At first glance, the paterfamilias Peter O'Connor looks like a mild-mannered solicitor. Solicitor he was, but mild-mannered, no. On 15 August 1901, he jumped 24ft 11ins (7.61m), a world record in long jump that lasted 20 years. His Irish record in long jump lasted 89 years. Peter O'Connor won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 1906, but did not like being regarded as a British athlete. He climbed a flagpole and raised an Erin go Bragh flag. [National Library of Ireland]
There is a very good chance (based on the size of the family and age-range of the children in particular) that this is the Riley family: Annie and Edward Riley and their 4-year-old twins Ethel and Sutcliffe. Given that only 764 of the nearly 2000 souls aboard the Lusitania were saved (more than a few due to Irish rescue boats and fishermen), it's very telling that this image seems to capture one of the few (and perhaps only) families to survive the Lusitania sinking "intact". Other young families were not as fortunate. If this image does capture the Riley family, then there is a small mercy in knowing that they continued their journey home to Bradford, where they lived the rest of their days.... [Flickr]
