Family
On October 18, 1893, Montague Allan married Marguerite Ethel Mackenzie (1873–1957), daughter of Hector MacKenzie (1843-1901) of Montreal, and his wife Martha Alger, grand-daughter of Cyrus Alger and Holmes Hinkley, both of Boston. Lady Allan's father was President of J.G. Mackenzie & Co., Montreal; director of the Hudson's Bay Company; vice-president of the Merchant's Bank; vice-president of the Montreal Telegraph Company and President of the Montreal Philharmonic Society. Lady Allan was a niece of The Hon. Frederick Mackenzie and sister-in-law of Edward Ermatinger, of Montreal. The Allans were the parents of four children, but sadly they outlived all of them:
- (Marguerite) Martha Allan (1895–1942), died unmarried.
- Lt. Hugh Allan (1897-6 July 1917). Educated at Eton (where he was a prefect and elected a member of 'Pop') and McGill University. In 1915 he joined the The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada before transferring and becoming a Flight sub-Lieutenant with the Royal Naval Air Service. He was shot down on his first service flight over the English Channel during World War I. He was unmarried.
- Anna Marjory Allan (18 November 1898- 7 May 1915), killed on the RMS Lusitania
- Gwendolyn Evelyn Allan (20 April 1900-7 May 1915), killed on the RMS Lusitania
In May 1915, during World War I, Lady Allan, along with daughters Anna, 16, and Gwen, 15, were aboard the RMS Lusitania when it was sunk by German U-boat U-20. After she and her daughters jumped into the water, Lady Allan was severely injured. While she was rescued, both daughters drowned. Anna's body was never found but Gwendolyn's was recovered the next day and returned to Montreal for burial. Rita Jolivet, the wife of Montague's Scottish cousin, Jimmy Allan, was also a passenger on the Lusitania. Two years after this tragedy, the War claimed their third child, Hugh, who was killed in action.
Sir Montague and Lady Allan lived at Ravenscrag (now known as the Allan Memorial Institute) in the Golden Square Mile during the winters and Montrose at Cacouna during the summers. Allan also owned Allancroft a farm near Beaconsfield where he reared his horses. After their last child died, the Allans gave Ravenscrag to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, and sold Montrose. Allancroft had burned down in 1938. He and his wife are interred in the Mount Royal Cemetery next to two of their daughters.
Read more about this topic: H. Montagu Allan
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