The RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner operated by the White Star Line. The vessel sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. But did you know that Captain Smith was also the Captain of the Olympic?
Captain Edward Smith was also the Captain of the Olympic when She Collided with a Warship in 1911. The collision caused a delay in the Titanic’s maiden voyage.
Who is Captain Edward Smith?
Edward John Smith was born on January 27, 1850, in Hanley, Staffordshire, England. He was the son of a potter. Like many working-class children, Smith dropped out of school around the age of 12 and began his career as a sailor as a teenager, joining the crew of Senator Weber in 1867. Over the years, Smith worked his way up the ranks, earning his certificates as a second mate in 1871, first mate in 1873, and master in 1875.
When Smith was engaged as a junior officer by the White Star Line in 1880, he transitioned from commercial shipping to passenger ships. He oversaw the Baltic, his maiden ship, in 1887. He married Eleanor Pennington in the same year. The couple’s sole offspring, a daughter named Helen, was born in 1902.
Smith developed a reputation for being well-liked by both the crew and the passengers during his career. Because he was so well-liked by affluent tourists, he was given the nickname; the Millionaire’s Captain. In reality, Margaret had dined with him at the Olympic and traveled with him in the past. Smith rose to senior captain with the White Star Line after spending many years at sea and fighting in the Boer War.
Smith was well respected and had specific expertise in leading big ships. A new Baltic was added to the White Star Line’s fleet in 1904 after being recently acquired by the International Mercantile Marines. One of the largest ships at the time weighed 23,876 tons. Smith was given command of the 24,541-ton Adriatic after the Baltic.
However, Smith’s career wasn’t without its setbacks. For instance, he was the Olympic’s captain in 1911 when it collided with the British cruiser Hawke and sustained significant damage. Smith’s ships ran aground on some occasions. No career is without hurdles, and Smith’s standing as a captain was unchanged by these occurrences. Smith was expected to step down after steering the Titanic on her inaugural trip. (Source: Molly Brown)
What Happened to Captain Edward Smith?
Survivors are responsible for some stories surrounding Captain Smith and the Titanic. Witnesses claimed to have seen Captain Smith save a drowning child and then swim back to the sinking ship to face his demise.
Others claimed to have seen Captain Smith shoot himself as the ship sank, although it was generally agreed that this was untrue. Instead, most versions state that Captain Smith dove into the ocean from the bridge as the ship sank.
A similar disagreement exists regarding Captain Smith’s closing remarks. Several crew members said Smith urged his men to behave decently, prompting them to Be British.
Those who worked with Smith the most closely throughout the sinking claim that when he returned to the bridge to join the ship, he told the crew to take care of themselves and do all they could for the women and children. (Source: Molly Brown)
Image from Nationalarchives.gov