If
one pores over the Second Team
postcard from the 1912-13 season the eyes are naturally drawn to
Dr Rumjahn
on the second row and the
eccentric character in the back row, 3rd from the right labelled
"M.Grieu".
[Ancestry.com]
Before the Captain signs off the
manifest in Baltimore he puts a large
strike through the name off a certain Marianka Grieu and puts a note on
the left hand side "
Not Aboard"
As the emigrant ships of the North German Lloyd Line often
called
into Southampton or Hull he must have jumped ship.
In July of 1912 a law was passed in Russia to
greatly
increase army recruitment in Russia, beginning in 1913, perhaps a
combination of this and tense interior politics were his cues to
upsticks. Throughout 1911–1912 more than 16,000
people from
Lithuania left
through Libava, of those more than 6,000 were ethnic Lithuanians.
The manifest is a treasure trove of social history of the time and
records as follows:-
Family Name:
Grieu
Given Name:
Marianka
Age:
20
Sex:
F
This
is a remarkable finding and semi-authenticates Grieu's appearance,
could this be the first documented evidence of a rugby club embracing
ethnic diversity and sexuality ?
Married/Single:
S
Occupation:
Seamstress
Able to Read:
N
Able to Write:
N
Nationality:
Russian (the
Federation encompassed the Baltic States and Poland at this time)
Race or People:
Hebrew
Last Place of Residence:
Libava (Lithuania)
Nearest Relative or Friend:
father Kahman Grieu, Kovno (Kaunas)
Final Destination:
Chicago
The
manifest states Grieu could not
read or write, perhaps a chance
meeting with the schoolteachers enabled the opportunity to learn
English.
