David Blair

[Pat Winship]

Hi, All!

My husband has just asked me what ship David Blair was assigned to after he was bumped off the Titanic? I had no idea. Do any of you?

Pat Winship

 

[Beverly J. Crowder]

Chief Officer Wilde was only to be on this maiden voyage and when Olympic was back to shape and the coal strike was over, it appeared that David Blair would resume his position on Titanic. White Star thought it would "look good" if Officer Wilde was present on the maiden voyage due to his experience on Olympic.

This is only an "assumption" of course because we will never really know what would have transpired unless Titanic would have made her trip to New York and back.

Does this sound reasonable anyone?


Beverly

 

[Gavin Murphy]

B,

I believe the coal strike was over when T sailed.

G

 

[Pat Winship]

Hi, all!

What I meant to ask was not "What was Blair's next assignment supposed to be." I wanted to know what it actually was!

Pat Winship

 

[Beverly J. Crowder]

According to the Annual Register, 1912. The date given for the final close of the strike was 11 April 1912.

Just trying to help and giving the information I had.

Beverly

 

[Pat Winship]

Sorry, Beverly, didn't mean to sound unpleasant about it.

Pat Winship

So, does anybody out there know what Blair's next ship was? (Inquiring minds, and all that...)

 

[Robert Falange]

Hello Pat!

I assume you've read his entry in these pages, which mentions that he was on the Titanic's sister ship, Oceanic, in September 1914 when it sank (!!!). Your question specifically asks what his NEXT assignment was, but wouldn't Oceanic have been the logical choice, since weren't some of Oceanic's crew transferred to the Titanic, thus creating vacancies? Also, where else could he have been assigned to, as a White Star employee?

Some of the details of his adventures on the Oceanic (he was court-martialed after her loss) are on this link:

http://www.bytenet.net/kaleidoscope/osnc/fleet/oceanic2.htm

Best wishes,

bob

 

[Robert Falange]

Sorry, folks, slight correction to the above, Oceanic was not Titanic's "sister", just a "cousin"!
Sorry,

bob

 

[Beverly J. Crowder]

Thank you Pat, sniff, sniff.

I knew that he had been court-martialed for the loss of Oceanic, but I wasn't sure if that is where he went after he was booted off Titanic.

Still looking for more info on him though, but I am sure somewhere there is someone on this board who knows.

Beverly

 

[Pat Winship]

Hi, Bob and Beverly

I'll agree that Oceanic is the most likely post-Titanic assignment for Blair

Pat W.

 

[Pat Winship]

Hi, all!

I just found out that Blair's next posting was to the Majestic.

Pat W.

 

[mark garfien]

I was just wondering if there was anywere on the internet where i could find any information on David Blair, sorry i know this is really stupid, but im just curious.

 

[J Burdette]

Hello Mark. You might try ancestry.com.

I have a small bit of info on Blair. He was born on November 11, 1874 in Newport, Isle of Wight. In 1896, having failed an exam for his second mate's "ticket" months earlier, Blair wrote to the "Examiner of Master and Mates-Dundee" for permission to retake his exam. His three month wait to retake the exam was not yet up, he explained in his cramped script. He was granted permission and passed his exam, for which he was awarded a second mate's certificate or "ticket".