God

“God Himself could not sink this ship.” (Unknown Titanic crew member to embarking passenger, Mrs. Sylvia Caldwell)

For the RMS Titanic’s brief career, she was the largest moving object ever created in the world. Titanic's seven decks provided the facilities of a medium-sized city from a post office to sidewalk cafés. Three passenger classes were rigidly segregated by locked barriers ranging from the sumptuous decoration and country club facilities in first class to the exposed painted steel, low ceilings, and unprotected light bulbs in third class.

The Titanic left Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912.  Despite numerous ice warnings, Titanic steamed full speed into a massive field of icebergs. She struck one at 11:50 pm, April 14, 1912, and sank two hours and forty minutes later. Its passengers numbered around 1,317 people in total. There were 324 people in first class, 284 in second, and 709 in third. 869 (66%) were male, and 447 (34%) were female.

There were 107 children aboard with the largest number in third class. 908 crew members were on board (696 perished with 212 surviving).  Only 705 individuals survived. Injuries and the effects of exposure caused the deaths of several of those brought aboard Carpathia. 209 bodies were brought to Halifax, Canada, the closest city to the sinking. 119 bodies were buried at sea.

A Halifax coroner and physician, John Henry Barnstead, developed a detailed system to identify bodies and safeguard personal possessions. Personal effects were placed in mortuary bags. Each Fatality Report included a description of physical characteristics of the body (sex, age, coloring, any identifying marks), and tracked potentially identifying papers and items found on the person. Photographs were also taken.

A large temporary morgue was set up in the Mayflower Curling Rink. About two-thirds of the bodies were identified. Unidentified victims were buried (with simple numbers) based on the order in which their bodies were discovered. Fifty-nine bodies were shipped home to relatives, but a hundred and fifty were buried in three Halifax cemeteries: 121 graves at Fairview Lawn (nondenominational), 19 graves at Mount Olivet (Catholic) and ten graves at Baron de Hirsch (Jewish).

The victims ranged from the Presidential Secretary of the White Star Line to orchestra members and coal stokers. One of the first victims to be buried was a fair headed, thirteen-month old boy, Eino Viljami Panula. He was the “unknown child” identified, ninety years later. His Finnish mother and four brothers were all killed in the sinking of the Titanic.

“’Women and children first,’ someone was shouting these last few words over and over again…They meant my own safety, but they also meant the greatest loss I ever suffered-the life of my husband. “ (Charlotte Collyer, second class passenger) [i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “A Virtual Cemetery” by Debra Polly

·        “Identifying the Titanic’s Victims” by DVI Blog

·        “Identifying the Victims of the Halifax Explosion” by the University of Virginia

·        “Titanic Crew” by Titanic Facts

·        “Titanic Information” by Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

·        “‘Unknown Child’ From Titanic Finally Identified “by The Los Angeles Times  

 

Inspired by: the 2012 Netflix documentary, Titanic: The Aftermath.

John Henry Barnstead