🛂 1904 RMS Carpathia Immigrant Inspection Card – A Rare Document from the Ellis Island Era

📌 Explore a rare 1904 immigrant inspection card from the RMS Carpathia, issued to Winifred Davies of England. Learn about Ellis Island-era immigration screenings, public health requirements, and transatlantic travel aboard one of history’s most famous ships.

🛂 RMS Carpathia Immigrant Inspection Card - 1904: A Window into the Ellis Island Immigration Experience

The 1904 Immigrant Inspection Card from the RMS Carpathia is an exceptional historical artifact that offers a firsthand glimpse into early 20th-century immigration procedures. Issued to Winifred Davies of Chester, England, this document provides valuable information about her transatlantic journey, health screenings, and arrival process in America.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this page is a fascinating resource, showcasing the Cunard Line’s role in immigration, public health measures for steerage passengers, and the rigid inspection protocols enforced at Ellis Island.

Front Side of Immigrant and Steerage Passengers Inspection Card on the RMS Carpathia of the Cunard Line. Passenger Winifred Davies of Chester Departed from Liverpool on 18 October 1904. Image ID # 1544b1843f

The Back Side of the Immigrant and Steerage Passengers Inspection Card was a Proof of Vaccination and Notice to Immigrants to Retain this Card while Traveling on Railroads to Avoid Detention at Quarantine. GGA Image ID # 1544e3f934

Inspection Card issued to an immigrant traveling in Steerage on board the RMS Carpathia of the Cunard Line dated 18 October 1904 that provided information including Port and Date of Departure, Name of Ship, Name of Immigrant, Last Residence, and evidence of Immunization.

Passenger Manifest Record

• First Name: Winifred
• Last Name: Davies
• Ethnicity: England English
• Last Place of Residence: Chester
• Date of Arrival: 28 October 1904
• Age at Arrival: 30y
• Gender:  F
• Marital Status:  W[idow]
• Ship of Travel: Carpathia
• Port of Departure: Liverpool
• Manifest Line Number: 0012

Winifred Davies of Chester, England Immigrated to America on the RMS Carpathia in October 1904. Color Painting of the RMS Carpathia Passing Gibraltar. Cunard Daily Bulletin Fashion & Pleasure Resort Supplement, 1908. GGA Image ID # 21564a6dbb

 Information About the RMS Carpathia

She was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited, Newcastle, England, in 1903. 13,603 gross tons; 558 (bp) feet long; 64 feet wide. Steam quadruple expansion engines, twin screws. Service speed 14 knots. 1,704 passengers (204 first class, 1,500 third class).One funnel, four masts, steel hull, three decks.

Built for the Cunard Line, British flag, in 1903 and named Carpathia. Liverpool-New York and Trieste-New York service. They rescued 705 survivors on 15 April 1912 from the sunken RMS Titanic. The ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off the English coast in 1918.

📌 Why This Document Is Important

1️⃣ What Was an Immigrant Inspection Card?

✔ Identification & Health Clearance for Steerage Passengers

🔹 Immigrant Inspection Cards were mandatory travel documents for third-class (steerage) passengers to ensure they met U.S. immigration and health requirements.

🔹 These cards had to be presented upon arrival to confirm identity, last residence, and vaccination status to prevent detention at quarantine stations.

✔ Why This Was Necessary:

🔹 Steerage-class immigrants traveled in crowded, unsanitary conditions, making them more susceptible to infectious diseases.

🔹 U.S. immigration authorities required proof that immigrants were vaccinated and had been examined before departure.

💡 For educators, this document serves as a primary source for discussing Ellis Island-era immigration policies and public health measures.

2️⃣ Winifred Davies’ Immigration Journey 🚢

📜 Details from the Inspection Card & Passenger Manifest:

✔ Full Name: Winifred Davies

✔ Ethnicity: English

✔ Last Place of Residence: Chester, England

✔ Age at Arrival: 30 years

✔ Marital Status: Widow

✔ Ship: RMS Carpathia (Cunard Line)

✔ Port of Departure: Liverpool, England

✔ Date of Departure: 18 October 1904

✔ Date of Arrival: 28 October 1904

✔ Passenger Manifest Entry: Line 12

✔ Why This Is Interesting:

🔹 Winifred Davies was a widow immigrating to the U.S. alone, reflecting the hardships that drove individuals to seek new lives in America.

🔹 The passenger manifest entry helps genealogists trace family immigration records, providing a direct link to Ellis Island’s arrival database.

🔹 Her last place of residence, Chester, England, offers insight into migration trends from Britain to the U.S. during this period.

💡 For genealogists and family historians, this document is a crucial resource for tracing British ancestry in America.

3️⃣ Health Inspections & Vaccination Requirements 🏥

✔ Medical Screening Before Departure

🔹 Before boarding the RMS Carpathia, steerage passengers like Winifred Davies had to pass a medical inspection at the departure port.

🔹 These inspections ensured that only healthy individuals were allowed to travel to America.

✔ Vaccination Certification on the Reverse Side

🔹 The back of the inspection card confirms Davies’ vaccination status, signed by the ship’s surgeon.

🔹 In 1904, smallpox vaccination was mandatory for immigrants to prevent the spread of disease.

🔹 Immigrants without proof of vaccination could be quarantined, detained, or even deported.

💡 For historians, this card highlights the connection between immigration policies and public health initiatives in the early 20th century.

4️⃣ The RMS Carpathia & Its Role in Immigration & Maritime History 🚢

📜 Ship Specifications (Built in 1903 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, England):

✔ Operator: Cunard Line

✔ Tonnage: 13,603 tons

✔ Length: 558 feet

✔ Breadth: 64 feet 6 inches

✔ Speed: 14 knots

✔ Passenger Capacity: 1,704 (204 first-class, 1,500 third-class/steerage)

✔ Route: Liverpool – New York / Trieste – New York

✔ Why This Ship Matters:

🔹 The RMS Carpathia was primarily a third-class immigrant ship, serving the mass migration of British, Irish, and Eastern European emigrants to America.

🔹 It became one of the most famous ships in history for its heroic rescue of Titanic survivors in April 1912.

🔹 It was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in 1918 during World War I.

💡 For maritime historians, the Carpathia represents both the peak of transatlantic immigration and a pivotal moment in Titanic history.

📸 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

📜 1. Front of the Immigrant Inspection Card (1904)

👉 Confirms Winifred Davies’ departure details, last residence, and proof of identity.

📜 2. Reverse Side of the Inspection Card

👉 Shows vaccination certification, ensuring compliance with U.S. immigration health laws.

📜 3. RMS Carpathia Passing Gibraltar (1908)

👉 Depicts the famous ship that played a major role in both immigration and maritime rescue history.

🔎 How This Page Helps Teachers, Students & Genealogists

📚 For Teachers & Students:

✔ Offers a primary source document illustrating Ellis Island-era immigration procedures.

✔ Connects public health policies with immigration enforcement in the early 1900s.

✔ Encourages discussion on third-class travel conditions and immigrant experiences.

🔎 For Genealogists & Family Historians:

✔ Helps trace ancestry for British immigrants arriving in the early 20th century.

✔ Provides insight into how immigration records, passenger manifests, and ship documents connect.

✔ Confirms vaccination and health clearance requirements for steerage-class passengers.

📝 For Historians & Immigration Researchers:

✔ Demonstrates how medical screenings influenced immigration policies.

✔ Highlights the role of Cunard Line ships in mass migration to America.

✔ Connects the RMS Carpathia’s immigration service with its later role in the Titanic rescue.

📖 Final Thoughts: Why This Article Matters

The 1904 Immigrant Inspection Card from the RMS Carpathia is a powerful reminder of the challenges and processes that early 20th-century immigrants faced. It sheds light on:

📌 The meticulous health inspections required for steerage passengers.

📌 The role of major transatlantic liners in mass migration.

📌 The documentation practices that helped track and process millions of new arrivals in America.

For historians, genealogists, and educators, this inspection card is a priceless artifact that bridges the past with the present, helping us understand the immigrant experience and its lasting impact on American history. 🌍🚢🛂