The Noronic Photo Gallery by Gregory Sullivan at pbase.com

The Noronic

This is a collection of old marine pictures. They date from the early 1900's to the later part of the century. The Noronic was a great ship built and launched in 1913 at Port Arthur Ontario . The Noronic came to Toronto on September 16 1949. Noronic was tied up on pier 9,her bow facing north with her star board side against the dock . Many of the passengers and crew left for the night but some remained. That night there was a great fire that consumed 118 lives , 104 dead and 14 missing all passengers. A friend of our family actually worked on the mass embalming of the departed. While in Montreal I came across these photos. The funeral parlors original owner helped in the preparation of the dead the parlors name is Bates and Dodds. There was a morgue set up at the pier but it was later moved to the Horticultural building at the Toronto Exhibition. The steamship Noronic Memorial is located in Mount Pleasant Cemetery Toronto ,Ontario,Canada. I find these pictures quite interesting as they show what life must have been like while on the ship all those years ago.

comment |

Guest		20-Dec-2015 03:48
Hi: My late aunt was assisting with others from the St. John Ambulance Corps in the set-up of the morgue in the Flower Building at the CNE. Ontario Coroner, A Smirle Lawson was quite pleased with the set-up, but, when the American Red Cross arrived from Detroit and Cleveland, they blew-up Mayor Hiram McCallum and Coroner Lawson told them to go back or live with the way it had been organized. Gord Young Peterborough

Dale Diersing		27-Aug-2015 11:22
Herbert and Ethel Cannel of Twinsburg Ohio were aboard the Noronic that night. They managed to escape by climbing down a rope but both slipped and fell into the harbor. They were pulled to safety but both suffered severe burns and spent three months in Saint Michaels Hospital. They were on C Deck in room 422. When they ran out of their cabin Ethel grabbed her purse. In the purse was their room key and a small creamer she took from the dinning table the night before. I am, doing a video about their Noronic cruise for their grandchildren Larry Hoon and Nancy Wolff. I grew up with the Hoon children and knew both Herbert and Ethel. Thank you for posting these rare photos.

Guest		25-Jan-2015 16:39
In 1940 my parents sailed on the Noronic for their honeymoon. My parents died in 1967 & I framed 2 photos taken on the outer deck of the Noronic. The ship made a stop on Macinac Island, Michigan. Cars are not allowed on the island, just horse & buggies or bicycles. Because of their cruise, I have visited Macinac Island many times.

Gregory Sullivan		25-Aug-2014 04:32
Thank you for your comments. I have not been able to get back to all of your comments as there has been a death in our family, we lost our mother and its been quite the trying time to say the least. Thank you for your understanding. Gregory Sullivan

Bonnie Thompson		15-Jan-2014 16:25
Bonnie Brown-Thompson I was just born and my Grandmother was a nursing sister with the Saint Jons Ambulance. She was taken to the flower building at the CNE where she was placed incharge of the morgue. I can remember her telling me that victims were being identified by watches, rings and even false teeth. She stayed with the remains until all were identified. It was time she always remembered and hoped she would never see again. She recieved the Saint Johns Nursing Sister medal from the Governor General for all her caring during this long a sad ordeal.

Dot Sale		03-Oct-2013 15:32
I was a child of 6 when the SS Noronic burning happened and not living in Toronto at the time so I knew nothing of it until much later. My future father-in-law, Madison Sale, was a photographer for the Toronto Telegram for 40 years and one of the first on the scene when the fire broke out as he had spotted the smoke from a distance. He covered the event for the paper for days, including going on board once the fire was out. I remember later learning from my mother-in-law how he came home every night with his clothes smelling awful from being on the charred boat as well as having to go to the CNE grounds to the Horticultural Building while the bodies were being identified by their relatives. Definitely not one of his favourite work related memories.

Paul Sokol		29-Sep-2013 05:22
My Grandfather, Sam Graham was on the Noronic when it burned. He worked for the CSL and had delivered supplies to the ship. He was spending the night on the Noronic and was to return home to Point Edward in the morning. Sam had sailed on the Noronic for years ( I think he was on its maiden voyage). He told me the smoke and flames were so thick you couldn't see much below deck. Sam said he able to get off the ship because he was so familiar with that layout that he could literally find his way out with his eyes closed. All the Graham family worked on the"Norrie" and it's sister ship the Hamonic and were quite devasted when the ship was destroyed. Paul Sokol

Guest		25-Apr-2012 20:12
My Grandfather was the 1st. fire chief to the Noronic when the fire began. It was a horrible tragedy.

Guest		02-Aug-2011 23:11
My wife and I had the privilege of sailing on the Noronic from Detroit to Toronto and return in June of 1948. At the time neither of us knew the other but years later fate brought us together and we became man and wife. As we are now both 81 years old and are continuing to enjoy our numerous sailing experiences, we still remember fondly our first on the SS Noronic.

Shelley Gaudreau		22-Jun-2011 02:47
My mother,and grandparents, lived in Toronto at the time of the fire. They opened their home to three American victims of the fire. My great grandfather a member of the Saint John Ambulance Brigade worked tirelessly the night of the fire, rendering aid to the victims. I can clearly recall my grandmother telling the story of the Noronic, when I was a child.

Guest		12-Mar-2011 12:32
My great grand aunt died in the Noronic. My great uncle went to the makeshift morgue to identify her. I'd never seen a photo of the that. Where were these photos located in Montreal? Are they in a public archive? Thanks.

Jim Biss		15-Dec-2010 20:47
I recall as a four year old child in 1944 travelling with my parents from Port Arthur (as it then was) to Sarnia on the Noronic and the barrage balloons protecting the Soo Locks. We returned on its sister ship the Hamonic. Later both ships were to be destroyed by fire.

Guest		10-Oct-2010 23:46
I have an original watercoulour of this ship. Many of ny family members worked on the Noronic.

click on thumbnails for full image

Type your message and click Add Comment

It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest. Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help	private comment