Past tragedy

This brass in St Pancras parish church commemmorates a tragedy that must have been completely overpowering to those who survived it - the relatives of the young Baker family, 'dear ones lost at sea.'

Henry, Rebecca, Frederick and Florence (and their nurse) disappeared, along with the SS City of Boston and 186 other human beings, on a wintry passage from Nova Scotia nearly 150 years ago.

No trace of any of them was ever found, but it is thought the ship may have collided with an iceberg, or been sunk in a snowy storm at sea. Contemporary news accounts can be found here.

Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear...

PS Wow! I have just tracked down a photograph of Henry Horace. Not one of his wife and children - yet