined the party as well. Onboard, she would get aqcuainted to other Finnish passengers. They were Eiriik Jussila, newlyweds Pekka and Elin Hakkarainen who had just married, and the Panula family. From Southampton, Helga sent a postcard with a picture of the *Titanic* back home to Taalintehdas. She was 22 years old at the time.

On the late night of April 14, disaster struck as the ship came to a standstill after she had struck an iceberg. She started sinking immediately. Helga's brother had found out a good while later, water poored into his cabin shortly after midnight. Upon witnessing this, he made his way aft to warn his sister and little niece.

In later life, Mrs. Hirvonen said Third Class lives were lost because of the women's inability to comprehend orders shouted by officers to the steerage passengers. Most of them were awakened around midnight. They would grab whatever clothing they could get and they rushed forth. They were met by crew members of the ship who said:  “Get back to you places; there's nothing wrong”' All of them obeyed.

A good while later, she felt that the big steamer was tilting. A rush of excitement came as many steerage passengers in large groups would go flocking to try and reach the Promenade Deck. The stewards couldn't drive them back after that.

After waiting fruitlessly, a few sailors would shout that the women were allowed to move up to the Boat Deck. Some of them had grasped the seriousness and knew what to do. They listened.

But plenty of the Third Class passengers remained behind, they were not sure what was the best thing to do or what was going on. The shouting had them confused, too many hadn’t got a clue how to understand English and it was all too chaotic.

One of the last persons she saw before leaving was Mrs Maria Panula. She  knew her well. Panula was so confused that, she hardly knew which way to go. She was one of the last to come on deck.  Helga believed she was trying to collect her family. Sadly, none of the Panula’s escaped the horrible disaster. Helga heard a piano playing somwhere underneath her, when she entered the Boat Deck herself.

There were some men who realised they weren’t allowed in the boats as they were men. Hirvonen saw how a few robed themselves in women's clothing. One men helped his fellow male passenger this way. The boy was saved. It was likely that this was the young mister Daniel Buckley. Whilst Hakkarainen was tossed in a boat, Hirvonen was handled with more care as she was expecting as brother Eino Lindqvist made sure she and her child were evacuated. As she was reported to be the last woman to be placed in a launched boat on her side of the ship, as well as having seen Ismay in that boat as well, we can conclude she escaped the ship in Collapsible C. Which seems to be coherent with the time that it took for the ship to sink afer that. Collapsible C left at 1:47 A.M., and Hirvonen reports that she saw the final moments after 20 minutes of rowing.

However some sources say it was lifeboat 15 instead. Eino also managed to survive somehow.

She related her story to a newspaper deliverer at her home at Monessen, USA, and mentioned fellow passenger Elin Hakkarainen, who had lost everything and was now thrown destitute upon the mercy of friends. Mrs. Hirvonen was taking care of her temporarily, as well as watching over Agnes Sandström's daughter Marguerite Rut and Ilyās Nīqūla Yārid, the son of a Lebanese couple shortly after disembarking.

Erik Hirvonen found out on the 19th of April that his wife and child were saved from *Titanic*, and hadn't been aware of which ship they would board or their wherabouts before the news reached him. He lost no time and hurried his way to New York. Arriving there, he met up with his wife who was

## Later life

After the whole ordeal Helga, Erik and Hildur traveled further and the Hirvonen's new hometown became Monesse for a while.

Helga Hirvonen would visit Finland in 1914. This time it was she who would board the *Lusitania f*or this voyage. She travelled to Britain and then continued on to. She was there for a year before returning to the United States*.* Helga lost her father Karl August in 1918. She and Hildur went to visit Liisa, her mother in 1924.

From 1918 onwards, the Hirvonen couple lived in Syracuse, New York, when Erik found work at the Holcomb Steel Company, with Helga's brother Eino also as an employee. The Hirvonen pair moved to Victory, Cayuga, New York in 1936 and had their own farm there, and held several animals.

In 1956 their daughter had died from cancer. Helga Hirvonen herself died on May 17th, 1961 after being ill for a long time. She was 71.

Her poor widowed husband survived her, and kept travelling with the $10,000 she left him, and was sad and alone as he must have missed his dear daughter and wife very much, and had hardly any remaining relatives. A Mr. Arthur Hart was his only friend, and he visited him often. One day, the 17th of March 1964, he wasn't coming and Arthur was worried. Erik was found later in the Cato Hotel. He had committed suicide.

Helga, Hildur and Erik were all laid to rest together in Union Hill Cemetery.