Miss Henriette Yvois

Mlle. Henriette Yrois [1], 24, from 5 Rue des Pyramides Paris, France, boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger, her ticket was #248747 (£13). It appears thet she travelled together with the film maker William H. Harbeck (ticket No. 248746). She may have been his mistress, but there may be a more innocent explanation [2]. It woulds appear that they were the couple observed playing cards for much of the journey by Lawrence Beesley.

"In the opposite corner are the young American kinematograph photographer and his young wife, evidently French, very fond of playing patience, which she is doing now, while he sits back in his chair watching the game and interposing from time to time with suggestions. I did not see them again."

Both died in the sinking. Ms Yvois' body, if recovered, was never identified however,when Harbeck's body was recovered he was found holding a purse. The purse was later identified as belonging to Yrois.

Notes
1. There is disagreement over the spelling of her name. When "Brownie Harbeck" identified the purse found with the body of William Harbeck she told officials it belonged to Henriette Yvois; another source spells it "Yrois".
2. What is the evidence for the suggestion that Yrois was Harbeck's mistress?

i. The closeness of the ticket numbers.
ii. Beesley's observations of a man and his "wife". Presumably Beesley assumed that a man an unmarried young woman would not be unchaperoned and concluded from their behaviour that they were married.
iii. The fact that Yrois' purse was identified with Harbeck's body, although how "Brownie Harbeck" knew this remains a mystery.

References
Lawrence Beesley (1912) The Loss of the Titanic: Its Story and Lessons. Houghton Mifflin
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Marriages, births, deaths and injuries that have occurred on board during the voyage (PRO London, BT 100/259-260)

Contributors
George Behe, USA
Alan Hustak, Canada
Hermann Söldner, Germany

Travelling Companions
Mr William H. Harbeck 'Companion'