Ashpan Annie Explained

Ashpan Annie (January 25, 1916^[1] – July 18, 2010) was the name given to Anne M. Welsh (née Liggins), a "Halifax Explosion" survivor.

At the time she was 23 months old. Her brother Edwin^[2] and mother Anne were killed in the blast, which leveled most of the north Barrington Street structure.^[3] She was blown under the kitchen stove, where the still warm ashes in the ashpan kept her alive until she was rescued by a soldier, Sgt Davies, and his dog, along with a neighbour, Mr Henneberry, who was looking for his own family who had lived nearby^[4] some 26 hours later.^[5]

Her father, Pte Edward, was a soldier who was overseas at the time. She was taken to the Pine Hill Convalescent Hospital, where she was discovered by her grandmother and aunt.^[6]

She worked as a laundry worker at a young age, married and raised her own family. Her husband, Angus Welsh, died in the 1990s.^[7]

She lived most of her life in the Hydrostone district. She died at The Berkeley, Gladstone Ridge, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Legacy

Several songs have been written about her.

• "Ash Pan Annie" - Samantha Gracie^[8]
• "Ash Pan Annie" - David Stone and Friends^[9]

Further reading

• Book: MacDonald, Laura M.. Curse of the Narrows: The Halifax Explosion 1917. HarperCollins. 2005. 0-00-200787-8. registration.
• Book: Bird, Michael J.. The Town That Died: The True Story of the Greatest Man-Made Explosion Before Hiroshima. Ryerson Press. 1967. 0-7700-6015-3.
• Book: Kitz, Janet. . 3rd. Nimbus Publishing. 2008. 1-55109-670-6.

External links

• Obituary in The Chronicle Herald
• Web site: Ashpan Annie: "Hard work will never kill you". Herriman. Margaret. Graham North. 21 July 2010. University of King's College School of Journalism. March 2008. Flash slideshow. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713153420/http://older.kingsjournalism.com/online/slideshows/ashpan/. 2011-07-13. dead.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mrs. Anne M. "Ashpan Annie" Welsh. 21 July 2010. ebituaries.ca. 23 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20120302124158/http://www.ebituaries.ca/Ebit.aspx?DaId=152201180. March 2, 2012.
2. Web site: Liggins, Edwin. 2009-11-26. Halifax Explosion Remembrance Book. Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management. 15 April 2012.
3. News: Thinking of Dec. 6, 1917 : Halifax Explosion survivors commemorate horrific event. https://web.archive.org/web/20041206190508/http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2004/12/06/f230.raw.html. 2004-12-06. Lipscombe. Kristen. Halifax Herald. 20 July 2010. dead.
4. Book: Butts, Ed. SOS: Stories of Survival; True Tales of Disaster, Tragedy, and Courage. 20 July 2010. 2007-04-10. Tundra Books. 978-0-88776-786-9. 65. Google Books. This says she was 18-months old at the time.
5. News: Halifax explosion survivor 'Ashpan' Annie dead at 95. July 18, 2010. CTV News. 20 July 2010.
6. News: Ashpan Annie dies at 95 . Boutlier . Alex . July 19, 2010 . . 21 July 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100724065100/http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/local/article/581847--ashpan-annie-dies-at-95 . 24 July 2010 . dead .
7. News: Ashpan Annie mourned . July 19, 2010 . A2 . 20 July 2010 . The Daily Gleaner . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120227000106/http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/1140606 . February 27, 2012 .
8. Web site: Ash Pan Annie. 2007. The Halifax Explosion. 21 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110611050616/http://www.halifaxexplosion.org/music/a_p_annie.html. 11 June 2011. dead.
9. Web site: David Stone and Friends . CBC . 21 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160301002442/http://music.cbc.ca/ . 1 March 2016 .