Miss Julia Barry

Who was Julia Barry?

Julia Barry was a 30 (thirty) year-old Irish-American woman who tragically lost her life in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Born on October 16, 1881, in Killeentierna, Currow, Co Kerry, Ireland, Julia was a third-class passenger on the ill-fated ship, returning to her life in New York City after visiting her ailing mother in Ireland.

Early Life and Family Background

What was Julia Barry’s family like?

Julia Barry came from a large Irish family:

• Parents: Michael Barry (stonemason and farmer) and Julia Prendiville
• Siblings: 11 older brothers and sisters, including:
  • Mary (b. 1860)
  • Abigail (b. 1862)
  • Edward (b. 1877)
  • Ellen “Nellie” Shea

Many of Julia’s siblings had emigrated to the United States, establishing roots in various cities:

Julia’s Life in America

When did Julia first come to America?

Julia first crossed the Atlantic in 1905, departing from Queenstown on September 2 and arriving in Manhattan aboard the Cedric on September 10, 1905. At the time, she was described as a 19-year-old unmarried servant from Co Kerry, destined for her sister Ellen “Nellie” Shea’s home in Springfield, Massachusetts.

What was Julia’s occupation?

Julia worked as a housekeeper in the United States. Records suggest she may have been employed as a maid for the Charles D. Haskell family at 24 Dartmouth Street, Springfield, as listed in the 1910 census. Eventually, she settled in New York City.

Return to Ireland and Fateful Journey

Why did Julia return to Ireland?

In late 1910 or early 1911, Julia returned to Ireland to care for her mother, who was suffering from a heart condition. She appeared on the 1911 Irish census, living with her father at house 17 in Killeentierna. Sadly, her mother passed away on April 21, 1911, at the age of 71.

How did Julia end up on the Titanic?

For her return to New York, Julia had initially planned to sail on the Celtic. However, she changed her booking to the Titanic for an earlier crossing. She wrote to her brother Edward in Yonkers, informing him of the change and asking him to meet her at the pier.

Interestingly, days before her departure, Julia took a boat trip on the lakes of Killarney where she lost her parasol overboard. The boatman considered this a bad omen.

The Titanic Disaster

What were the details of Julia’s Titanic journey?

• Class: Third Class
• Ticket Number: 330844
• Fare: £7 17s 7d
• Port of Embarkation: Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland
• Date of Boarding: April 11, 1912

Julia boarded the Titanic in Queenstown on April 11, 1912. Reports suggest she was originally traveling with five others but left them behind in Ireland due to her haste to return to the USA.

What happened to Julia during the sinking?

Tragically, Julia Barry did not survive the sinking of the Titanic. Her body, if recovered, was never identified. The disaster deeply affected her family:

• Her brother Edward traveled to the Cunard pier, hoping she might be among the saved.
• Her sister Mary Cuffe only learned of Julia’s presence on the Titanic when she saw her name on a list of the lost.

Aftermath and Legacy

How did Julia’s family cope with the loss?

The loss of Julia devastated her family. An article in the Elizabeth Daily Journal on April 20, 1912, reported:

Mrs. Thomas Cuffe, of 148 Livingston street, is prostrated with grief at her home today as a result of the loss of her sister, who perished when the waters of the Atlantic closed over the steamer Titanic. The sister, Miss Julia Barry, of 14 W thirty-second street, New York City, had visited Mrs Cuffe many times, and she had a large circle of friends in this city.

Julia’s siblings frantically searched New York hospitals, clinging to hope that she might have survived, but their efforts were in vain.

Was there any compensation for Julia’s death?

Several months after the disaster, Julia’s father received a reparation payment from the White Star Line:

• Amount: $3,000
• Recipient: Michael Barry (Julia’s father)
• Date of Settlement: Reported on August 1, 1912

This settlement was reported in the Boston Globe on August 2, 1912, bringing some financial closure to the family’s tragic loss.

Family’s Later Years

Following the Titanic disaster, Julia’s family members continued their lives:

• Michael Barry (father): Died on October 30, 1916, with an estate worth £85
• Abigail Barry Reilly (sister): Administered her father’s estate; died in Navan, Co Meath on March 2, 1941
• Mary Cuffe (sister): Remained in Elizabeth, New Jersey; died on March 22, 1925, and was buried with her husband Thomas in Rosedale and Rosehill Cemetery, Linden, New Jersey

Julia Barry’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the many lives cut short by the Titanic disaster, leaving behind grieving families on both sides of the Atlantic.