How many Lusitania survivors are alive today
- Thread starter miles
- Start date
Eric Sauder
Member
Miles:
As far as I know, there are only two Lusitania survivors alive today -- Audrey Pearl (first class) and Barbara Anderson (second class). The last thrid-class survivor passed away some years ago. There is still a small but real possibility of a third suvivor being alive, but I have, as yet, not tracked him down.
I visited Audrey a few weeks ago during a research trip to the UK, and she is doing well. Still sharp and alert and as funny as ever! I'm sure that one of the other ET members can fill you in on how Barbara Anderson is doing.
Why not get the three Titanic survivors to attend the BTS convention? Well, Barbara West and Lillian Asplund are in extremely poor health, I've heard, and want nothing to do with remembering the disaster. Millvina Dean regularly attends conventions but was unable to do so this year because of health concerns.
Eric Sauder
As far as I know, there are only two Lusitania survivors alive today -- Audrey Pearl (first class) and Barbara Anderson (second class). The last thrid-class survivor passed away some years ago. There is still a small but real possibility of a third suvivor being alive, but I have, as yet, not tracked him down.
I visited Audrey a few weeks ago during a research trip to the UK, and she is doing well. Still sharp and alert and as funny as ever! I'm sure that one of the other ET members can fill you in on how Barbara Anderson is doing.
Why not get the three Titanic survivors to attend the BTS convention? Well, Barbara West and Lillian Asplund are in extremely poor health, I've heard, and want nothing to do with remembering the disaster. Millvina Dean regularly attends conventions but was unable to do so this year because of health concerns.
Eric Sauder
Omar Khokhar
Member
That is quite sad to hear that there are only 2 Lusitania survivors left today.
I spoke to Millvina on Sunday, and despite her current health,she is certainly still sharp and alert. And is a very special friend.
I spoke to Millvina on Sunday, and despite her current health,she is certainly still sharp and alert. And is a very special friend.
Yes I would have thought there were more people alive today from the Lusitania than that of the Titanic.
Why can't these Titanic clubs track down people whom travelled on these ships for future conventions? What about people who were on the Maiden voyage of the Olympic? Yes it was a year before the Titanic and a very long time ago. But if there are people still alive from the Titanics maiden voyage with such a huge loss of life then surly/logically there would be more still alive from the Olympics maiden voyage. That would be a huge attraction for a convention. After all Olympic was the one that left Southampton with the blaze of publicity because as we know she was the first of the big three.
What about people who visited the Titanic when she was open to the public? Or people who saw the launch ? Or perhaps saw her set off on her maiden voyage or on Sea trials? I read loads of fascinating anecdotes in the book Titanic Voices. Just little stories from people who were actually there and saw the Titanic leave Southampton, what they thought and what they said. Where are these people and why do they not come fourth? There were probably more people who saw the Titanic leave Southampton, visited the Titanic when open to the public, saw her being launched than people whom travelled on her.
Let us please forget about the Great Great Great Grand daughter of Edith Haisman by marriage signing postcards and the like !!! I find that an insult to ones intelligence and cant believe some people want such a thing. Lets try and get the people I mentioned to come to conventions. They are out there. After all they must have come forward when Titanic Voices was being written, unless the author got these fascinating anecdotes from other sources and not first hand.
I tried a very feeble attempt many years ago to try and track down people whom travelled on the maiden voyage of the Olympic by putting an advert in the Sea Breezes magazine. Horrible magazine full of modern cross chanel ferries. Yuk. Anyway of course these people would not have read this magazine but I was only young at the time. I did get a response from someone whom was happy that there were young people that showed an interest in the great liners. He had travelled on both the Queen Mary and her sister. But that to me is a bit like Millvinas signature - a penny a dozen, no offence.... My mum could have gone on the Queen Mary in the 1960s. It was not what I was looking for. The Queen Mary just missed the classic liner period for me.
Anyway if there are people from Titanics first trip there must be people still around who were on the maiden voyage of the Olympic with GREAT storys to tell. Plus people who have a better first hand connection with the Titanic other than grand daughters etc.
I suppose it is just a matter of tracking them down. Maybe someone has ? Dose anyone know anyone in this league. I would be grateful for any information but I doubt any of this will bare fruit.
I hope Millvina gets better.
Why can't these Titanic clubs track down people whom travelled on these ships for future conventions? What about people who were on the Maiden voyage of the Olympic? Yes it was a year before the Titanic and a very long time ago. But if there are people still alive from the Titanics maiden voyage with such a huge loss of life then surly/logically there would be more still alive from the Olympics maiden voyage. That would be a huge attraction for a convention. After all Olympic was the one that left Southampton with the blaze of publicity because as we know she was the first of the big three.
What about people who visited the Titanic when she was open to the public? Or people who saw the launch ? Or perhaps saw her set off on her maiden voyage or on Sea trials? I read loads of fascinating anecdotes in the book Titanic Voices. Just little stories from people who were actually there and saw the Titanic leave Southampton, what they thought and what they said. Where are these people and why do they not come fourth? There were probably more people who saw the Titanic leave Southampton, visited the Titanic when open to the public, saw her being launched than people whom travelled on her.
Let us please forget about the Great Great Great Grand daughter of Edith Haisman by marriage signing postcards and the like !!! I find that an insult to ones intelligence and cant believe some people want such a thing. Lets try and get the people I mentioned to come to conventions. They are out there. After all they must have come forward when Titanic Voices was being written, unless the author got these fascinating anecdotes from other sources and not first hand.
I tried a very feeble attempt many years ago to try and track down people whom travelled on the maiden voyage of the Olympic by putting an advert in the Sea Breezes magazine. Horrible magazine full of modern cross chanel ferries. Yuk. Anyway of course these people would not have read this magazine but I was only young at the time. I did get a response from someone whom was happy that there were young people that showed an interest in the great liners. He had travelled on both the Queen Mary and her sister. But that to me is a bit like Millvinas signature - a penny a dozen, no offence.... My mum could have gone on the Queen Mary in the 1960s. It was not what I was looking for. The Queen Mary just missed the classic liner period for me.
Anyway if there are people from Titanics first trip there must be people still around who were on the maiden voyage of the Olympic with GREAT storys to tell. Plus people who have a better first hand connection with the Titanic other than grand daughters etc.
I suppose it is just a matter of tracking them down. Maybe someone has ? Dose anyone know anyone in this league. I would be grateful for any information but I doubt any of this will bare fruit.
I hope Millvina gets better.
It is sad that Barbara West and Lillian Asplund are in poor health. I read about Lillian Asplund yesterday and can well understand why she dose not want anything to do with the Titanic. Very much so as her mother never recovered from loosing about 4 children (was it four?) and a husband..... Hence I can respect that 100 %. I hear a mother never fully recovers from losing a child - let alone 3/4 and plus a husband. Lillian must have seen her mother badly affected by the Titanic disaster right up until comparatively recent years when she died in the 1960s. I read her mother never came to terms with what happened. So this along with her own grief I think Lillian brings the disaster and loss of life right into the 21st century a bit like the World Trade Centre. So although it is a big shame she dose not come to conventions ( not that I suppose she can now ) we have to respect that the experience and memories of the Titanic are not good ones.
As for Barbara West. Silly cow.........Sorry
)))She could come out just like Millvina dose, but then she was just a baby so not quite in the class of Lillian.
As for Barbara West. Silly cow.........Sorry
Jim Kalafus
Member
Barbara Anderson McDermott, Lusitania survivor, is doing fine, miles. She is exceptionally energetic, sharp as can be, and can easily pass for a woman 30 years her junior. She maintains her own apartment in a nice private house, attends church regularly, and will be at the Titanic International Convention in Mystic Connecticut this May. Although her memory is perfect, her specific memories of the disaster are, of course, limited- fortunately, she makes it a point to make clear what she actually can remember of the event, and what she 'remembers' from being told later, which makes her an ideal interview subject. Altogether she is one of the nicest persons one is ever likely to meet.
Matt Endacott
Guest
hey,
does anyone know what happened to Lillian Asplund - last i heard she was recovering quite well from her last problems.
does anyone know what happened to Lillian Asplund - last i heard she was recovering quite well from her last problems.
Amanda Ratliff
Member
Sure, it would be great to talk to more people. However, it's been 92 years. We are fortunate to have the stories and documentations that exist now. We should be grateful for that. I don't think anyone can add anything that we don't already know at this point.
nathan caradimos
Member
does anyone know the address for the survivors
Michael H. Standart
Member
Barbara Anderson McDermott has passed away since the last time this thread was active so I don't think she's going to be accepting any mail. I don't know if Audrey Pearl is still around but I don't expect anybody will be sharing her address if she is. Such information is considered to be private and sharing such without her permission...especially on a public access forum...would be considered extremely bad form.
