Miss Ebba Iris Alfrida Andersson was a young Swedish passenger who tragically lost her life in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Born on November 14, 1905, she was just 6 (six) years old when she embarked on the ill-fated voyage with her family. Ebba was one of the many third-class passengers whose stories often go untold in the grand narrative of the Titanic disaster.
Early Life and Family
Swedish Roots
Ebba Iris Alfrida Andersson was born into a farming family in Kättestorp, Kisa, Östergötland, Sweden. Her parents were:
Father: Anders Johan Andersson
Mother: Alfrida Konstantia Brogren Andersson
The Andersson family lived on Kättestorp farm, where Ebba likely spent her early years surrounded by the rural Swedish landscape.
Siblings
Ebba was not an only child. She had several siblings who also boarded the Titanic with her:
Ellis Anna Maria Andersson
Ingeborg Constanzia Andersson
Sigrid Elisabeth Andersson
Sigvard Harald Elias Andersson
This close-knit family of seven would face the tragedy together, highlighting the devastating impact the disaster had on entire families.
The Fateful Journey
Embarking on the Titanic
The Andersson family boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton, England. As third-class passengers, they would have been among the last to embark and would have been accommodated in the ship’s lower decks.
Ticket Details:
Ticket Number: 347082
Ticket Price: £31 5s (£31 and 5 shillings)
Life on Board
For the brief time they were aboard, Ebba and her family would have experienced the Titanic’s third-class accommodations. While not as luxurious as the upper classes, these were still considered high quality for the time, especially compared to other ships.
The Tragic Sinking
On the night of April 14-15, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to sink. As third-class passengers, the Andersson family faced significant challenges in reaching the lifeboats.
The Family’s Fate
Tragically, none of the Andersson family survived the sinking. Ebba, at just 6 (six) years old, perished along with her parents and siblings. The disaster claimed the lives of all seven family members, underlining the devastating impact on families traveling together.
The bodies of Ebba and her family were never recovered, a common fate for many of the Titanic’s victims, especially those from third class.
Remembering Ebba
A Life Cut Short
Ebba Iris Alfrida Andersson’s life was tragically brief, ending at the tender age of 6 (six). Her story serves as a poignant reminder of the many young lives lost in the Titanic disaster.
Legacy
While Ebba’s life was short, her memory lives on as part of the broader narrative of the Titanic tragedy. She represents the countless children who perished in the disaster, putting a human face to the statistics.
Historical Significance
Ebba’s story contributes to our understanding of:
The impact of the disaster on immigrant families
The fate of third-class passengers, especially children
The human cost of the Titanic sinking beyond the famous names
Ebba Iris Alfrida Andersson, though only a child, holds a place in history as one of the many whose lives were cut short on that fateful night in April 1912. Her story, along with those of her family members, serves as a somber reminder of the real human tragedy behind the Titanic’s sinking.
Andre Nolan is an avid Titanic historian and the creator of TitanicUniverse.com, a website dedicated to uncovering the untold stories and forgotten details behind the famous ocean liner.
With a lifelong passion for maritime history, Andre has spent over a decade researching the Titanic, from the personal lives of passengers and crew to the engineering marvels that made the ship an icon of its era.
When he's not immersed in Titanic lore, Andre enjoys connecting with fellow maritime history lovers, exploring historic ships and shipwrecks.