Titanic-Titanic.com

Titanic Lifeboat Launching Times


Time Away

Location and Number

Details

Loading Details

12.45 a.m.

Starboard No. 7

 Loading Officer: First Officer William Murdoch (+ Lowe).
Under Command Of: Lookout George Hogg.
Passengers Include: Dorothy Gibson, Pierre Marechal, James R. McGough, William T. Sloper.
Notes: First lifeboat to be lowered.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 28
Loading: 43.08%

12.55 a.m.

Starboard No. 5

 Loading Officer: Fifth Officer Harold Lowe.
Under Command Of: Third Officer Herbert Pitman.
Passengers Include: Marguerite Frolicher, Karl Behr, Annie Stengel, Edward Calderhead.
Notes: As the lifeboat is being lowered, Dr. H. Frauenthal and his brother Isaac jump into the boat, dislocating a couple of Annie Stengel's ribs.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 36
Loading: 55.38%

12.55 a.m.

 Port No. 6 Loading Officer: Second Officer Lightoller.
Under Command Of: Quartermaster Robert Hichens.
Passengers Include: Margaret "Molly" Brown, Mrs. Turrell Cavendish, Major Arthur Peuchen.
Notes: Major Peuchen, a keen yachtsman, was ordered down the falls by Lightoller when it is discovered there is only one crewman aboard the lifeboat.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 28
Loading: 43.07%

01.00 a.m.

Starboard No. 3

 Loading Officer: First Officer William Murdoch (+ Lowe).
Under Command Of: Seaman George Moore.
Passengers Include: Douglas Speddon, Mr. and Mrs. Cardeza, Adolphe Saalfeld, Mr. and Mrs. Harper.
Notes: About ten firemen were allowed to board No. 3 as the women close by seemed reluctant to get into the boat.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 32
Loading: 49.24%

01.00 a.m.

Starboard No. 1

 Loading Officer: First Officer William Murdoch (+ Lowe).
Under Command Of: Lookout George Symons.
Passengers Include: Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon, Miss. Francatelli, Mr. Stengel, Mr. Saloman.
Notes: Of all the events that took place that night, the loading of this lifeboat will forever remain a source of anger and mystery. It contained a measly 5 First Class passengers, and 7 crew, a ridiculous balance, and the fact that not only Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon were aboard this lifeboat, but also their secretary, Miss. Francatelli, made it very difficult for Sir Cosmo in years to come. He didn"t help matters by offering each crewman five pounds, ostensibly to replace their lost kits, but it looked to many like a pay-off to keep the crewmen quiet, and it would take years for Duff-Gordon to clear his name. 		Capacity: 40
Actual: 12
Loading: 30.00%

01.10 a.m.

Port No. 8

 Loading Officer: Second Officer Lightoller.
Under Command Of: Seaman Thomas Jones.
Passengers Include: Ellen Bird, The Countess Of Rothes, Paul Mauge.
Notes: As the lifeboat was lowered, it was pointed out by Captain Smith that there were only two crewmen aboard, so Alfred Crawford and A. Simmons were ordered to assist in manning the lifeboat.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 28
Loading: 43.07%

 

01.20 a.m.

Port No. 10

 Loading Officer: Second Officer Charles Lightoller (+ Moody).
Under Command Of: Seaman Edward Buley.
Passengers Include: "Millvina" Dean, Mary Fortune, Ethel Garside, Susan Webber, "Bert" Dean.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 35
Loading: 53.84%

01.20 a.m.

Starboard No. 9

 Loading Officer: First Officer William Murdoch (+ Moody).
Under Command Of: Bosun's Mate Albert Haines
Passengers Include: Mme. Aubert, Kate Buss, and George Brayton, the infamous "cardsharp" who was aboard Titanic.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 56
Loading: 86.15%

01.25 a.m

Port No. 12

 Loading Officer: Second Officer Charles Lightoller (+ Lowe).
Under Command Of: Seaman John Poigndestre.
Passengers Include: Margaret Devaney.
Notes: The majority of the people aboard lifeboat No. 12 were Second Class women.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 30
Loading: 46.15%

01.30 a.m.

Port No. 14

 Loading Officer: Fifth Officer Harold Lowe (+Wilde).
Under Command Of: Fifth Officer Harold Lowe.
Passengers Include: Daisy Minahan, Charlotte Collyer, Eva Hart, Louise Laroche.
Notes: After the sinking, Lowe gathered together lifeboats 4, 10, 12 and Collapsible D. He distributed his passengers amongst the other four boats, and then returned to the area where Titanic had sunk to pick up more survivors. He found only 4 men, and one of these, William Hoyt, would die not long after being rescued. By the time it was light, Lowe came across Collapsible A, which had taken on a lot of water when it floated free of the sinking ship. He pulled alongside and took off the survivors into lifeboat No. 14. 		Capacity: 65
Actual: 58
Loading: 89.23%

01.30 a.m.

Starboard No. 13

 Loading Officer: Sixth Officer James Moody.
Under Command Of: Leading Fireman William Barrett.
Passengers Include: Dr. Washington Dodge, Ruth Becker, Lawrence Beesley, Leah Aks, Kate Connolly.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 65
Loading: 100%

01.35 a.m.

Port No. 16

 Loading Officer: Sixth Officer James Moody.
Under Command Of: Master At Arms Joseph Bailey.
Passengers Include: Violet Jessop, Elizabeth Leather, Edwina Troutt, Kate Gilnargh.
Notes: Joseph Bailey was ordered down the falls when Moody realized that the lifeboat was undermanned, and he assumed command of the boat.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 40
Loading: 61.53%

01.35 a.m.

Starboard No. 15

 Loading Officer: First Officer William Murdoch (+ Moody).
Under Command Of: Fireman Frank Dymond.
Passengers Include: Henry Homer, George Harris, Selma Asplund and her two children, Edvard and Lillian.
Notes: This lifeboat carried mainly Third Class passengers, together with a large amount of Stewards. As the lifeboat was lowered, it nearly came to land on top of No. 13, which was still attached to the falls, and drifting underneath No. 15, and shouted warnings to the officers above went unheard. No. 13's crew managed to cut the falls free just in time to avoid an embarrassing accident.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 65
Loading: 100%

01.40 a.m.

Starboard Collapsible C

 Loading Officer: Chief Officer Henry Wilde (+ Murdoch).
Under Command Of: Quartermaster George Rowe.
Passengers Include: Bruce Ismay, William Carter.
Notes: Joseph Bruce Ismay, President of the White Star Line, stepped aboard Collapsible C just as it was about to be lowered. It would tarnish his reputation for the rest of his life, and for a long time afterwards too, and the fact that many other men from had stood back would make his actions even harder to justify. In America, particularly, he was pilloried, often referred to as "Brute" Ismay, but when he returned to England, he was warmly welcomed. Many people pointed out that had he stayed on-board to meet his fate, it would have been yet another death. 		Capacity: 47
Actual: 44
Loading: 93.61%

01.45 a.m.

Port No. 2

 Loading Officer: First Officer William Murdoch.
Under Command Of: Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall.
Passengers Include: Elizabeth Allen, Charlotte Appleton, Elizabeth Robert, Minnie Coutts.		 Capacity: 40
Actual: 25
Loading: 62.50%

01.45 a.m.

Starboard No. 11

 Loading Officer: First Officer William Murdoch.
Under Command Of: Seaman Humphreys.
Passengers Include: Alice Cleaver, Master Trevor Allison, Edith Rosenbaum, Master "Filly" Aks, Emma Schabert.
Notes: As the boat is being lowered with about 20 stewards and stewardesses aboard, Murdoch realises that there are no sailors aboard to man it, so he sends Seamen Humphreys and Brice down the falls, where Humphreys then assumes command of the lifeboat.		 Capacity: 65
Actual: 70
Loading: 107.14%

01.55 a.m.

Port No. 4

 Loading Officer: Second Officer Charles Lightoller.
Under Command Of: Quartermaster Walter Perkis.
Passengers Include: Eleanor Widener, Harry Widener, Madeleine Astor, Marian Thayer, Jack Thayer, Lucille Carter.
Notes: Lightoller had loaded this boat almost entirely with ladies, with just a couple of young boys aboard. He had also only put one crewman aboard, so, realising his mistake, he sent down Quartermaster Perkis and Seaman McCarthy down the falls, where Perkis assumes command. Lightoller orders him to take the boat to the aft gangway doors in order to take on more passengers, but these doors were never opened. While waiting, two more people lowered themselves down the now empty falls of No. 16. Greaser Ranger made it safely into the boat, but Greaser Scott fell into the water, and had to be pulled into the boat. Perkis orders the boat pulled away from the sinking ship, and is the closest lifeboat to Titanic when she finally sinks. Seven swimmers make it to the boat, and are pulled aboard, but 2 of them would die in the night. 		Capacity: 65
Actual: 32
Loading: 49.23%

02.05 a.m.

Port Collapsible D

 Loading Officer: Second Officer Charles Lightoller.
Under Command Of: Quartermaster Arthur Bright.
Passengers Include: Michel and Edmond Navratil, May Futrelle.
Notes: Collapsible D was lowered with only 22 people, but two more passengers, Lt. Bjornstrom-Steffansson and Hugh Woolner, jumped into the lifeboat as it was being lowered. Frederick Hoyt was then pulled from the water just after the boat hit the water. After the sinking, Collapsible D was gathered together with boats Nos. 4, 10, 12 and 14, and a further 10 people were taken aboard, whilst Seaman Lucas was transferred to No. 12.		 Capacity: 47
Actual: 24
Loading: 51.06%

02.20 a.m.

Starboard Collapsible A

 Passengers Include: George Rhiems, Richard Williams, Rosa Abbott, Olaus Abelseth.
Notes: Collapsible A was stowed on the roof of the officers" quarters on the starboard side. It had been dropped down to the deck, and had been attached to the falls under the davits used by lifeboats No. 1 and Collapsible C. But before it could be loaded, Titanic"s bow surged down, threatening to take the lifeboat with it. Steward Brown and another man leapt into the boat and managed to cut the falls, before another wave washed the people aboard the collapsible out, and swamping it. Even though the canvas sides were down, and the vessel was partly flooded, about 20 people managed to climb aboard. But they had to kneel or stand in the freezing water, or simply hang-on to the side of the boat whilst still in the water, and by morning, there would only be 12 survivors, picked up by Lowe in No. 14. He left the bodies of 3 dead men in the flooded boat, and allowed the boat to drift free. It was a surprise when it was found by the White Star liner Oceanic a month later. It was taken aboard, and the bodies were buried at sea, whilst the battered Collapsible A was taken to join the others in New York. 		Floated Free
Probably as many as 20 people were aboard.

02.20 a.m.

Port Collabsible B

 Under Command Of: Second Officer Charles Lightoller.
Passengers Include: Algernon Barkwoth, Col. Gracie, Jack Thayer, Albert Moss.
Notes: Collapsible B was stowed on the roof of the officers quarters on the port side. A group of men tried to lower the lifeboat down to the deck, but it landed upside down. An attempt to right the boat and attach it to the davits failed as Titanic surged down at the bow, and the wave it created swept the boat, together with the men working on it overboard. Many men managed to climb aboard the upturned vessel, which was in danger of sinking virtually all of the night. Many people were turned away from climbing aboard due to the fear of it sinking from the weight of too many passengers. The survivors were later transferred to boats No, 4 and 12. 		Floated Free
Probably as many as 30 people were aboard.
Related Reading: | Lifeboats | Analyzing Titanic's Lifeboat Loading

Our Advertisers