SS Laconia Agents' Record (1913) – Rare Third-Class Passage Ticket & Irish Migration Document

📌 Discover a rare 1913 third-class steamship ticket from the Cunard Line’s SS Laconia, documenting the transatlantic journey of 22-year-old Irish traveler Beatrice Gilligan from Boston to Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland. This historical ticket offers insights into third-class travel, ticketing practices, and early 20th-century maritime migration—a must-have resource for genealogists, historians, and maritime enthusiasts tracing Irish immigration records. 🚢📜

SS Laconia Third Class Agents' Record Outward Passenger Ticket, Cunard Line, Boston to Queenstown (Cobh), 13 May 1913. GGA Image ID # 1e9cd890d6

Agents' Record Summary

• Date of Purchase / Voyage: 13 May 1913
• Steamship Line: Cunard Line
• Steamship: SS Laconia
• Route: Boston to Queenstown (Cobh)
• Ticket Type: Agents' Record
• Voyage Class: Third Class
• Name on Contract: Beatrice Gilligan
• Etnicity of Passenger(s): Irish?
• Contract Terms: Not Stated
• Cost of Ticket: $35.00 / $944.00 USD in 2020

Agents' Record Details

For Passage on the S. S. Laconia

• No. 121015
• Cunard Line
• Third Class Outward
• Date of Issue: 13 May 1913
• For Steamer: Laconia
• Sailing: 27 May 1913
• Booked to: Queenstown?
• Name of Passenger: Beatrice Gilligan
• Age: 22 (b. about 1891)
• 1 Adult, 0 Children, 0 Infant
• Amount Paid: $35
• Commission: ob? 19, Berth I
• Advised: 28.May.1913

Relative Cost of Passage Ticket in Today's Currency Value

In 2020, the relative values of $35.00 from 1913 ranges from $685.00 to $18,500.00.

A simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is $944.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying $35.00 by the percentage increase in the CPI from 1913 to 2020.

This may not be the best answer.

The best measure of the relative value over time depends on if you are interested in comparing the cost or value of a Commodity, Income or Wealth, or a Project.

If you want to compare the value of a $35.00 Commodity in 1913 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real price of that commodity is $944.00
• real value in consumption of that commodity is $1,920.00
• labor value of that commodity is $4,600.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $5,780.00 (using production worker compensation)
• income value of that commodity is $5,450.00
• economic share of that commodity is $18,500.00

If you want to compare the value of a $35.00 Income or Wealth, in 1913 there are five choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real wage or real wealth value of that income or wealth is $944.00
• household purchasing power value of that income or wealth is $1,920.00
• relative labor earnings of that commodity are $4,600.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $5,780.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative income value of that income or wealth is $5,450.00
• relative output value of that income or wealth is $18,500.00

If you want to compare the value of a $35.00 Project in 1913 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real cost of that project is $685.00
• household cost of that project is $1,920.00
• labor cost of that project is $4,600.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $5,780.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative cost of that project is $5,450.00
• economy cost of that project is $18,500.00

Source: www.measuringworth.com Samuel H. Williamson, "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1790 to present," MeasuringWorth, 2022.

🌍 SS Laconia Agents' Record (13 May 1913) – A Third-Class Voyage Across the Atlantic 🚢

📜 Overview: A Glimpse into Third-Class Transatlantic Travel in 1913

The Agents' Record of a Third-Class Outward Passenger Ticket for SS Laconia, dated 13 May 1913, is a remarkable historical artifact that offers a direct look into early 20th-century ocean travel. This document, issued for Beatrice Gilligan, a 22-year-old Irishwoman, represents her third-class voyage from Boston to Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland, aboard the Cunard Line’s SS Laconia.

📌 Why is this record significant?

✔️ A valuable genealogical resource – Confirms passenger details, travel dates, and destinations, helping researchers trace family migration.

✔️ A key document for educators and students – Demonstrates the role of steamship travel in the Irish diaspora and Atlantic migration.

✔️ An essential historical record – Illustrates how third-class passage worked, including ticketing procedures and costs.

✔️ A maritime travel document – Offers insight into passenger logistics, ticketing agencies, and the role of ship brokers in transatlantic migration.

🚢 This record is more than just a ticket—it’s a tangible piece of history that tells the story of an Irish traveler’s return to her homeland!

🌍 Who Would Benefit from This Record?

📖 Teachers & Students – A primary source for studying migration, ticketing, and transatlantic travel.

🧬 Genealogists – Direct evidence linking an ancestor to an important journey.

📜 Historians – Illustrates how third-class passage functioned in 1913.

🛳 Maritime Enthusiasts – Provides insight into the Cunard Line and SS Laconia’s role in Irish migration.

📜 Key Highlights from the Agents' Record

📌 Ticket Details: A Journey to Ireland

🔹 Passenger: Beatrice Gilligan (22)

🔹 Date of Purchase: 13 May 1913

🔹 Departure Date: 27 May 1913

🔹 Steamship: SS Laconia

🔹 Route: Boston → Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland

🔹 Class: Third Class (Steerage)

🔹 Cost of Ticket: $35.00 (Equivalent to ~$944.00 in 2020 USD)

🔹 Ticket Agent’s Commission: Not Stated

📌 What makes this record interesting?

✔️ A ticket for an Irish traveler returning home – Unlike many immigration records, this documents a passenger traveling from America back to Ireland.

✔️ Provides confirmation of travel – If Beatrice was returning to Ireland, this could be linked to census records, naturalization files, or even future voyages.

✔️ A rare look into ticket pricing – Demonstrates how third-class fares were structured and how affordable ocean travel was at the time.

📌 The Ticket Price: Then vs. Now 💰

💰 Original Ticket Price (1913): $35.00

💰 2020 Equivalent (Adjusted for Inflation): $944.00 – $18,500.00 (depending on economic measure used)

📌 Did You Know?

✔️ Even at $35.00, a third-class ticket represented a significant investment for a working-class traveler.

✔️ Many tickets were prepaid by family members, meaning Beatrice may have had relatives in Boston or elsewhere in the U.S.

✔️ A return ticket like this suggests temporary migration, possibly for work, family visits, or economic hardship.

🖼 Noteworthy Image in the Collection

🖼 📜 Cunard Line SS Laconia Agents' Record (1913) – An official receipt featuring passenger details, departure date, and pricing.

📌 Why is this image important?

✔️ A genuine example of third-class ticketing from 1913.

✔️ Provides tangible evidence of a passenger’s journey.

✔️ A rare look into how ticket agents handled transatlantic travel.