34 Facts About Titanic Survivors

Survival Rate and Passenger Statistics

The sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 14, 1912, remains one of history's most tragic maritime disasters. Out of 2,240 people on board, only 705 survived. Let's dive into the survival rates and passenger statistics.

1. Survival Rate: The overall survival rate for passengers and crew was 31.6%. This figure highlights the immense tragedy, with most people on board losing their lives.

2. Passenger Survival: 492 passengers survived the Titanic disaster. This number represents a significant portion of the 1,317 passengers who boarded the ship for its maiden voyage.

Class and Gender Disparities

Survival rates varied significantly based on social class and gender, reflecting the societal norms and policies of the time.

3. Class-Based Survival: First-class passengers had a survival rate of 61%, while third-class passengers had a survival rate of just 24%. This disparity underscores the class divisions of the time.

4. Gender-Based Survival: Women fared significantly better than men in terms of survival. The survival rate for female passengers was 75%, compared to 20% for male passengers. This was largely due to the "women and children first" policy.

Crew and Lifeboat Details

The crew's survival rate and the lifeboat situation played crucial roles in the disaster's outcome.

5. Crew Survival: 214 crew members survived, representing a 24% survival rate among the crew. The crew's survival rate was lower than that of passengers, reflecting the higher proportion of men in the crew.

6. Lifeboat Capacity: The Titanic had only 20 lifeboats, which were insufficient for the number of people on board. The lifeboats had a combined capacity of 1,178 people, but there were over 3,320 people on the ship.

7. Lifeboat Launching: The first lifeboat to be launched was Lifeboat 7, which had a capacity of 65 but only carried 28 people. The last lifeboat to be launched was Collapsible Boat D, which was launched at 1:55 AM.

Rescue Efforts and Aftermath

The rescue efforts and the aftermath of the disaster had significant impacts on the survivors and their families.

8. Arguments in Lifeboats: Arguments broke out in some lifeboats about whether to go back and pick up people in the water. Many survivors were afraid of being swamped by people trying to climb into the lifeboat or being pulled down by the suction from the sinking ship.

9. Suction Myth: Contrary to popular belief, very little suction occurred from the sinking Titanic. This myth likely arose from the chaos and fear of the situation.

10. Rescue Efforts: The Carpathia, the closest ship to respond to the distress call, arrived at the scene at 3:30 AM and rescued all survivors. The ship had to navigate through treacherous waters to reach the survivors.

11. Survivor Interviews: British Pathé News footage includes interviews with survivors, providing firsthand accounts of the events leading up to and following the disaster.

12. Titanic Relief Fund: The official Titanic Relief Fund raised approximately £413,000, equivalent to about £21 million today. This fund helped support the survivors financially.

13. Donations: The Shipping Federation donated £10,500 to the relief fund, while King George V donated 500 guineas.

Legal and Financial Settlements

The legal and financial settlements following the disaster were significant for the survivors and their families.

14. Search for Survivors: The search for survivors lasted for nine days, with no further survivors found after the initial rescue by the Carpathia.

15. Anonymous Passenger: A passenger with ticket number 242154 received a full refund prior to departure and is assumed not to have sailed. This passenger's identity remains unknown.

16. Urban Legend: Frank Lucks Tower is said to have survived three sinkings: the Titanic, the Empress of Ireland, and the Lusitania. However, this is an urban legend with no crew lists to support it.

17. Women from Lack in County Mayo: Two women from Lack in County Mayo, Ireland, had tickets booked for the Titanic but did not sail. Annie Jordan canceled her trip due to a facial rash, while Norah Callaghan sailed the next day aboard another White Star Line ship, the RMS Celtic.

18. Final Settlement: The White Star Line paid out a final settlement of $664,000 in December 1915 to cover all outstanding legal claims. This amount represented about 26% of the estimated total value of claims, which was around $2.5 million.

19. Distribution of Funds: The final settlement was distributed as follows: $500,000 to American claimants, $50,000 to British claimants, and $114,000 for interest and legal expenses.

Survivor Demographics and Notable Figures

The demographics of the survivors and the stories of some notable figures provide a poignant reminder of the tragedy.

20. Survivor Demographics: By September 1973, only 100 Titanic survivors were still living. This number highlights the significant decline in survivor numbers over the years.

21. Famous Survivors: Some of the most famous survivors include Washington Dodge Jr., Edith Russell, Frank Prentice, Edwina Troutt, Ruth Becker, Eva Hart, Edith Brown, Lillian Asplund, Barbara Joyce West Dainton, and Millvina Dean.

22. Washington Dodge Jr.: Washington Dodge Jr. was 4 years old when he was rescued from the Titanic in Lifeboat 5. His father's account of the sinking made the newspapers, and the family became well-known for their survival. Dodge Jr. later became an investment banker and died at the age of 67.

23. Edith Russell: Edith Russell survived the sinking at age 34 and tried to publish her account of the disaster. She served as a war correspondent during World War I and never married. Russell spent her final years as a recluse in a London hotel, dying at the age of 98.

24. Frank Prentice: Frank Prentice was a 22-year-old storekeeper on the Titanic's victualling crew. He talked about jumping overboard and swimming to Lifeboat 4 but ultimately ended up in the freezing water and was rescued. Prentice appeared in the documentary "Titanic: A Question of Murder" shortly before his death at the age of 92.

25. Edwina Troutt: Edwina Troutt was 27 years old when she survived the Titanic sinking. She became a beloved guest at Titanic conventions and continued to attend even into her late 90s. Troutt died in California at the age of 100, never letting the Titanic sinking spook her.

26. Ruth Becker: Ruth Becker was age 12 when the Titanic sank. Initially reluctant to talk about the disaster, she began attending Titanic conventions after retiring from teaching. Becker died in 1990 at the age of 90, with her ashes scattered over the Titanic's resting place.

27. Eva Hart: Eva Hart was one of the most outspoken survivors. She advocated against salvage operations, believing that the Titanic should remain undisturbed as a gravesite. Hart died in 1996 at the age of 91, with a pub in Essex named in her honor.

28. Edith Brown: Edith Brown was 15 years old when she survived the Titanic sinking. She was best known for appearing at a ceremony in 1993 where she received her father's pocket watch recovered from the Titanic wreckage. Brown Haisman died in Southampton in 1997 at the age of 100.

29. Lillian Asplund: Lillian Asplund was the last survivor with actual memories of the sinking. She remembered being passed through a window of the Promenade deck to a lifeboat and seeing her father and three brothers' faces. Asplund died in Massachusetts in 2006 at the age of 100.

30. Barbara Joyce West Dainton: Barbara Dainton was born in May 1911 and was just 11 months old when the Titanic sailed. She survived as a second-class passenger in Lifeboat 10. Dainton resided in England and refused to discuss the Titanic with anyone throughout her life, dying at the age of 96.

31. Eleanor Johnson Shuman: Eleanor Shuman was less than 2 years old when the Titanic went down. She was returning to the United States after visiting her family in Europe. Her mother and brother also survived. Shuman died in Illinois on March 7, 1998.

32. Elizabeth Gladys Millvina Dean: Millvina Dean was one of the youngest passengers on board, just two months old when she sailed. She became the last survivor of the Titanic, dying on May 31, 2009, at the age of 97.

Lifeboat Drill and Final Thoughts

The lifeboat drill and the final thoughts on the demographics of the survivors provide a complete picture of the tragedy.

33. Lifeboat Drill: A lifeboat drill on the Titanic was canceled earlier in the day, which meant that the boats were not loaded to full capacity. This decision contributed to fewer passengers being saved.

34. Survivor Demographics Continued: Ninety-seven percent of first-class women passengers survived compared to 33% of first-class men. In third class, 46% of women survived compared to 16% of men.

The Legacy of Titanic Survivors

The Titanic disaster left a profound mark on history, with only 705 out of 2,240 people surviving. The survival rates varied drastically by class and gender, highlighting the social inequalities of the time. First-class passengers had a much higher chance of survival compared to those in third class. Women and children were prioritized, leading to a higher survival rate for females.

Survivors like Edith Russell, Eva Hart, and Millvina Dean carried the memories and trauma of that night throughout their lives. Their stories and experiences remind us of the human cost of the tragedy. The Titanic Relief Fund and other efforts provided some financial support, but the emotional scars remained.

The tales of these survivors continue to captivate and educate, ensuring that the lessons learned from the Titanic's sinking are never forgotten. Their legacy endures, a testament to human resilience and the enduring impact of history.