Caldwell, Albert Francis, 26. 2nd Class.
Caldwell (née Harbaugh), Sylvia Mae, 26.
Alden Gates (10 months).
The Caldwell family in 1912 (Mr C Caldwell).
He was born in Sanborn, Iowa, on 8 September, 1885. Caldwell attended Park College in Missouri, where he met Sylvia Harbaugh. She had been born in Pittsburgh, Pa, on 23 July, 1885. They were married on 1 September, 1909, soon after graduating. They then went to Bangkok, Siam, to teach under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. Their son, Alden, was born there on 10 June, 1911, but they omitted to register his birth at the American Consulate which later caused him problems in obtaining a birth certificate.
While returning to their home at Roseville, Il, the Caldwells travelled through Europe to England where they booked on the Titanic as second class passengers. Caldwell recalled that at the evening service on Sunday 14th, held in the second class dining room, Ernest Carter spoke on the ‘perils of the Sea’.
They retired at 10 pm but were woken by the collision. They went on deck but were reassured by a sailor that there was no danger. They returned to bed, only to be woken by someone shouting “Everyone on deck with your lifebelts.” Unconcerned, Caldwell left his best suit and several US gold pieces in the cabin, and returned on deck.
Passengers were reluctant to leave the ship. “They felt that it was safer to stay on the big ship. She could not sink. Consequently the first lifeboats left the ship half filled with women and children who were practically forced into them. I did not want to trust the lives of my wife and baby to a tiny life boat and be lowered into the ocean, and so we like many others held back.”
A stoker came up from below and told them of the water gushing into the holds. Sylvia got into Lifeboat 13, Alden was tossed to Steward Frederick Ray in the stern and Caldwell stepped into the bow. They rowed to a safe distance and watched the ship sink. Caldwell recalled, “… She hung as if on a pivot and then, with a gentle swish, disappeared from sight. For a moment all was silence and then, across that waste of waters, wafted a sound that will ever ring in my ears, the cries of those perishing in the icy water. They did not drown for they could not withstand the cold water and died, one by one, from exposure.”
Lawrence Beesley spoke of a baby in the boat that cried incessantly. It was Alden, whose feet were exposed. As soon as his feet were covered he stopped crying.
After their rescue the Caldwells lived in Illinois. Another son, Raymond Milton Caldwell, was born on 21 December, 1914. In 1930 Albert Caldwell and Sylvia were divorced. He later remarried Jennie Whit Congleton and lived in Richmond, Va.
Sylvia moved to Bloomington where on 8 January, 1944, she married George J Mecherle. He died seven years later. She was a member of the second Presbyterian Church, a life member of the Bloomington Country Club and Bloomington-Normal Art Association. She died on 14 January, 1965, aged 79.
Caldwell died on 10 March, 1977, aged 91. Frank Aks attended the funeral, believing that he was the youngest survivor, only to be told by Alden that he was three days younger. Aks met the youngest survivor, Millvina Dean, at a reunion of survivors in 1988.
In 1934 Alden graduated from the University of Illinois with a Masters Degree in chemical engineering. He worked as a chemical engineer for Leigh-Portland Cement Company for almost 33 years. He retired to Largo, Florida in 1977 and spent the rest of his life travelling between it and his summer cottage in Stone Lake, Wisconsin. His memories were recorded by the Titanic International Society in 1986-7. He died at Largo on 18 December, 1992, aged 81.
Candee (née Hungerford), Helen Churchill, 52. 1st Class.
Helen Candee in 1901 (Wikipedia).
Helen Hungerford was born in New York City on 5 October, 1859. She was educated in private schools, married Edward Candee and had a daughter, Edith. She became an authoress who lectured on the Orient and Liberal Arts. Her books included ‘Susan Truslow’ and ‘How women may earn a living’ in 1900, ‘An Oklahoma Romance’ in 1901, ‘Decorative Styles and Periods’ in 1906 and ‘The Tapestry Book’ in 1912.
She travelled first class on the Titanic from Cherbourg. An extremely beautiful woman, Gracie included her in his ‘Our Coterie’. After the ship struck Helen gave an antique cameo of her mother to Edward Kent, as she thought that he would have a better chance of surviving the sinking than herself.
She was taken to Lifeboat 6 by Steffanson and Woolner and survived, whereas Kent died. His body was recovered and the cameo brooch returned to her. She died in York, York County, Maine on 23 August, 1949, aged 89.
Cardeza (née Drake), Charlotte Wardle, 58. 1st Class.
Thomas Drake, 36.
Charlotte Drake married a Mr Cardeza and lived in Germantown, PA. She, her son Tom, maid Anna Ward and manservant Gustave Lesueur, boarded at Cherbourg. They brought with them fourteen trunks, four suitcases and three crates of baggage and occupied one of the two most luxurious suites on board.
They were rescued in Lifeboat 3. She later filed a claim for over 36,000 pounds for their baggage loss. Charlotte died on 1 August, 1939, aged 85, and is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Tom Cardez died in June 1952, aged 76.
Carr, Richard Stephen, +- 35. Trimmer.
He served in the South African Light Horse during the Anglo-Boer War. Trooper 2065 R S Carr was denied his Queen’s South Africa campaign medal on account of his appearing before a field general court martial.
Carr lived at Welham Cottage, Winchester Road, Southampton and became a trimmer in the engine room of the Titanic. He died in the sinking and on account thereof, in 1913 the War Office presented his mother with his South African War medal – a rare case of their reversing such a decision.
Carter, Ernest Courtenay, 54. Reverend. 2nd Class.
Carter (nee Hughes), Lilian, 44.
Carter was born in Compton, Berkshire, on 17 February, 1858. Educated at Charterhouse and Leamington, in 1880 he went to study at St John’s College, Oxford. After graduating with a BA in 1884 he taught at Godolphin School, Hammersmith, London. He took holy orders in 1888 and was made deacon and curate of Christ Church, Mayfair. The following year Carter was made a priest.
From 1889 he was curate of Chieveley. In 1890 he married Lilian Hughes, 22, a daughter of Tom Hughes, who had written ‘Tom Brown at Oxford’. He moved to the east end of London to be vicar of St Jude, Whitechapel. From 1910-11 Carter was president at Sion College.
On the Titanic he had a cold and was assisted by medication which Marion Wright had found. On Sunday evening, 14 April, Rev Carter ran a hymn service with approximately 100 passengers in the second class dining saloon. He told them the history of each hymn and about the authors. Marion sang two solos, ‘Lead Kindly Light’ and ‘There is a Green Hill far away’.
Other hymns sung were ‘Eternal Father strong to save’, ‘On the Resurrection Morning’ and ‘Now the Day is over.’ At 10 pm the stewards laid out coffee and refreshments. Rev Carter thanked the purser for the use of the saloon, remarked on the steadiness of the ship and added, “It is the first time that there have been hymns sung on this boat on a Sunday evening, but we trust and pray it won’t be the last.”
After the collision he and his wife were offered seats in a lifeboat, but they refused, saying. “Let the others go first”. Lilian Carter wouldn’t go with the other women. They were a devoted, childless couple who died together.
Carter, William Ernest, 36. 1st Class.
Carter (née Polk), Lucile, 36.
Lucile Polk, 14.
William Thornton, 11.
William Carter was born on 19 June, 1875, and Lucile Polk on 8 October, 1875. They married, lived in Bryn Mawr, Pa, and had two children, Lucile, born 20 October, 1898, and William. A wealthy family, the servants who accompanied them on the Titanic were Mrs Carter’s maid, Auguste Serreplan, Carter’s manservant, Alexander Cairns, and in second class his chauffeur, Charles Adworth.
In the forward hold they had stored a case containing Carter’s 25 horsepower Renault motorcar, as well as two dogs. On 14 April they attended a dinner party given in honour of Captain Smith by George Widener. After the ladies retired the men played cards in the smoking room.
After the collision Carter took his family to Lifeboat 4. Chief Second Steward George Dodd had reluctantly allowed John Ryerson, 13, into the boat then said “No more boys.” Lucile Carter put a hat on William’s head and they boarded. Lightoller wouldn’t permit William’s Airedale to get on the boat, so Astor took the leash and assured the crying William that he would take care of it.
Carter then joined Harry Widener and suggested that he try for a boat. Widener replied that he would rather stick with the ship and take a chance. At 2 am Carter was near the officers’ quarters and saw a group of men try to rush Collapsible C. Purser Herbert McElroy fired his pistol and the men were removed. The boat was loaded with women and children, then as it was lowered Carter and Bruce Ismay stepped in.
Carter was on the Carpathia ahead of Lifeboat 4. He couldn’t see his son among the survivors so called out and William removed the large hat, which had covered his face. His being rescued ahead of his wife may be a reason for their later divorce, especially following the rumour that he had boarded the lifeboat while wearing women’s clothing.
Lucile remarried George Brooke. She died on 26 October, 1934, aged 58, and is buried at St Michael’s Churchyard, Birdsboro, Pa. Billy Carter died in Florida on 20 March, 1940, aged 64, and was buried in a mausoleum at West Laurel Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Lucile Polk Carter married Samuel Reeves and had a daughter and a son, David. She died at her daughter’s home in Summerville, South Carolina, on 19 October, 1962, aged 64, and is buried at Valley Forge Memorial Park, Pa. William died on 28 January, 1985, aged 84, and is buried alongside his father.
Case, Howard Brown, 48. 1st Class.
Originally from Rochester, New York, Case became a well-known resident of England, living there from 1886-91. He became managing director of the Vacuum Oil Company Ltd in London. He returned to England in 1899 and resided at Ascot with his wife, two sons and two daughters. Some survivors contend that Case was seen helping women and children into the boats, then stepping back to meet his fate. His body was not recovered.
Caton, Annie, 50. Stewardess.
She was born in London and the Titanic was her first ship. Annie was a Turkish Bath stewardess and was rescued in Lifeboat 11.
Cavendish, Tyrell William, 36. 1st Class.
Cavendish (née Siegel), Julia Florence, 25.
He was born on 12 October, 1875, and Julia Siegel in Chicago on 3 November, 1886. They married and lived at Little Onn Hall, Staffordshire, England. They boarded the Titanic in Southampton with her maid, Nellie Barber, and travelled first class.
Julia and Nellie were rescued in Lifeboat 6. Cavendish’s body was found and forwarded to Julia for burial. She died at Uttoxeter, England, on 16 January, 1963, aged 76.
Chaudanson, Victorine, 36. Maid, 1st Class.
She was born at Melas le Teil, Ardeche, France on 28 September, 1875. Victorine was employed as a maid by Mrs Emily Ryerson and boarded the Titanic with her at Cherbourg. After the collision she returned to the Ryersons’ cabin to retrieve valuables. While searching she heard the door being locked. A steward was securing the staterooms. Fortunately her screams were heard and he let her out.
Later Mr Ryerson noticed that she never had a lifebelt, so gave her his. She was rescued in Lifeboat 4 with Mrs Ryerson, her two daughters and son of 13. Victorine later married Henry Perkins and lived in Ridley Park, Penn. She died in August 1962, aged 86.
Cherry, Gladys, 30. 1st Class.
Gladys Cherry (Wikipedia).
She was born on 27 August, 1881, and lived in London. Gladys accompanied her cousin, the Countess of Rothes, and shared a cabin with her on the Titanic. They were on Lifeboat 8 and she later wrote to Able Seaman Thomas Jones: “I feel I must write and tell you how splendidly you took charge of our boat on the fatal night. There were only four English people in it – my cousin, Lady Rothes, her maid, you and myself – and I think you were wonderful.
“The dreadful regret I shall always have, and I know you share with me, is that we ought to have gone back to see whom we could pick up; but if you remember, there was only an American lady, my cousin, self and you who wanted to return. I could not hear the discussion very clearly, as I was at the tiller; but everyone forward and the three men refused; but I shall always remember your words: ‘Ladies, if any of us are saved, remember, I wanted to go back. I would rather drown with them than leave them.’ You did all you could, and being my own countryman, I wanted to tell you this.” Yours very truly, Gladys Cherry.
Jones was to say that there were 35 ladies and three men in his boat. Gladys later married George Pringle. She died in Godalming, Surrey, on 4 May, 1965, aged 83.
Chevré, Paul Romaine Marie Léonce, 45. 1st Class.
He was born of French parents in Brussels in 1867. Chevré had an affinity for sculpture and had his first exhibition in Paris in 1890. Five years later he was commissioned to create a statue to Canada’s founder, Samuel de Champlain, which was dedicated in 1898 in Quebec.
He thereafter spent six months a year in Canada obtaining work and six months in his Parisian studio executing it. In 1900 he won the bronze medal for sculpture at the Paris international exhibition. In 1909 he was commissioned to do a statue of the Quebec premier Honoré Mercier and in 1911 of the Canadian historian François-Xavier Garneau.
Charles Hays commissioned Chevré to do a bust of the Canadian prime minister, Sir Wilfred Laurier, for the Laurier Hotel in Ottawa. He booked on the Titanic with Hays to attend the official opening of the hotel. When the collision occurred he was playing cards in the Café Parisien with Pierre Maréchel, Alfred Omont and Lucien Smith.
He asked a steward to open a porthole and have a look, then he and Omont boarded Lifeboat 7, the first to be launched, despite chiding remarks by friends. He later said that an officer had asked him to get into the boat to set an example and he was followed by the Misses Fortune.
After arriving in Montreal Chevré attacked the French daily ‘La Presse’ for printing nonsensical reports allegedly made by him. He stayed in Quebec for the next six months where he was commissioned to do a statue of Marianne for Montreal. He returned to France for the last time.
He died in Paris on 20 February, 1914, aged 47. The ‘Montreal Gazette’ stated
in his obituary, “Paul Chevré was a passenger on the ill-fated Titanic and although he survived the shock, it is doubtful he ever recovered from it.”
Chip, Chang, 32. 3rd Class.
He was unmarried and came from Hong Kong. Although he was a fireman he and eight companions from the Donaldson Line’s Anetta were fare-paying third class passengers. He was rescued on Collapsible Boat C.
Chisholm, Roderick Robert Crispin, 40. Chief draughtsman.
Robert Chisholm.
He was born in 1872 in Dumbarton, Scotland, and became the chief ships’ draughtsman at Harland and Wolff. Chisholm married Susan Anderson. He was responsible for the designing of the lifeboats’ emergency system and was part of the guarnatee group. Chisholm died in the sinking. His design saved many lives due to the speed of releasing the boats.
Christy (nee Jones), Alice Frances, 45. 2nd Class.
Christy (nee Cohen), Julie Rachel, 25.
A widow from London, Alice was originally from Kent and had married Cohen and had two daughters, Julie and Amy. She remarried Christy and was again widowed. Amy married Sidney Jacohsohn, and they decided to travel to Montreal, Canada. Alice and Julie accompanied them.
After the collision Jacobsohn saw them all on to Lifeboat 12, then remained behind and died. They returned to England on the Megantic. Julie died on 30 October, 1931, aged 44, and Alice followed on 7 July, 1939, aged 72.
Clarke, John Frederick Preston, 30. 2nd Class.
He came from Liverpool where he played the string bass
- Fred Clarke (Encyclopedia Titanica).
viola
in the Philharmonic Band. He was one of the Titanic musicians who played while the ship sank. Of them, only Hartley, Clarke and Hume’s bodies were recovered. His body (No 202) was buried in the Mt Olivet Cemetery in Halifax.
Cleaver, Alice Catherine, 22. Maid, 1st Class.
The daughter of a postman, Alice was born in Kentish Town, St Pancras, London on 5 July, 1889. While in her teens she began working as a nursemaid to well-to-do English families. The Allisons, Montreal millionaires, hired her at the last minute to look after their infant son, Trevor.
After the collision she wrapped up the baby, then went to second class to fetch the remainder of the Allison servants. Alice boarded Lifeboat 11, probably unknown to the Allison couple. The next day on board the Carpathia she realised that she, Sarah Daniels, the cook Mildred Brown and baby Trevor were the only survivors. On arriving in New York Alice said that her name was Jean, to avoid talking to reporters.
She returned to England and married Edward Williams, a surgical appliance manufacturer, and they had two daughters. The media confused her with Alice Mary Cleaver, who had allegedly killed her child born out of wedlock. Alice died in Winchester, Hampshire, on 1 November, 1984, aged 95.
Clifford, George Quincy, 40. 1st Class.
He was born on 20 November, 1871, and lived at Stoughton, Mass. Clifford was president of the George E Belcher Last Company and a member of several Boston and Brockton clubs. Prior to his departure on a business trip to Europe he took out substantial life insurance, as his brother had recently died and his wife was ill.
Clifford’s two travelling companions were Samuel Porter and John Maguire. On arrival in Europe he learnt that his mother had died. Although he was in poor health, while in England and on the continent they visited large trade centres and took excursion trips for relaxation.
They boarded the Titanic as first class passengers for their return to America. When the ship sank none of the three men survived. Thanks to his insurance policies Clifford’s estate was valued at $150,000.
Cohen, Gurshon ‘Gus’, 18. 3rd Class.
Born in Whitechapel, London, on 31 December, 1893, Cohen became a printer. He was out of work so decided to seek his fortune in America. He booked on the Adriatic, but due to the coal strike he changed to the Titanic.
Cohen managed to board Lifeboat 12 and survived. He recalled that the last tune played by the orchestra was not ‘Nearer my God to Thee’. He returned to England to work as a cloth buyer, where he married but had no children. Cohen lived at Southend on Sea, Essex, where he died on 4 August, 1978, aged 84,
Cornell, (née Lamson), Malvina Helen, 55. 1st Class.
Malvina Lamson was born on 10 December, 1856. She married Robert Cornell and lived in New York City. She accompanied her sisters, Caroline Brown, 59, and Charlotte Appleton, 53, to attend the funeral of another sister in England. While returning on the Titanic they were joined by Edith Evans and Colonel Archibald Gracie, who offered his services to them.
After the collision Colonel Gracie ensured that they reached Lifeboat 2, which Malvina and Charlotte boarded. They were reunited with Caroline aboard the Carpathia, where they found that their uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Charles Marshall, were passengers.
Robert Cornell died in New York on 7 November, 1918. Malvina passed away on 12 July, 1941, aged 84.
Daly, Eugene, 29. 3rd Class.
A farm labourer from Athlone, Westmeath, Ireland he boarded the Titanic at Queenstown. He played ‘Erin’s lament’ on his uilleann (elbow pipes), a traditional Irish instrument, to his fellow steerage passengers. Similar pipes, possibly his, were recently salvaged from the wreck.
On board he had a recurring dream about the ship sinking and confided in his home-town friends, Bertha Mulvihill and Maggie Daly. On the Sunday night, before retiring, he told Bertha that it would sink that night. She said that he had “Plainly seen the collision with the iceberg”. As the Titanic sank he helped them to Lifeboat 15, then saw an officer shoot two men who tried to get into a boat. He was told that the officer then shot himself!
Daly dived overboard and swam to the upturned Collapsible B. He was one of the few steerage men to survive the sinking. He said that it was only the thickness of his overcoat which stopped him from freezing to death. He arrived penniless in New York and in the following years made several trips back to Ireland. He died on 31 October, 1965, and is buried in an unmarked grave at St Raymond’s Cemetery in the Bronx.
Daly, Margaret Marcella “Maggie”, 30. 3rd Class.
She was a housekeeper from Athlone, Westmeath, Ireland and boarded the Titanic at Queenstown. Her travelling companions were Bertha Mulvihill and Eugene Daly. After the collision Eugene woke the girls and saw them to Lifeboat 15. There is no evidence suggesting that she was a sister of Eugene.
Daniel, Robert Williams, 27. 1st Class.
Robert Daniel was born in Richmond, Virginia, on 11 September, 1884. He lived in Philadelphia and was returning on the Titanic when it struck the iceberg. He reputedly stood with George and Harry Widener, also from Philadelphia, before they all jumped into the sea. ‘Daniel struck out, lashing the water with his arms until he had made a point far distant from the sinking monster of the sea.
‘He said men fought and bit and struck one another like madmen, and exhibited wounds upon his face to prove the assertion. He was probably rescued in Lifeboat 3. He said that he was naked and almost perished from exposure to the icy sea.’
On board the Carpathia he met Mrs Lucian Smith, whose husband had perished in the sea. He married her in August, 1914. Presumably this didn’t last as he was married a further two times. She went to live abroad, died on 3 May, 1940, aged 58, and is buried in Huntington, England He became a member of the state senate for Virginia, and died from cirrhosis of the liver on 20 December, 1940, aged 56. He is buried in the Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.
Davis, Mary, 28, 2nd Class.
She was born in Southwark London on 17 May 1883. Miss Davis travelled on the Titanic to visit her sister in New York. Her cabin companion was Lucy Ridsdale, who had a club foot. They were shepherded to Lifeboat 13 and she recalled that she was later numb from the waist down from the cold.
She went to the United Kingdom, then in 1913 returned to the USA where she worked as a cook. In 1915 she married John Wilburn and they had a son, Carl. She became the longest living Titanic survivor and died on 29 July 1987, aged 104. John died in 1972 and Carl in 1994.
Dean, Bertram Frank, 25. 3rd Class.
Dean (nee Light), Eva Georgetta ‘Ettie’, 32.
Bertram Vere, 2.
Elizabeth Gladys ‘Millvina’, 2 months.
Ettie Light was born on 18 May, 1879. Her later husband, Bertram Dean, was eight years younger – born on 30 June, 1886, in London. They ran a public house together. Their children were Bertram Vere, born 21 May, 1910, and Elizabeth Gladys ‘Millvina’, born on 2 February, 1912.
Millvina Dean while signing autographs at the Titanic Convention in Southampton in April 1999. She died on 31 May 2009 aged 97 (Wikipedia).
Dean decided to emigrate to Wichita, Kansas, where he had friends and a house waiting. They sold the public house and bought third class tickets. Originally booked on possibly the Adriatic, because of the coal strike they were transferred to the Titanic.
He was awakened by the collision, investigated then told Ettie to dress the sleeping children and get on deck. He managed to get them seats in Lifeboat 10. He told Ettie that he would follow them later, but he knew he couldn’t. His body was never found.
Ettie lost her son during the boarding, but thought that he was with Dean who would bring him in a later lifeboat. They were reunited on the Carpathia. After recuperating they returned to England on the Adriatic. Passengers queued up to hold the Titanic miracle baby. They went to live with Ettie’s parents in the New Forest near Southampton. In 1920 she remarried Leonard Burden, the family farm vet. She died on 16 September, 1975, aged 96.
Bert and Millvina Dean were educated in Southampton. He later worked in the local shipyard where he befriended a Titanic survivor, Stoker George Beauchamp. Bert married Dorothy Sinclair, whose father had bought a Titanic victim’s music shop in Southampton. Bert granted many interviews and was a keen participant in Titanic-related activities. For 25 years he was secretary of the Anchor Darts Club in Woodlands. He died on 14 April, 1992, aged 81.
Millvina never married. She worked as a cartographer for the government during World War II. She became a Titanic celebrity in her seventies and was in great demand to appear at conventions and exhibitions, and on documentaries, radio and TV programs. In 1996 she visited Belfast as the guest of the Titanic Historical Society and the following year travelled on the QE2 to America, to complete her family’s voyage.
In May 2009 Leonardo de Caprio, Kate Winslet and James Cameron pledged to support her financial future as the last Titanic survivor. It had been reported that she was forced to sell her Titanic mementoes to pay for nursing home bills. She died on 31 May 2009, aged 97 years.
Dodds, Henry Watson, 27. Engineer.
He was born in Demerara, West Indies. Dodds served his apprenticeship in Glasgow, then spent four years at sea with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company before joining White Star in October 1908.
Dodds’ last ship was the Oceanic before joining the crew of the Titanic as Junior Assistant Fourth Engineer. He was to have been married after the return voyage, but died in the sinking.
Dodge, Washington, Doctor, 52. 1st Class.
Dodge (nee Vidaver), Ruth, 34.
Washington, 4.
He was born in California in 1859. He became a successful banker in San Francisco and had a son, Henry, from a previous marriage when he met Ruth Vidaver. She had been born in Cleveland, Ohio, on 27 March, 1878, had also been married and had a daughter, Vida, born in 1900. Their son, Washington Dodge Jnr, was born on 23 September, 1907.
After the Titanic struck Dodge woke Ruth and said, “Ruth, the accident is rather a serious one; you had better come on deck at once.” She hadn’t fastened her high button shoes, so they flopped open as she walked. He saw her and their son onto Lifeboat 5. Steward Ray had urged the Dodge’s to sail on the Titanic so, when he saw Dr Dodge standing alone, he propelled him toward Lifeboat 13 and said, “You’d better get in here”, then he climbed into the stern as it was being lowered.
Dodge later said that Astor and Major Butt “… went down standing on the bridge, side by side. I could not mistake them.” When they reached the Carpathia Washington Jnr mischievously kept his parents apart and thought that Steward Ray was a spoilt sport when he reunited them.
Dodge was later to suffer a nervous breakdown and shot himself on 30 June, 1919, aged 60. Ruth died in New York in July 1950, aged 72. Washington Jnr was married twice, to Helen Hubbard and Helen Brown (1904-1983) and had three sons. He died of a heart attack in New York in December, 1974, aged 67, and is buried at the Garden State Crematory, North Bergen, New Jersey.
Drew, James ‘Jim’ Vivian, 42, 2nd Class.
Drew (nee Christian), Lulu Thorne, 34.
Marshall Brines, 8.
Jim Drew was born near Penryn, Cornwall, on 4 May, 1869, and had two brothers, Simon and John William. He emigrated to America with William in 1896 and they lived in Greenport, New York State. They ran a monumental marble business. He married Lulu Christian, born on 19 March, 1878.
His brother also married and had a son, Marshall, on 30 March, 1904. His wife died two weeks later, so Jim and Lulu became surrogate parents. In Autumn 1911 the family travelled to Cornwall on the Olympic, to visit relatives. Marshall was banished to a Cornwall cottage by his grandmother for whistling in her home, but he loved staying there.
They embarked as 2nd Class passengers on the Titanic and Jim and Marshall were allowed to see the 1st Class, including the gymnasium. At the barber shop, which doubled as a souvenir shop, Jim bought Marshall a ribbon with ‘RMS Titanic’ embroidered on it. When the Titanic sank Jim placed Lulu and Marshall in Lifeboat 10, then went down with the ship. Marshall was hauled up the side of the Carpathia in a coal sack.
As executrix, Lulu claimed $50,000 for the loss of her husband. When she remarried Richard Opie (1885-1970) in 1914 Marshall went to stay with his maternal grandfather, Henry Christian, a civil war veteran. He became intensely interested in history, graduated in 1928 from Pratt Institute and went on to teach art in city high schools.
Lulu moved to Rhode Island in 1925. Marshall married in 1930 and had a daughter, Bette. For 36 years he taught at Grover Cleveland High School in Queens. He used to say, “Teaching I did on purpose. The Titanic was purely accidental”.
Lulu died on 2 June, 1970, aged 92, and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery, Ashaway, Rhode Island. A memorial to Jim was carved on his wife’s gravestone. Marshall retired to Westerly, Rhode Island. He was a special guest at the premiere of the film ‘Raise the Titanic’ in Boston. He met Dr Robert Ballard at the University of Rhode Island in March 1986. He died on 6 June, 1986, aged 82, and is buried in the River Bend Cemetery, Westerly. His obituary appears in the Titanic Commutator Vol 10 No 4, 1986.
Duff-Gordon, Sir Cosmo Edmund, 59. 1st Class.
Duff-Gordon (nee Sutherland), Lucy Christiana, Lady, 48.
Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon (Encyclopedia Titanica).
Cosmo Duff-Gordon was born on 22 July, 1862, and educated at Eton. Lucy Christiana Sutherland was born in Toronto on 13 June, 1863. Lucy, Christiana to her friends, was married at age 18 to James Wallace and they had a child, but divorced in 1888 and she was left destitute. She became a dressmaker and rented a shop between Bond and Regent Streets, London. The ‘Maison Lucile’ became extremely successful, counting the later Queen Mary among its clientele.
In 1896 Sir Cosmo became the fifth Baron of his family entitlement. In 1897 Lucy purchased larger premises at 17 Hanover Square. Three years later she married Sir Cosmo. He was an excellent fencer and represented Britain in the 1908 Olympics. In 1910 Lady Duff-Gordon opened a branch of Lucile Ltd in New York. The couple rarely lived together, but urgent business in New York compelled Lucy to book on the Titanic Sir Cosmo accompanied her. Her secretary, Laura Francatelli, also travelled first class. Strangely the Duff-Gordons signed on as Mr and Mrs Morgan!
After the collision they approached First Officer Murdoch at Emergency Lifeboat 1 and asked if they could board it. He said that he would be glad if they would. The boat was lowered at 1.10 am with 12 people aboard, among them seven crew members.
After the ship sank Leading Fireman Hendrickson wanted to return to pick up survivors, but Lady Duff-Gordon cautioned that they could be swamped. It was then agreed to row toward a light on the horizon. Fireman Robert Pusey complained that they had lost all their belongings and that their pay would stop after the sinking. Sir Cosmo then offered each man five pounds, which he paid on the Carpathia. He was later accused of bribing the men to row away from those who were drowning.
Lucille, Lady Duff-Gordon in 1919, Photo by Arnold Genthe (Wikipedia).
On 22 April Lady Duff-Gordon sent a telegram to their family to say that they had survived. They were the only passengers called on to testify at the hearings held in New York, specifically about ‘the Money Boat’. They then returned to their businesses. Sir Cosmo died on 20 April,1931, aged 68. The following year Lady Duff-Gordon published ‘Discretions and Indiscretions’. Her business then collapsed during the Depression and she lived poorly at Hampstead, London, until her death in April 1935, aged 71. They were both buried at Brookwood Cemetery near London.
I would love to know exactly who Cosmo Duff-Gordon competed for and what he acheived in the 1908 Olympics. We know he turned up in 1906 and got a silver medal, but you and an un-buyable book are the only two pieces of evidence that suggests he was fencing in 1908.