Thayers

[Nathan Heddle]

The Thayer family has interested me for a while and I have a query as to which stateroom they were in.

The Ryerson family was, I believe on C-Deck, and I understand Emily Ryerson and Marion Thayer were friends, both being Philadelphia society matrons.

I wondered if the Thayer stateroom was anywhere near the Ryerson one?

 

[Haiko Blikian]

hey nathan,

the thayer family had occupied stateroom number C-68, and C-70......mr thayer and his wife were in c68, while their son was in c70.....hope this helps!! so they were close to each other living wise on the ship...

great regards,
haiko blikian

 

[Daniel Rosenshine]

The Ryersons were not on C deck, they were on B deck. Suites B57-59-63 have been offered as possibilities but I personally have doubts about them being the cabin numbers. However they were on the starboard side and possibly further aft.

Daniel.

 

[Nick Guzan]

The Ryersons had suites B-57, 59, 61, and 63. The parents were in 57, but that is all I know about it. I think a servant was in B-61, which was the inside cabin.
Nick

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hi Nick,

In her affidavit Emily Ryerson says: we were in the large cabins on B deck, very far aft. That would seem to rule out rooms as far forward as B-57 to B-63.

Where did you get those room numbers from?

Mrs Ryerson also says: "I went back then and told Miss Bowen and my daughter, who were in the next room, to dress immediately, roused my husband and the two younger children, who were in a room on the other side, and then remembered my maid, who had a room near us."

Firstly what does "on the other side" mean? The other side of Mr and Mrs Ryerson; or of Miss Bowen and the oldest Ryerson daughter?

By saying that her maid had a room near us suggests that it was not entered from the same athwartship's passageway as the room Mrs Ryerson herself occupied; but if the rooms were not B-57; B-59 and B-63 then you are not limited to placing Mr and Mrs in either the forward or after of the three rooms which takes us back to "a room on the other side". Of whom?

Mrs Ryerson also says: "and saw far off people hurrying on deck." I believe that can only be understood as people in the First Class Entrance. Again rooms B-57; B-59 and B-63 are too far forward. Rooms closer to the After Expansion Joint are more likely. Tentatively I would suggest B-77; B-81 and B-83 with B-79 or B-85 for the maid.

Lester

 

[Ben Holme]

Hi Lester,

I agree with you about the location of the Ryerson's cabins. I would interpret "a room on the other side" to mean "on the other side" of Arthur and Emily's cabin. If we take your suggestion of B-77, B-81, B-83 and B-85 this would tend to suggest that Arthur and Emily were in B-81 i.e. the middle cabin.
That's my interpretation

Warm regards
Ben

 

[Rolf Vonk]

Hi Lester and Ben,

I agree with your points. I also think Mrs Ryerson and her man were in the middle cabin and in the suitenumbers you've both mentioned above. Mrs Ryerson didn't talk about the aft first class staircase and that is maybe the evidence for a suite more to the middle of B deck. So not the last ones just beside the doors to the aft staircase.

The countess of Rothes, her cousin and maid wouldn't be in B77, but in C77 as was discussed in one topic some time ago. That makes it possible that the Ryersons occupied the suiteroom B77.

Regards,
Rolf

 

[Jonathan Bravo Osorio]

Hi again, coming back to the topic of the Ryerson's rooms, i read that they just bought tickets for two cabins, and that Joseph B. Ismay offered a third to Mrs Ryerson when he knew the bad news ( i mean the news of the Ryerson's son death) as sign of gentleman, even i read that he ordered to a steward attend exclusively to Mrs Emily B. Ryerson, Is it true?

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Jonathan,

Please cite your source for the two room statement.

 

[Jonathan Bravo Osorio]

Well Lester i've got "Titanic an illustrated Hstory" by Don Lynch, there appears that Mr Ismay, gave to the Ryerson family an additional room and he ordered to a steward attend exclusively to the group (in spanish, chapter three, page 74. I understand that the Ryersons used the cabins B-57( Mr and Mrs Ryerson)B-59 Susan Ryerson and Grace Scott Bowen) B-61 (Victorine Chaudason) and B-63 ( John Ryerson and Emily Ryerson)Is it correct?

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hello Jonathan,

Thank you for the reference. I am not aware of the source for the statement. Perhaps Don has something written by Mrs Ryerson in which she made such a statement. - As all of the rooms were officially two-berth I doubt that they only booked two, unless perhaps they originally had two 3-berth rooms and were moved to B-deck when they boarded.

As to the room numbers, I believe the Ryersons were much further aft on B-deck. More likely B-77[79], 81/83? - I base this on a statement made by Mrs Ryerson. From her Affidavit to the American Inquiry: "...looked out the window (we were in the large cabins on the B deck, very far aft) and .........."

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

Lester,

The source I believe is the 1913 deposition. My files are in a mess at the moment, but hopefully I'll be able to find all the depositions one day! If I remember correctly, Mrs. Ryerson did say that they were given an extra cabin which also gave them an extra steward.

Daniel.

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hi Daniel,

Thank you for that. If you do find your copy I would value a copy.

Regards,
Lester