Bannūrah Ayyūb-Dāhir

Who was Miss Bannūrah Ayyūb-Dāhir?

Miss Bannūrah Ayyūb-Dāhir, also known as Banoura Ayoub, was a 15-year-old (fifteen-year-old) Syrian passenger who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. Born in 1897 in Kafr ‘Abaydā, al-Batrūn, Syria (now part of modern-day Lebanon), she was a third-class passenger traveling to Columbus, Ohio to join her uncle when the tragic events unfolded.

Early Life and Family Background

Bannūrah came from a Maronite Christian family, born to parents Ayyūb Dāhir Dāhir and Mārī Yūsuf. She had several relatives already living in the United States, including:

• An uncle, John Abdow, a dry-goods merchant in Columbus, Ohio
• A brother, Dāhir, who had been living in Columbus for a year
• Another brother, Yūsuf, residing in Owen Sound, Ontario

This existing family network in North America likely influenced her decision to emigrate at such a young age.

The Titanic Journey

Traveling Companions

Bannūrah wasn’t traveling alone on this momentous journey. She was accompanied by several relatives and acquaintances from Syria:

• Cousins:
  • Jirjis Yūsuf Abī Sa’b (Gerios Youseff)
  • Ḥannā Ṭannūs Mu’awwad (John Thomas)
  • Ṭannūs Ḥannā Mu’awwad Ṭannūs (Thomas), son of Ḥannā
• Other relatives of the Ṭannūs family:
  • Shanīnah Shāhīn Abī S’ab Wihbah
  • Ṭannūs Dāhir

Boarding and Ticket Details

• Embarkation Point: Cherbourg, France
• Ticket Number: 2687
• Ticket Cost: £7, 4s, 7d
• Class: Third Class
• Destination: Columbus, Ohio (while her companions were headed to Youngstown, Ohio)

The Night of the Sinking

Bannūrah’s experience on the night of April 14-15, 1912, was harrowing and filled with confusion:

1. Initially asleep when the Titanic struck the iceberg
2. Alerted by her cousins, who initially found nothing amiss
3. Woke again to find water entering her cabin
4. Hurriedly dressed and moved to the communal areas with her cousins
5. Witnessed what she thought were first-class passengers offering assistance
6. Lost sight of her cousin Ḥannā Ṭannūs and his son in the chaos
7. Escorted to the lifeboats by her cousin Jirjis Yūsuf

Rescue and Survival

While the exact lifeboat Bannūrah boarded is unclear, some researchers believe she may have escaped in Collapsible C. She survived the sinking along with her companion Shanīnah Wihbah.

Life After the Titanic

Immediate Aftermath

• Sheltered at the New York Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society at 239 Broadway Street
• Featured in a famous photograph with other second and third-class survivors
• Traveled by train to Columbus, Ohio, reuniting with her uncle John Abdow
• Later moved to Owen Sound, Ontario to be with other family members

Marriage and Family Life

• Married Michael Deyoub on September 11, 1912, in Owen Sound, Ontario
• Michael was a Lebanese immigrant and moulder by profession
• The couple had seven children:
  1. Mary (b. 1913)
  2. George (1916-1983)
  3. Peter (1920-1993)
  4. John (1924-2004)
  5. Ferris (1925-2010)
  6. Margarette (b. 1929)
  7. Sarah (1933-2001)
• A son named Thomas was born in 1915 but passed away on April 17, 1916

Life in the United States

• Moved to Michigan in 1917
• Lived in Detroit, where her husband worked for Ford Motor Company
• Described as standing 5'1" with brown eyes, black hair, and a dark complexion
• Never mastered the English language

Character and Legacy

Bannūrah was remembered as a small but feisty woman, particularly when it came to raising her family. A notable anecdote involves her confronting Henry Ford himself about her husband’s gambling habits, resulting in Michael’s paychecks being sent directly to her.

Despite her harrowing experience on the Titanic, Bannūrah reportedly loved boating and remained a devout Catholic throughout her life. Curiously, she remained largely invisible as a Titanic survivor, with no known interviews or public appearances during the surge of interest in the 1950s.

Final Years and Death

Bannūrah became a widow in 1956 when her husband Michael passed away. She lived for another 14 years, passing away in Detroit on December 3, 1970, at the age of 73 (seventy-three). She was laid to rest in Mount Olivet Cemetery, with a simple headstone reading:

BELOVED
WIFE - MOTHER
BENURA DEYOUB
1897-1970

Bannūrah Ayyūb-Dāhir’s life story, from her survival of one of history’s most famous maritime disasters to her quiet life as a mother and wife in Detroit, serves as a poignant reminder of the diverse and often overlooked experiences of Titanic survivors.