David Dickson left Ireland for America in 1906. He sailed from Liverpool on the SS Majestic on 2nd May, ariving in New York on 10th May. He is described on the bottom line of the manifest below, as an ironmonger from Downpatrick, of good health, both mental and physical.

Here is an enlargement of the bottom of the manifest.

The rest of the information about David Dickson tells us that he was a 21 year old single male, able to read and write, Irish, and that his passage to his final destination of New York had been paid for by his father. He had never visited the USA before. He was going to join a friend, Dr John Skillen who lived at 489, 8th Avenue, New York. He had never been in prison, almshouse, institute for the care and treatment of the insane, or supported by charity. He was not a polygamist or an anarchist. He was not deformed or crippled. He had not been offered a job in the USA.

I think it also says that he had $85.00 with him, but this is a little unclear.

It is interesting that after emigrating as an ironmonger he became a dentist in New York and "died from drinking prohibition whisky which wasn’t what it should have been" according to Jim Taylor's account. Perhaps at that time an ironmonger had all the skills and tools necessary to be a dentist.

The RMS Majestic was launched in 1889 and once held the Blue Riband for the west-bound Atlantic crossing. She was owned by the White Star Line and for a while was commanded by Captain Edward John Smith who was later to take the Titanic on her maiden voyage.

Another view.

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