In the news- Audrey Pearl

For article and photograph, please click on the following link.

www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/bed-news/Audrey-93-the-Lusitania39s-last.4015723.jp

TIS Mourns the Loss of Lusitania Survivor

 

It is with profound sadness that TIS trustees have learned of the passing of Barbara W. McDermott.  Calling hours are Tuesday, April 15th from 11:30-12:30 at the Clancy-Sisk Brothers Funeral Home, 43 Kirkham Avenue, East Haven, CT followed by a memorial service at the Old Stone Church, 251 Main Street, East Haven

In a statement released by TIS today:

Barbara Winifred McDermott (nee Anderson), the last Lusitania survivor, living in America, passed away on Saturday, April 12, 2008 around 10:30 p.m.

Her home was in Wallingford, Connecticut. She was the widow of Milton McDermott, mother of George McDermott and Elizabeth DeLucia, as well as grandmother and great grandmother. Her hobbies included gardening, crocheting, playing piano, and church.

 

She was born on June 15, 1912 in Derby Connecticut to Rowland and Emily (nee Pybus) Anderson. The family settled in Bridgeport as Mr. Anderson earned a living as a draughtsman at a factory in nearby New Haven. Mrs. Anderson found that she was pregnant with her second child and decided to visit her family in Darlington, England.

She booked passage on the Lusitania for her and Barbara for it’s May 1, 1915 voyage. Her husband was unable to join them due to work, but took them to the Cunard pier in New York City. Barbara, almost three years old, had scant memories of the fateful voyage.

“I remember standing beside my mother at the rail looking back at all the people on the pier. I tried to find my father in the crowd, but could not see him. I imagine he was there. The cabin we were in had the type of beds that were one on top of another. Our table was on the upper half of the charming dining saloon. It was a table for two and right by the railing. It also faced the corridor. Following lunch, on May 7, I got out of my chair and stood next to my mother and looked down through the railing at all those people having lunch at the long tables. Then the torpedo struck.”

Her mother’s account described a man who carried Barbara upstairs to the boat deck for her. This was Assistant Purser, William Harkness, who also helped lower the lifeboats and esaped with Mrs. Anderson and her daughter in boat 15. No sooner did the lifeboat begin to row away, the Lusitania began rolling over and sinking at the same time. The funnels shot out water and soot that covered the occupants of the lifeboat. Her only other memory was sitting facing her mother and being of the impression that they were lost as they were drifting about for a long time. They were eventually brought to Queenstown (now Cobh) Ireland and from there made their way to Darlington England. Her mother gave birth to a boy, Frank, in September 1915. The child lived till March 1916. Emily Anderson died March 22, 1917 of a TB related illness. It was blamed on her exposure in the open lifeboat.

Barbara continued to live in England till 1919, when her father sent for her. She arrived on the Lusitania’s sister ship, Mauretania on Christmas 1919. She settled back in Connecticut and was raised by her father and stepmother. Following her graduation, she married and worked for W.T. Grant department store. When it closed her final job was at the cemetery office in East Haven.

She did not speak about the sinking of the Lusitania until later in life. She often said, “No one believed me!”

She has granted numerous television and newspaper interviews in the past ten years and spoke at the Titanic International Society conventions in Newport, RI and Mystic, CT. Titanic International Society trustee Mike Poirier said about Barbara, “She will not be remembered just as a survivor of the Lusitania sinking, but as a dear friend.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voyage 62 Coming Soon!

Here are some of the stories that’ll be in this issue:

Resetting Titanic’s chronology: Early boats, early rockets

    (This article, which questions the reported firing time of Titanic’s first distress rocket, will be published simultaneously by TIS and the British Titanic Society)

Sibling’s love survives fateful night

    (Story of Titanic’s first-class passengers, Emma and Philipp Mock)

Leading Titanic auctioneer describes career’s highlights

    (An interview with Andrew Aldridge)

My personal ‘titanic’ encounter

    (Assigned to the maiden voyage of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, this crew member was in for a surprise!)

A new ‘theory’ on Titanic’s sinking? Pseudo-science at its best

    (Could this really have contributed to the disaster??)

Lots more in this issue!!!

Barbara West Dainton dies at age 96

The next-to-last survivor of the 1912 Titanic disaster has died in England, according to information received by the New Jersey-based Titanic International Society. Barbara West Dainton, 96, died Oct. 16, but word of her passing apparently was withheld at her request until after her funeral, held Nov. 5 at the cathedral in Truro, Cornwall. Barbara West was born in Bournemouth, England on May 24, 1911. On April 10, 1912, she and her family, father Edwy Arthur West, 36, a department store employee; her mother Ada Mary West, 33; and her sister Constance Miriam, 5, boarded Titanic at Southampton, England, traveling in second class. Four nights later, the world’s largest ship struck an iceberg and sank in two-and-a-half hours, with the loss of 1,523 passengers and crew.In perhaps her only public comments on the disaster, Ada West offered a brief account to a 1912 newspaper, now found on the website “Encyclopedia Titanica”:“We were all asleep when the collision took place, but were only jolted in our berths — my husband and children not even being awakened, and it was only the hurrying of passengers outside the cabin that caused alarm. The steward bade us all get up and dress thoroughly with plenty of warm things. Arthur placed lifebelts upon the children and then carried them to the boat deck. I followed carrying my handbag. After seeing us safely into the lifeboat Arthur returned to the cabin for a thermos of hot milk, and, finding the lifeboat let down he reached it by means of a rope, gave the flask to me, and, with a farewell, returned to the deck of the ship.”Barbara, her mother and sister, and some 702 others were rescued by the Cunard liner Carpathia and landed in New York. The family immediately returned to England aboard the White Star liner Celtic, and lived for a time with Mr. West’s brothers.Barbara married William Ernest B. Dainton in 1952, and lived in Truro, where she conducted tours of her hometown even when well-advanced in age. However, she steadfastly refused to speak of her Titanic experiences, and little is known of her life after the disaster. She was pre-deceased by her mother in 1953, her sister in 1963, and another sister, Edwina J., born in late 1912.Charles Haas, president of Titanic International Society in Freehold, NJ, said, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Barbara West Dainton. She was just 11 months old when she lost her father, and while she had no direct memories of that night, her life and those of her mother, sister and brother were forever changed.“The passage of more than 95 years since Titanic’s loss has brought us to the point where now just one survivor, 95-year-old Millvina Dean in England, remains. Our love and admiration for her are joined by the sincere hope that the world respects her privacy.“As we lose the direct personal links to history’s most famous ship, Titanic International Society believes the recovered Titanic artifacts assume an increasingly vital role in reminding us of the human beings who found themselves participants in the events of that tragic night.“We extend our sincere sympathy to Mrs. Dainton’s family and friends.”  

Titanic Commemorative Weekend 10-13 April 2008

I’d like to inform your members of the Southampton(UK) Titanic Commemorative Weekend: 10 to the 13 April, 2008.
A series of events, organised by the City Council, will be held over the four days to commemorate the tragic loss of 1523 people, of whom 549 were from Southampton.
This annual event will include an exhibition in the Maritime Museum’s Titanic Gallery, keynote lectures by Brigitte Saar and Phillip Littlejohn (the grandson of Alexander James Littlejohn, First Class Steward). These will be held in partnership with the National Oceanography Centre and the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency. There will also be other lectures by noted local Titanic historians. The highlight of the weekend will be the opportunity to share an evening with Millvina Dean, hosted by Sheila Jemima, author of ‘Titanic Voices’. During the weekend there will also be children’s activities, guided Titanic walks around the City including the Titanic Graves , a maritime/Titanic memorabilia auction, a maritime outdoor market and individual research opportunities in the City’s Central Library archives. The public Civic Titanic Commemorative Service will be held in Holyrood Church on Sunday the 13 April 2008.
A detailed programme of events will be posted on www.titaniccities.org.uk during November 2007.
Thank you for your assistance, Dave Dilnot, Titanic Project Manager

A memorial for Titanic stoker William Watson

                          Commemorating the life of Titanic victim

“A BLUE plaque was unveiled at the weekend to commemorate Stockport’s only victim on the ill-fated SS Titanic, William Watson.

The plaque was unveiled by Stockport Heritage Trust, on the the outside of the Ratpit Club on Lower Bents Lane, Bredbury. This was the site of Mr Watson’s home, who lived at number 3 before it was demolished. ” If anyone has information on Mr. Watson they can contact the Stockport Express newsdesk on 475 4834. Peter Devine

 

For the full Stockport article click on this link .http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/s/232/232218_commemorating_the_life_of_titanic_victim.html?rss=yes

Good News for the Molly Brown House

 (H-W Photo/Philp Carlson )

The Hannibal City Council voted to accept an offer by the owners of the Molly Brown home to receive the property. The house that was home to the colorful Molly Brown of Titanic fame sits along Denkler’s Alley, just off Mark Twain Avenue, west of Third Street. It took just one speedy vote for the city council to approve the transfer.

 http://www.whig.com/314148373449735.php link for the full story

Titanic passenger Madeleine Mellinger

 Canadian Living.com has released an interesting story today by a grandchild of a survivor.  Memories of the fatal voyage were recorded in a diary which has now been appreciated and shared by Madeleine Mellinger’s granddaughter.

“Madeleine had been a stranger to me as I had no memories of her, but suddenly I wanted so much to know her, but I couldn’t. She was gone, and the diary was all that was left. Like most teenage girls I put the ghosts of the past aside and got caught up in the here and now, worried instead about boys and bad hair days. I’m sad to say I let thoughts of my grandmother fade into the background. ” For the entire article visit this link http://www.canadianliving.com/CanadianLiving/client/en/today/DetailNews.asp?idNews=237595&bSearch=True

Voyage 61- Preview of Coming Attractions

The September issue of Voyage has gone to press and promises to be chock full of great articles and some revelations. This issue may be purchased as a single issue using Paypal or check or money order. Please visit our website link for ordering information (link may be found in the right column blogroll) .

In this issue:

“Humble valet triumphs as political advocate” - Bob Bracken’s story on William J. Mellors- exclusive to Voyage.

    ” ‘Who Redeemeth Thy Life From Destruction’, Canceled Passages Aboard Titanic” John P. Eaton’s story on some who “missed the boat”. 

    “Titanic moves around when Olympic calls the tune” -  John P. Eaton’s article about Titanic having to wait while Olympic’s propeller was replaced.

    ”Recollections of childhood voyages on great ocean liners” - by Gil Savery - stories about his crossings on Montclare and Berengeria (formerly Imperator) (includes photos not published since 1913) .

    ”Eyewitness on the Frankfurt” - Senan Molony - translation of article about Karl Herbert, Frankfurt’s 3rd officer, and his experiences with Titanic’s sinking.

    ”Ocean liner collection provides decor for new cruise terminal” - by Bob Lenzer - about the opening of the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, a new cruise terminal, at Nauticus in Norfolk, and the collection of Herbert Beazley on display there.

    ”Morro Castle: The forgotten voices” - Jim Kalafus - Part 1 of 2 parts - many passenger accounts of the fire aboard the Ward Line cruise ship.

Interested in writing for Voyage?  Please visit our writer’s guide . Next deadline is November 1st.  Please send articles in 10 pt. Times New Roman  font, photos in 300 dpi resolution tiff files to Bshuttle@aol.com

Get published!

http://www.titanicinternationalsociety.org/Writersguide07.pdf

Is Molly Brown’s birthplace Unsinkable?

 Although the Brown mansion in Denver is safe and secure, could the humble abode where Molly lived in Hannibal be threatened?  The current owners, whether merely tired of maintaining the property, or  truly in need of funds for its upkeep, have threatened to close down Molly’s girlhood home in October if the city does not race in to rescue it.

The sad details have appeared in the Hannibal newspaper today.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/293949C1D126CB9F8625733E00574F62?OpenDocument  Hopefully, there will be a rescue soon.  To visit Molly’s Denver home, which is a beautifully operated house museum, click on this link http://mollybrown.org/