Steward 3 with revolver

[Matthew Bowyer Fan]

Hi, Titanic 1997 depict Steward 3 threatened steerage passengers with small revolver. However I don't think third class stewards had revolvers in the real sinking. And if some of them have probably only Chief who was James Kieran but I don't think he had revolver either. Please answer me.

 

[Christophe Puttemans]

Only the officers were given revolvers. Lightoller was called from the lowering of the lifeboats by Wilde to get the weapons. Lightoller later recalled he handed out Webley revolvers still wrapped in greaseproof paper. But that's impossible, they would have to be cleaned up before use, and there was no time to do that. Lowe, who used a gun when his lifeboat was lowered, said he was carrying a Browning-gun. Might have been his own.

But no, stewards didn't have guns, not even the chief stewards. I think all chief stewards were in bed at the time of the collision. Hardy, the chief steward of second class and the only one who survived, said he retired to bed at 11:20 P.M.. We can fairly assume the others retired as well.

 

[Jack Dawson]

The revolver in that scene was almost certainly intended to depict a personally owned weapon, and certainly not anything issued by White Star Line. It was of a small caliber (or calibre if we want to go British-English) and was likely intended to portray a crewman's personally owned defense weapon, as opposed to the larger 'service' caliber .455 Webley revolvers issued to the Officers. I think in all the official testimony given at the inquiries, there were only a couple of mentions of pistols even made. I do not think there was any testimony or account that led to the scene in the film; just a bit of artistic license to up the danger and drama of people trying to survive. As Mr. Puttemans said, Lowe did say he carried what had to be another personally owned weapon. It's plausible there were more crewman and passengers who had their own.

I would guess it was also in there scene to show they were trying to beat back the passengers so they could lock the gate. There was a seaman there who was using an awe handle as a club at the same time the steward produced his revolver. As part of the plot device, they needed to establish that route was impossible to escape through. That was supposed to be the scene where we catch up with Fabrizio and Tommy, who had been absent for a few minutes.

 

[Matthew Bowyer Fan]

All right thanks. And I know that I asked earlier and I got answer that Kieran did not appear in Titanic 1997. But What he was rank. Please wrote me what you know about him. Why he was furious that one man get through? Why he not allowed men through gate. And if he wasn't Kieran, How he have permission allowed women? When other Stewards in third class guarding gates in movie and not allowed anyone. And now question for Christophe Puttemans: Who was more evil, he or Steward Turnbull in 2012 Miniseries?

 

[Christophe Puttemans]

Both he and Turnbull are based on the misunderstanding that steerage passengers were held down by force. In fact, nobody cared about them and they were allowed to go to the lifeboats, but nobody showed them the way and many passengers got lost in the gangways. But hundreds of passengers being held back by a man's height gate and a few stewards holding them down is NOT what happened that night.

But Matthew to answer your question, Turnbull was arrogant but also racist. Remember his behavior to steward Sandrini at the end of Episode 3, he didn't give a bit about the locked up Italians.

 

[Matthew Bowyer Fan]

I think we can add this information to character revelation Steward Turnbull.

And Turnbull want leave all steerage down. Steward 3 want allowed women and children.

 

[Jack Dawson]

Don't forget that 2nd Class passenger Michel Navratil (alias Louis M. Hoffman) apparently carried a revolver on his person. It was still on him when they recovered his body after the sinking.