Frank Goldsmith, Edith Evans, Leah Aks

[Dennis Foley]

A couple of months ago I recall the controversy over whether Frank Goldsmith and his mother were in Collapsible D, C, or some other boat. I am holding a letter written to me by Frank Goldsmith, dated 1/23/74, in which he responded to my question about Edith Evans. He states "Yes, I did see a lady being helped into the boat. Mother and I were in just a bit before we began to lower....According to Walt's (Lord) story, it had to be Mrs. Brown with Edith helping her aboard...Recently I learned of another lady who was with us on "D" (Leah Aks)....Not that I'm trying to stir things up again (!!) but it is important to know that Mr. Goldsmith did indeed believe that he and his mother were in "D". I had the pleasure of meeting Frank and his wife at the '73 convention in Connecticut and he clearly indicated, with the use of a diagram of Titanic, how he and his mother entered a collapsible boat on the PORT side and, surprisingly, showed us how this boat rowed towards the stern and then over to the port side, for some reason. I can photocopy this letter (in sections if you want a close-up) and email it to my fellow members, if you'd like. Regards, Dennis

 

[Dennis Foley]

CORRECTION: "...showed us how this boat rowed towards the stern and then over to the STARBOARD side (not port side)"... Dennis

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

Dennis,

This is very interesting. But the lifeboat thing is a confusing one isn't it? There seem to be such conflicting stories - like the debate recently here on ET as to the boat Miss Willard left in.

The mix-ups re: who did/didn't go in boat D are especially recurring. For instance, I think boat 2 also rowed round the stern. So some might suggest the Goldsmiths went off in 2 even.

It is, though, of interest to note that little Frank thinks the ladies he saw approaching his boat at the last minute may have been Mrs. Brown/Miss Evans.

Randy

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hi Dennis,

As noted by Randy it was boat 2 that rowed around the stern. Boat D did not. It was part of Lowe's flotila. Also I understood that Frank always spoke about and described the caps worn by 4 Chinamen who were in his boat. They were in boat C.

Lester

 

[Edmund Turner]

Maybe Frank was in boat 2,and the two ladies who arrived last were Mrs Appleton and Mrs Cornell,however I am more inclined to believe they were in boat D seeing as Frank was so sure, and he did talk about a lady left behind on deck this most probably was Edith Evans
Edmund

 

[Cynthia Jean Brown]

Dennis, I would be very pleased to have a copy of that letter from Frank. His mother was my Great-Aunt, although I never had an opportunity to meet with him, or speak with him. Please e-mail me. Thanks so much... Cynthia Brown

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Cynthia, did you know of Frank's sister Carpathia? Am sorry you never got to meet him- he was such fun and could tell a story like none other. Once he was visiting my family for Thanksgiving, and when he couldn't carve the turkey the way he wanted with the knife-he grabbed both drumsticks with his hand and gave 'em a twist! He had the most enchanting Virginia drawl I ever heard and Marie was the light of his his life. He called her his "baby" and the two sure loved to travel.

 

[Cynthia Jean Brown]

Shelley, I'm sorry to say I don't know much at all about Frank Goldsmith and his mother, Emily. It's interesting to learn his sister was named Carpathia! I'd love to know more; apparently many of you here know a great deal more than I do. Anything anyone wants to share with me would be very much appreciated!

Emily was my paternal grandfather's sister. My Grandpa, Albert Brown, had come to America with his parents at the age of 14, and lived in Detroit Michigan. He died before I was born; what I do know was told to me by my Grandma, who remembered very little about Frank and Emily. She told me their names, although she mistakenly said their surname was "Smith" - I just recently found their correct name of Goldsmith on a passenger list. She also knew they had moved to Ohio, and did tell me the story of the wedding ring. Until this very week, that has been all I have ever been able to learn about them.

Thanks for the information! -Cyndi

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Cyndi- I have made a huge error which comes from not wearing my bifocals- I skipped right over "Goldsmith" and read Frank Aks in my little brain. Sorry, I met Mrs. Goldsmith a few times -wrong Frank. Frank Aks' sister was named Carpathia. Sorry!

 

[Phillip Gowan]

Cynthia, are you in touch with Tommy Goldsmith, Frank's grandson?--a nice guy and interested in his family's Titanic history. If you want I'll give him your e-mail address and he can contact you. He and his wife and kids (I think 4 of them) still live in Ashland, Ohio.

Regards,
Phillip

 

[Cynthia Jean Brown]

Phillip, Thank you, I would like that very much. My gracious, I feel like I hit the lotto. Not only because of the Titanic connection, but I have had so little knowledge about that branch of the family, and in fact, have had no contact with any of my Brown relatives for many years. Please do give Tommy my e-mail addy, and thanks again. I appreciate the info. -Cyndi

Shelley, no problem!

 

[charles b. goldsmith]

Since it has been a year from the last posting are any of you still around? My name is Charles Goldsmith and Frank was my father.If I can be of any help to you,feel free to contack me. Would love to hear from you, I have no qualms about people having my e=mail addy, so here it is; goldtitanicson@yahoo.com.

 

[Kate Bortner]

Welcome back Charles!!! We're always thrilled to have direct relatives "aboard". We would love to hear some of your stories. I am a VERY VERY distant relative of survivor Jessie Trout.
Please post often!
-kate.

 

[Colleen Collier]

Welcome Mr. Goldsmith. Always a great pleasure to have a descendant with us. I hope you stick around!
Sincerely,
Colleen

 

[Beverly J. Crowder]

Welcome Aboard Mr. Goldsmith,
Many blessings to you and thank you for sharing your family stories with us. Hi Kate, haven't seen you in awhile, and as always, Hello Kah-leen.

Cheerio ya'll,

Beverly

 

[charles b. goldsmith]

Hi everyone, glad to meet you. Kate you asked for some about my dad,so I will tell you all a true story.When I was still in high school I used to try to get him to take me to some of the games. He always turned me down. well one day,probably with a little help from mom, he said he would. We went to see an Ashland college football game I was really happy to be there with dad. I had no idea he was so unhappy there,and it was'nt till mych later in life that I found out. My mom told me that the reason dad would'nt go to those things was because of the crowd noises. I was then in my 40's and it still made me cry. Dad and I did'nt get along very good I dont remember him saying I love you, but the day mom told me I knew that he did.

 

[Colleen Collier]

A beautiful memory to share with us!! With a very strong and clear message for us to learn from!
Sometimes one never understands a fathers love until they get older. In my husbands case, when he bacame a father, it really started to hit home for some of the sacrafices and love that his dad showed to him in small and subtle ways.
Thank you again.
Colleen Collier

 

[Kate Bortner]

Thank you Charles. That is a beautiful story. I have a difficult relationship with my father too and that reminded me to look at little things. Thank you for both gifts.
I'd love to hear more.
-kate.

 

[charles b. goldsmith]

I have some personal input about the lifeboat problem.Its more or less what you already know, because being a survivors son doesnt make you any wiser. My brother Frank whom some of you might know swears that dad is right about "D". I'm not that sure, even dad said something about Chinese in the boat. They werent in "D",it was "C", which anyone who read any of the early accounts is what my gran said. I've just been looking at apicture by Ken Marschall whch shows the shiptilted to starboard at the time "C" was being lowered.Every one iknows Ken is the best at doing the ship. In tje article he tells that dad was in "C" on the next page he tells that grandma and others had to push against the Tit. to keep tha canvas from scraping. that being the case that puts them in "D". which brings back to sguare one. I certainly wish the Question could be settled, but I doubt it. NOt much help am I

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Charles, I think there are a lot of lifeboat questions that will never be settled. What we have was pieced together ex post facto at the inquiries and by researchers. For obvious reasons, nobody could keep records, and survivor recollections are far from perfect.

I can see why your dad would avoid games too. All the noise would have brought back some very unpleasant memories.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart