A Titanic guest Part 2

I apologize for the delay. I just got so tired by the end of the week...but I digress. My magnitude compares nothing to what those on the Titanic suffered as they were awakened from slumber and proceeded on what became a sad and traumatic event.

I left off with Mr. Goldsmith's father, Frank getting grease on his hands from a dare that landed him in lots of trouble. At this point, Mr. Goldsmith fast forwards to the night of the tragedy. The family: Mother (Mr. Goldsmith's grandmother), Father (Mr. Goldsmith's grandfather), and Frank (his dad) were readying for the night. They were in third class or steerage. Their cabin was situated close enough in proximity to the engines to feel the vibration. They fell asleep to this vibration every night. But on this night, the vibration suddenly stopped. That was their first indication that something was wrong. The Father most likely dressed if he was not already dressed and went to find out what happened.

While Father was gone and Mother and Frank waited, there came a knock at the door. I believe Mr. Goldsmith said this was the ship's doctor or someone. I can't remember--but he came around to tell folks to put on their life vests and get something warm and report to the 2nd class dining room. Father did not want this vest on at all.

As the historians at this talk spoke about and as Mr. Goldsmith mention--when Titanic first hit the iceberg, the ship remained level. It did take on water, but not initially as we know its final moments. So in most every passenger's mind, this ship that they had come to know as unsinkable was warm, and safe and they wouldn't be left to die on the ocean where there was no guarantee that someone would find them in the pitch black darkness.

It is for this reason that gentlemen such as Mr. Goldsmiths' grandfather didn't want to wear a vest or even cared to report to any station to abandon ship. He did eventually put on his vest. But he put his coat over it in a way to conceal it.

The family reported to the 2nd class dining room with fellow 3rd class passengers where they waited and waited. For a while, the floor remained level and there didn't seem to be anything wrong at all. Then the floor did begin a slight slope, but nothing to worry about.

At some point, came the time for them to report to their lifeboat and it was decided that women and children would go first. This was a common practice in Edwardian times and no gentleman would ever be caught taking the place of a lady or child's seat in a moment such as this. In any case, the room divided with men on one side and women and children on the other and they made the long journey through the ship to get to their lifeboat.

They wound through many portions of the ship--back and forth and even did get on the grand staircase that we have come to know through the movies. They did end up on deck eventually. Family legend is that a man did try to cut in front of Mother and Frank and Mother grabbed this man and shoved him out of the line saying "Oh no you don't" with people applauding her actions.

They got to their lifeboat--and Mother and Frank got in. Just before that, Frank's father looked at him and said, "I'll see you soon, Frankie." Those would be the last words he would hear his father speak. :(

When the lifeboat filled with its passengers, they began lowering it. It was hitting the side of Titanic and Mother and other female passengers used their ores to push away from Titanic. Their lifeboat set to sea to where they would wait and watch the ship. Mother clutched Frank so that he wouldn't see anything. At this point, Titanic was sinking in the way that we know it. The noise was quite loud. Very loud. Lots of creaking and screaming. People in the boat were not quiet. They heard a tremendous noise as the back portion of Titanic crashed back to the water.

At this point--it was completely dark. Power on Titanic was out. There was no moon. they could see nothing but the absence of light where Titanic blocked the stars. Someone on the lifeboat said "She's going to stay afloat". At that moment, Mother turned to look at the ship. She let Frank go and he watched her final descent into the water.

The noise was deafening. Then they waited for rescue.

From that moment, Frank had the without a shadow of a doubt expected to see his Father again.