Agnes Maud Veals- Bailey

Agnes Veale, nee Bailey, 27, was sister to Frederick Bailey and wife of Albert E. Veals. Having lived in Orange, New Jersey, United States for three years, she was traveling aboard Lusitania with her brother and husband to see her and Fred’s father in England.

On May 7th, the day of the disaster, Fred, Agnes, and Albert had finished lunch and were sitting on starboard deck when one of the Vealses got up and looked over the rail, stating, “Look, there’s a porpoise.” This was actually the torpedo that impacted the ship, sending up a deluge of water and debris.

In the resulting confusion, Fred was separated from Agnes and Albert. As the ship listed to starboard, the couple entered and almost fell into lifeboat #15 and the boat soon cast off. The Veales talked about the horrors of the funnel hanging very close to the boat and the Marconi wires briefly entangling the boat, but the aerial snapped and they were able to get free. Those in the boat kept spirits up by singing “Tipperary,” but it was discontinued when a young man who had been pulled in and whose head was propped against Agnes’ knees expired.

Fred and Agnes told people they believed the ship sank in 15 minutes. They found Fred at a hotel in Queenstown. They traveled to Fishguard and then to the home of Agnes’ and Fred’s father. They soon took part in the Lord Mayor’s efforts to raise money for the Lusitania Relief Fund. Albert died in 1925. Agnes outlived him by 25 years and died in 1950.