Collyer Credibility Regarding Lowe

[emmab]

There is a story about Officer Lowe told by Charlotte Collyer on his entry page, despite nearly every site except this one confirming that she wasn't even in the lifeboat and that story couldn't have happened. This seems like a huge oversight for an informative site like this one.

I looked to see if this had been discussed anywhere- there's no explanation for it being included on the page, and the only thread I could find asking about it, "OFFICER LOWE AND CHARLOTTE COLLYER fact of fiction," is from 2001 and only had two responses, recommending other threads that I cannot find, and telling the original poster not to ask.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Hello,

Welcome to the forum.

This thread dealt with the same topic:

Lifeboat 14

Hi everyone, Fifth officer Lowe divided the passengers of boat 14 among the other lifeboats. (10,12, 04 and D.) Of some passengers I know in which boat they ended. For example. Mrs. Selena Cook and Mrs. Amelia Lemore ended up in lifeboat D. Miss Sarah Rebecca Compton was transferred to boat...

www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

 

[emmab]

Hi, thanks for responding.

I read through that entire thread, and it still doesn't answer my question. It concludes that Charlotte Collyer being in the lifeboat at the time was "highly unlikely." So why is the quote still on Harold Lowe's page?

 

[Seumas]

Hi, thanks for responding.

I read through that entire thread, and it still doesn't answer my question. It concludes that Charlotte Collyer being in the lifeboat at the time was "highly unlikely." So why is the quote still on Harold Lowe's page?

I share your frustration at the minor inaccuracies in some ET biographies.

Well intentioned but nonetheless, badly misinformed descendants of crewmen are responsible for a number of errors in some crew biographies such as X "was not a seaman but a bo'sun" (wrong), Y "was not a steward but a purser's clerk" (wrong).

However, we have to cut ET a great deal of slack.

It's a demanding job keeping all the biographies up to date, and it's simply impossible to keep on top of everything. The powers that be can't keep an eye on all of them all the time.

I'm sure they'll get round to it. Just give them some time

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

So why is the quote still on Harold Lowe's page?

I don't have an answer for you at this moment, but I've asked the webmaster to look into it. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

 

[Encyclopedia Titanica]

All the bio says is that 'she recalled' the quoted scene regarding Lowe and the Chinese sailor, which is correct is it not?

"For our part we went in search of other lifeboats that had escaped. We found four or five, and Mr Lowe took command of the little fleet. He ordered that the boats should be linked together with ropes, so as to prevent any one of them drifting away and losing itself in the darkness. this proved to be a very good plan, and made our rescue all the more certain when the Carpathia came.

He then, with great difficulty, distributed most of the women in our boat among the other craft. This took perhaps half an hour. If gave him an almost empty boat, and as soon as possible he cut loose, and we went in search of survivors.

Of course, it could be that her account was ghost written and that the writer conflated things or muddled things up but we don't know.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Of course, it could be that her account was ghost written and that the writer conflated things or muddled things up but we don't know

Yes it could very well have been yellow journalism.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

All the bio says is that 'she recalled' the quoted scene regarding Lowe and the Chinese sailor, which is correct is it not?

According to a post by Dave Gittins in the thread I posted above, a magazine stated that Charlotte and Marjorie were in the lifeboat. However in Harold Lowe's testimony at the US Inquiry, he stated that he transferred all the passengers out of boat 14, before heading to pick up survivors.

Mr. LOWE.
I was in No. 14. Then I had 10, I had 12, and I had another collapsible, and one other boat the number of which I do not know. I herded them together and roped them - made them all tie up - and of course I had to wait until the yells and shrieks had subsided - for the people to thin out - and then I deemed it safe for me to go amongst the wreckage. So I transferred all my passengers - somewhere about 53 passengers - from my boat, and I equally distributed them between my other four boats.

 

[emmab]

All the bio says is that 'she recalled' the quoted scene regarding Lowe and the Chinese sailor, which is correct is it not?

"For our part we went in search of other lifeboats that had escaped. We found four or five, and Mr Lowe took command of the little fleet. He ordered that the boats should be linked together with ropes, so as to prevent any one of them drifting away and losing itself in the darkness. this proved to be a very good plan, and made our rescue all the more certain when the Carpathia came.

He then, with great difficulty, distributed most of the women in our boat among the other craft. This took perhaps half an hour. If gave him an almost empty boat, and as soon as possible he cut loose, and we went in search of survivors.

Of course, it could be that her account was ghost written and that the writer conflated things or muddled things up but we don't know.

That feels like misleading language. If it's been concluded that it's highly unlikely she ever witnessed such an event, that needs to be made clear. It's being quoted like a valid source.