I have looked through Gunter Babler's Guide to the Crew of Titanic, Tad Fitch et al's On A Sea Of Glass and the Wikipedia list of all Victualling crew. I could find neither a post for Purser's Assistant not the name Denison or anything close to it. In fact, there was nobody by that surname among passengers or crew.
Therefore, it looks like Marcus might have been misinformed by his source. I have the book but it is not with me now. It does give references and so can you please check if there is a source mentioned for this Denison in the references section?
Thank you for your reply. Certainly this story is not true. And yet, even the fake stories usually have more details to them. I first thought that some fraud like
Walter Belford or Lorraine Kramer could easily explain this Denison character, but Marcus said he died. Maybe someone who claimed to be a relative of a victim? I wish Marcus was still alive so we could just ask him where he got this from. As it is, the References and Notes in his book just leave me more puzzled. Marcus was selective about revealing some of his sources, on occasion he has a reference which says “Private information.” But he doesn’t do that with either of the Denison references. Both times he speaks as though he is referring to
Lightoller’s account. In the first mention of Denison (in chapter 10), he is supposedly present when
Lightoller shakes hands ”goodbye” with McElroy, Barker, O’Loughlin and Simpson. Nearest reference number is in the next paragragh, number 22. It refers to “Lightoller, p. 243.” I am assuming he is referring to the rare first edition of Lightoller’s memoirs published by Ian Watson. He must be referring to the part in chapter 33 where Lightoller recounts this story, but there is no Denison. Lightoller has no mention of Denison, but the story is true and the others four men are present. But no fifth man, or sixth man if you count Lightoller. “I met the Purser (McElroy), Assistant Purser (Barker), and the Senior and Junior surgeons (O’Loughlin and Simpson)...” but no one else is mentioned as being present. Marcus should’ve known even back in 1969 that this Denison chap wasn’t really there. The second and last time Marcus mentions Denison is much later, during the British Inquiry (chapter 17). Again, with connection to Lightoller. Lightoller never spoke of any Denison at all. “(Lightoller) was the sole survivor among the senior officers of the Titanic. It was a miracle, indeed, that his own life had been spared. ‘E.J.’, Wilde, Murdoch,
Moody, O’Loughlin, Simpson, McElroy, Barker, Denison,, and every one of the engineers — all had perished...” The nearest reference is in the next paragragh, number 6. But that proves to be no help, as it only refers to an early inspection in Belfast by Lightoller and
Moody of “the route leading from the steerage quarters up to the Boat Deck.” No source material reference here at all.