The people were newlyweds Leopoldo and Artemesia Gaudiosi.
The S.S. Baltic was that ship.
The date November 22, 1879.*
“Whitestarline” by Whistlerpro – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The ship was constructed of iron and had three full decks. It could be rigged as a four masted barque and during it’s career the sails were indeed used. The hull was launched on 8 March 1871 under the name Pacific. However on delivery on 18 September she was renamed in Baltic for the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company. This company was better known as the White Star Line. (Upon delivery she measured 3,707 Brt. and could carry 166 First and 1000 Third Class passengers)
She commenced her maiden voyage on 14 September 1871 sailing from Liverpool to New York. The ship was a very fast one and on 19 January 1873 she won the Blue Riband after a record crossing over the North Atlantic (Eastbound) in a time of 7 Days 15 Hours and 9 Minutes. (Making 15.09 Knots on average). (Source)
For me, seeing the ship and knowing the date they sailed makes their voyage to America all the more real. Next tasks:
Find out how they would have gotten from Colliano, Italy to Liverpool or Queenstown, England to catch the S.S. Baltic
Find some firsthand accounts of what a cross-Atlantic voyage aboard the S.S. Baltic or similar vessel would have been like to add that storyline to my family history.
