Honor Fleming

Who was Honor Fleming?

Miss Honor Fleming was a 22-year-old (twenty-two) Irish passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born in Cloghbrack, Addergoole, Co Mayo, Ireland, she was part of a group known as the “Addergoole Fourteen” who embarked on the Titanic with dreams of a new life in America. Tragically, Honor’s journey was cut short when she perished in the sinking of the great ship.

Early Life and Family

A Large Irish Family

Honor Fleming was born on April 9, 1890, in the rural community of Cloghbrack. She was baptized just five days later on April 14, a date that would take on a tragic significance 22 years later. Honor’s parents were:

• Father: Thomas Fleming (born 1851), a farmer
• Mother: Mary Callaghan (born 1853)

The Flemings were a large family, typical of rural Ireland at the time. Honor was one of eleven children:

1. Michael (born January 17, 1878)
2. Anthony (born September 6, 1879)
3. Thomas (born September 10, 1881)
4. John (born September 28, 1883)
5. Catherine (born December 31, 1885)
6. Honor (born April 9, 1890)
7. Patrick (born circa 1890)
8. Mary (born August 5, 1892)
9. Bridget (born February 4, 1895)
10. Ellen (born December 26, 1896)
11. Joseph (born September 1, 1899)

Life in Carrowskeheen

The Fleming family lived in Carrowskeheen, a townland in Co Mayo. Honor grew up in a farming household, likely helping with chores and experiencing the typical rural Irish upbringing of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Both the 1901 and 1911 Irish censuses recorded Honor living with her family in Carrowskeheen, where she was listed as a farmer’s daughter.

The Dream of America

Following in Her Sister’s Footsteps

In May 1910, Honor’s older sister Catherine embarked on a journey that would inspire Honor’s own fateful voyage. Catherine emigrated to the United States, settling in Manhattan, New York. This move planted the seeds of adventure in Honor’s mind, and she soon made plans to join her sister in America.

The Addergoole Fourteen

Honor’s decision to emigrate was not made in isolation. She became part of a group that would later be known as the “Addergoole Fourteen” - fourteen individuals from the parish of Addergoole who decided to seek their fortunes in the New World. This close-knit group included:

• Catherine McGowan, who led the group
• The Bourke family: John, Mary, and Catherine, who were Honor’s neighbors

The Titanic Journey

Embarking on a Dream

On April 11, 1912, Honor Fleming boarded the RMS Titanic at Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland. Her ticket details were as follows:

• Ticket Number: 364859
• Class: Third Class
• Cost: £7 15s (7 pounds, 15 shillings)

Honor and her companions from Addergoole must have been filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation as they boarded the largest and most luxurious ship in the world, bound for a new life across the Atlantic.

The Tragic Night

As we now know, the Titanic’s maiden voyage ended in tragedy. On the night of April 14-15, 1912, the ship struck an iceberg and sank in the early hours of April 15. Honor Fleming, along with most of the Addergoole Fourteen, did not survive the disaster. Her body, if recovered, was never identified.

Legacy and Family Aftermath

Impact on the Fleming Family

The loss of Honor had a profound impact on her family back in Ireland:

• Her younger sister Mary died from tuberculosis the following year on May 1, 1913.
• Her mother, Mary, passed away on January 31, 1932.
• Her father, Thomas, lived to the age of 81, dying on January 7, 1953.

Catherine’s Life in America

While Honor never realized her American dream, her sister Catherine’s life in the United States continued:

• Catherine married John Leonard Wynne, an Irish-American, in 1916.
• They settled in the Bronx, New York, where they raised a family.
• Catherine lived a long life, passing away in Nassau, New York, in January 1976.

Remembering Honor Fleming

Honor Fleming’s story is a poignant reminder of the human cost of the Titanic disaster. She represents the countless young Irish men and women who sought a better life across the Atlantic, only to have their dreams cut tragically short. Today, Honor is remembered as part of the Addergoole Fourteen, a group that has become symbolic of the Irish experience on the Titanic. Her story continues to be told, ensuring that the memory of this young woman from Co Mayo lives on, more than a century after her untimely death.