Mr Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah: A Tragic Tale from the Titanic

Who was Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah?

Mr Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah, also known as Youssef Brahim Shawah, was a 33 (thirty-three) year-old Syrian/Lebanese passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born in 1879 in Beirut, Syria (now Lebanon), Ibrāhīm-Shawah was a married laborer whose journey to America ended tragically on April 15, 1912.

Early Life and Background

A Family Man from Beirut

Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah was born and raised in Beirut, which at the time was part of Syria but is now in modern-day Lebanon. As a laborer, he worked hard to support his family, which included:

A wife
Four young children

What prompted Ibrāhīm-Shawah’s journey to America?

The death of his mother-in-law around 1911 set in motion a chain of events that would lead Ibrāhīm-Shawah to board the Titanic. Following this loss, he made plans to travel to Texas, where his father-in-law, Sim’īn Yūsuf ‘Atī Allīh, resided.

“The original plan was for he and his wife and children to all travel but all but they became afflicted with trachoma and were unable to join him on the journey.”

This unfortunate circumstance meant that Ibrāhīm-Shawah would embark on this life-changing journey alone, accompanied only by his sister-in-law, Malakah Atā Allāh.

The Titanic Journey

Embarkation and Ticket Details

Mr Ibrāhīm-Shawah boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg as a third-class passenger. His ticket details were as follows:

Detail	Information
Ticket Number	2627 (joint ticket)
Fare	£14 9s 2d
Class	3rd Class

Who accompanied Ibrāhīm-Shawah on his journey?

Traveling alongside Yūsuf was his sister-in-law, Malakah Atā Allāh, who was the younger sister of his wife. Together, they embarked on what they hoped would be a journey to a new life in America.

Fate During the Disaster

What happened to Ibrāhīm-Shawah when the Titanic sank?

Tragically, both Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah and his sister-in-law Malakah Atā Allāh perished in the sinking of the Titanic. Their bodies, if recovered, were never identified, leaving their families without closure.

Legacy and Impact

How did the tragedy affect Ibrāhīm-Shawah’s family?

The loss of Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah had significant repercussions for his family:

His widow and children received £37 10s from the Titanic Relief Fund.
Susian Shawah, his widow, later filed a claim for $15,000 against the White Star Line for the loss of her husband.

This tragic event left a family without a father and provider, altering the course of their lives forever.

Remembering Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah

Yūsuf Hānī Ibrāhīm-Shawah’s story is a poignant reminder of the many lives cut short by the Titanic disaster. His journey, motivated by family circumstances and the hope for a better future, ended tragically in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. Today, he is remembered as one of the many victims of the Titanic, whose dreams of a new life in America were never realized.