Titanic Lifeboat No. 6

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Titanic Lifeboat No. 6 is the third lifeboat to be launched during the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. Well-known for being the lifeboat that carried "The Unsinkable" Molly Brown, No. 6 also contained two men who were both present on the deck at the time of the ship's collision with the iceberg which would lead to the disaster.

The Lifeboat on April 14, 1912

With a capacity of 65, No. 6 was launched with only 28 on board.[1] Put in charge of No. 6 was Quartermaster Robert Hichens,[1] who was at the wheel of the Titanic itself at the moment of impact. Also on board this lifeboat was lookout Frederick Fleet, the man who first sighted the iceberg, and made the infamous call screaming, "Iceberg, right ahead!" The lifeboat was loaded and launched from the port side of the ship at 12:55 a.m. by Second Officer Charles Lightoller.[1] Once the boat had reached the water, Lightoller realized that there was only one seaman (Fleet) on board the lifeboat. In an attempt to remedy this, Lt. Colonel Arthur Godfrey Peuchen, Vice Commodore of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, volunteered his services to the lifeboat. Lightoller agreed to this and Peuchen shimmied on a rope down the side of the ship and into the lifeboat.[1]

Once the Titanic sank, it became apparent that Quartermaster Robert Hichens felt he had full control of the boat. While manning the tiller, he constantly beat back attempts by those on the boat who suggested they return to pick up survivors, saying they would only find "stiffs". He also yelled at the rowers, saying they would be drifting for days. After rudely refusing to let women row, when the Carpathia arrived, he said it was only there to pick up dead corpses. Molly Brown famously threatened to toss him overboard after this argument. As a result of this threat, Hichens sat gloomily at the tiller and allowed the women to row around and look for survivors, of which they found none. This boat was also photographed several times by a passenger on board the rescue ship, RMS Carpathia.[2]

In a photo of Lifeboat No. 6, Quartermaster Hichens can be seen at the rear of the ship manning the tiller and Frederick Fleet is seen at the very front of the ship preparing to catch a tow-line from the Carpathia. Lt. Colonel Peuchen can also been seen in this photo to the right of Fleet manning an oar.[3]

Lifeboat 6 in popular culture

In James Cameron's 1997 film Titanic, fictional lead female character Rose DeWitt Bukater is originally intended to be in this boat, but runs away before it is lowered. The lifeboat is launched with her mother Ruth DeWitt Bukater on board. A deleted scene contained Captain Smith ordering the boat to return.

In the television show Sanctuary Helen Magnus says she survived the sinking of the Titanic and was hauled out of the water by Molly Brown.

Survivors

Name Age Class/Dept Lifeboat
Baxter, Mrs. Hélène (née de Lanaudière-Chaput) 50 1st class 6
Bowerman, Miss Elsie Edith 22 1st class 6
Brown, Mrs. Margaret "Molly" (née Tobin) 44 1st class 6
Candee, Mrs. Helen Churchill (née Hungerford) 53 1st class 6
Cavendish, Mrs. Julia Florence (née Siegel) 25 1st class 6
and maid, Miss Ellen "Nellie" Barber 26 1st class 6
Chibnall, Mrs. Edith Martha Bowerman (née Barber) 48 1st class 6
Douglas, Mrs. Mary Hélène (née Baxter) 27 1st class 6
Fleet, Mr. Frederick 24 Deck 6
Hichens, Mr. Robert 29 Deck 6
Leeni, Mr. Fahim 22 3rd class 6
Lindström, Mrs. Sigrid (née Posse) 55 1st class 6
Mayné, Miss Bertha Antonine 24 1st class 6
Meyer, Mrs. Leila (née Saks) 25 1st class 6
Newell, Miss Madeleine 31 1st class 6
Newell, Miss Marjorie Anne 23 1st class 6
Peuchen, Major Arthur Godfrey 52 1st class 6
Rothschild, Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Anne (née Barrett) 54 1st class 6
Smith, Mrs. Mary Eloise (née Hughes) 18 1st class 6
Spencer, Mrs. Marie Eugenie 45 1st class 6
and maid, Miss Eugenie Elise Lurette 59 1st class 6
Stone, Mrs. Martha Evelyn (née Stevens) 62 1st class 6
and maid, Miss Amelie "Amelia" Icard 38 1st class 6

References

External links