Collection

Saint John Jewish Historical Museum Synagogue Records

Material Type

textual record

Spouse

Trofilia Hirshkowicz

Children

1 son

Date of Death

April 10, 1938

Place Where Deceased

New Brunswick, Canada

Cemetery

Shaarei Zedek Cemetery

Age at Time of Death

61 years

Notes

OBITUARIES: Evening Times Globe, April 11, 1938, Page 11, 16 Exposure to Shock to Blame Bernard Hirshkowicz, C.P.S. Montrose Interpreter, Victim Conclude Probe Identification of Man Taken from Harbour Waters Is Made Today The victim of last night's accident in the harbour has been identified definitely as Bernard H. Hirshkowicz, interpreter aboard the C.P.S. Montrose which docked at Berth 2 at 9:50 o'clock last night, it was stated by Detective Kilpatrick, who has carried on the investigation of the case since the incident occurred. Also known by the names of M.V.Hart, the man received permission to go ashore for the night after the ship had been tied up at the berth, and it is the theory of the police that Hirshkowicz stumbled while racing along Berth 3 to catch the ferryboat which was to make its last trip from the West Side at 10:15 o'clock. He lost his balance, it is believed, and plunged into the icy waters of the harbour. That section of the waterfront has been in almost complete darkness and a strong wind of 'near hurricane' proportions was blowing unchecked along the harbour edge. Fastened Rope It must have been only a matter of a few minutes after the man first dropped below the surface before his cries for help were heard by Mark Corkum, engineer aboard the nearby towboat Colmaccan. Corkum plunged into the frigid waters almost immediately, having secured a tow rope around him. He stroked out in the direction of the calls and having found the drowning man, fastened the rope about his waist and brought him to the side of a barge floating off Berth 3 where fellow workers assisted in pulling the now unconscious burden to the ice covered deck. The victim died on the barge a few minutes later. Post Mortem Firemen answered a still alarm sent in by C.P.R. Sergeant Double, who had heard the frantic shouts of Corkum, William Ramsay, cook and Jack Shaw, shiphand, of the towboat. The body was wrapped in blankets and carried to No. 3 shed where Dr. R. M. Pendrigh, the coroner, pronounced him dead. Corkum, who had suffered somewhat from the cold bite of the harbour waters was taken to the General Hospital for observation. Hirshkowicz's body was removed to the William E. Brenan's Funeral Parlours, 98 Prince Street, West and later the General Hospital for an autopsy. The examination of the corpse was made by Dr. R.A.H. Mackeen this morning and an opinion of 'death by shock and exposure' was returned. Clues as to the identity of the man had been taken from his pockets by the police. These consisted of discharge papers and a Polish passport. Both with the address of 82 Dempsey Street, Stepney, London on them. Two or three other papers had wording M.V. Hart, 17 Alroy Road, Aintree, England. Hirshkowicz spoke several languages, and had a number of acquaintances in this city. Born in Russia in 1876, he lived at various times in England. His wife, Trofilia resides at Komlyn Road, Liverpool. A son lives in Liverpool. The local office of the Canadian Pacific Steamships has notified the family. Gravestone reference note: no stone. Additional notes: interpreter - C.P.S. Montrose, drowning

Record Source

SJJHM Cemetery and Obituary Records

Fonds No.

SJJHM-S

File No.

445

Archival / Genealogical

Genealogy Records

Repository

Saint John Jewish Historical Museum

Less detail