WTStead

[Andrew Rogers]

Have been having a bit of a read of George Behe's book and I was wondering if Mr Stead ever did take out accident insurance.
In about 1907 hesaid his death had been fortold, he would be kicked to death by a mob in the streets of London! (I bet that fortune teller went broke). He then said he would have no need of accident insurance.
After a few more of his para-normal comings and goings he was told he would die in water.
So did he ever change his mind and take out some accidental death cover.

Andrew

 

[George Behe]

Hi, Andrew!

I wish I could tell you.

All my best,

George

 

[Pamela Armstrong]

WT Stead was born and raised in my part of the world (The North East of England). There is a little known memorial to WT Stead in Preston Cemy, North Shields, erected by his sister.

You might be interested to learn that his ghost is said to have appeared to his sister (at the vicarage in Embleton where WT had been born) at the exact moment that Titanic slipped beneath the waves...

 

[George Behe]

Hi, Pamela!

Would it be possible for you to give us more specifics on this matter? Paranormal incidents connected with the Titanic disaster are a special interest of mine, but the anecdote you just mentioned is completely new to me.

Thanks very much!

All my best,

George

 

[Andrew Rogers]

Hey George,Thats interesting!
I think your Stead chapter is going to turn into it's own book soon!
It was a couple of small items in our 1912 Aussie newspapers that got me interested in the guy, now I find the whole WT story very interesting but I must confess to being a real sceptic on all the paranormal matters.
Do you mind if I ask you what you think of it all?
I like the way you have written the book, it is sort of balanced and easy for a slow reading sceptic (like me) to enjoy.
BTW, when did the Stead re-appearances (or manifestations) stop? or do these type of things continue to happen?

Bye for now,
Andrew.

 

[George Behe]

Andrew wrote:

>I think your Stead chapter is going to turn into >it's own book soon!

Hi, Andrew!

It's starting to look that way, isn't it?

>.... I must confess to being a real sceptic
>on all the paranormal matters.
>Do you mind if I ask you what you think of it >all?

I'm a lot more skeptical about the paranormal than I used to be, but I still try to keep an open mind on the subject.

>BTW, when did the Stead re-appearances (or >manifestations) stop? or do these type of
>things continue to happen?

Funny you should ask -- I spoke with him just this morning.

Seriously, though, I kind of doubt that Mr. Stead's 'manifestations' are a present-day occurrence; the 'immediacy' of Stead's life and death has receded into the past, and most people today don't even know that he once existed (except for us Titanic buffs, that is.)

Take care, old chap.

All my best,

George

 

[Graham Pickles]

Hi all,

I have been researching Stead now with the other people who have a Yorkshire connection for a while now so in answer to the questions posed I would like to say.

1/ to Andrew Rodgers. I am not sure as to weather he took out life assurance but on the presumption that most well to do people had insurance against just about anything I would think it a safe bet that he will of taken assurance on his life if only to safeguard his family.

2/ to Pamela. yes his memorial is little known and the story of his apparition is I belive only raised quite recently, but I have not seen any recorded evidence that it was his sister that saw the apparition, I was led to believe that it was a close friend who says he saw him at this time.

I to like George Behe would like to know where this bit of info came from as I haven't seen this before.

3/ George also says that if it was not due to his death he would not be remembered, I think due to his work as a reporter in his early days he may well stand out in history. There is a site in memory of Stead with some interesting links which I will supply to anyone who hasn't already been to it.

To finish if anyone has info regarding stead I would be most grateful to hear from them as he is of interest to me along with thirteen other people with Yorkshire connections

whilst I am on the subject does anyone know the name of stead's 5 children, as for some reason I appear to of lost this info.
also I have been trying to associate the connection of the editor of review of reviews 1923 - 1930 of the same name of Stead.

Happy new year to one and all
graham

 

[George Behe]

Graham wrote:

>3/ George also says that if it was not due to his >death he would not be remembered,

Hi, Graham!

I just meant that Stead's name isn't exactly well-known to the *general public* today; that being the case, I think it's unlikely that a modern 'psychic' who's unfamiliar with either the Titanic or publishing history would ever claim that the 'shade' of W.T. Stead appeared to her in a dream or as an apparition. (On the other hand, if Stead had figured prominently in the Cameron film it's quite possible that modern spirit mediums would have a field day contacting him.)

>whilst I am on the subject does anyone know the >name of stead's 5 children, as for some
>reason I appear to of lost this info.

He had a daughter Estelle and son Alfred; I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with the rest.

All my best,

George

 

[Graham Pickles]

Hi George,

Sorry I didn't mean to make it sound like you where having a go, I meant that you where right in your appraisal of Stead and if he had been mentioned in Titanic he would of been seen a lot more by the clairvoyants than now. But on the other side of the coin he is remembered for his journalism especially the maiden tribute of modern Babylon. After saying that I contacted the Darlington Northern Echo and spoke to a sub-editor and he didn't know the name so your theory may be right.

Thanks for the two names ill have to try to find my notes on his family for the others.

How is your research going on him for your book and if I can help I will with pleasure.

Graham

 

[David Huffaker]

There is a Stead family web page I looked at about two years ago. It should not be too hard to find. He had several children and their birthdates, marriages et al are listed. W.T.'s siblings and their marriages are also listed.

David Huffaker

 

[George Behe]

Graham wrote:

>How is your research going on him for your book >and if I can help I will with pleasure.

Hi, Graham!

Thanks very much for your generous offer. When Andrew referred to my writing a book about Stead, though, I think he was jokingly referring to the possibility of my expanding the Stead chapter of my first book ("Titanic: Psychic Forewarnings of a Tragedy.") That chapter contained quite a few reports of paranormal-type incidents connected with Stead, and 'new' accounts still surface occasionally (some of which are covered in my second book, "Lost At Sea.")

To answer your question, though, I don't have any plans to write a book about Stead, since several excellent books about him are already in existence.

Take care, old chap.

All my best,

George

 

[Graham Pickles]

Hi George ,
Sorry for the mix-up I read into it something that wasent there. I personally think you should wright one on Stead as you seem pretty knowledgeable on him and his foretelling.

Thank you David I have visited the site you mentioned and I got a lot of info from it. The Stead on Stead site is also good for family matters.

I have just been reading the family tree of Stead and realized that some of his relations still live in Redcar so I will have to have a day by the sea.

Graham

 

[Pamela Armstrong]

Dear George,

The Vicarage at Embleton in north Northumberland - -very close to the sea - occupies a medieval defensive tower dating back to 1415. Wt Stead was born here.

There is a local tradition that at the exact moment Titanic slipped beneath the waves, some form of paranormal activity took place within the Library on the first floor of the Tower. Servants linked this phenomenon with WT Stead for obvious reasons. WT Stead had always reckoned the Tower was already haunted by the ghost of a lady killed in a border raid (Embleton is very close to the Scottish border)

According to one account, this activity took the form of WT appearing to his sister who lived in the adjoining vicarage. Servants were convinced that Dorothy had experienced some form of supernatural encounter even before news of the Titanic disaster reached Embleton.

I will try and dig out the 1929 newspaper feature (Newcastle Illustrated Chronicle) taken from the recollections of a servant at Embleton and provide more detailed information.

 

[Thomas Ford]

I remember a steward who claimed he saw stead reading a book by himself in the smoking lounge,did Thomas Andrews and Stead die together there,what terrible deaths Andrews must have had and stead too if he was there.

 

[Brandon Whited]

I've heard that same version of Stead's death in Europress' Titanic: An Interactive Journey PC game. The only difference is, he was said to have been in the lounge reading the book, instead of the smoking room. If your version is correct, then Stead and Andrews would have been in the same room when the ship sank (presumably). But if he was in the lounge, they would have been seperated.

 

[Ben Thomas Sebastian Holme]

I have also read somewhere that Maj. Butt, Clarence Moore and Arthur Ryerson went down in the smoking room. I know that Col. Gracie observed Butt, Moore and Millet there, seated around a table all alone before Thomas Andrews arrived but it may be a possibility that they returned with Ryerson (and without Millet) after the lowering of boats 2 and 4.
What does everyone else think?

Regards
Ben

 

[Rolf Vonk]

Ben, the Eaton and Haas book says on page 158 "At 2 am, Archie Butt and Arthur Ryerson adjourn to the first class smoking room with Francis D. Millet and Clarence Moore. The four sit at their usual table and play one last hand of cards together while awaiting the end. Ten minutes later, they leave." So I guess your point could be right. Boat 4 was the last non-collapsable boat lowered at 1.55 am. Ryerson brought his family to this boat and it could be possible that he returned to the smoking room after that.

I don't know if Mr Widener and Mr Thayer stayed with boat 4 till it was lowered, but when this is the case, Ryerson didn't stay with them when boat 4 was gone. Colonel Gracie reported to have seen Widener and Thayer having a serious conversation at the starboard side of the ship in accompagnie of other first class passengers including miss Evans and Mrs Caroline Brown. He didn't mention Ryerson.

Rolf

 

[Ben Thomas Sebastian Holme]

Hi Rolf,

Thanks for your clarification of the source!
Most seem to support the idea that they left around 2:10am. I am merely entertaining the possibility that they returned AGAIN when they realised the hopelessness of the situation.

I agree that Ryerson must have made a hasty retreat to the smoking room following the departure of boat #4.

You are correct in that Widener and Thayer were observed by Col. Gracie. They were admidships, along the starboard rail where boat #7 had been "talking earnestly, as if debating what to do". This was shortly before the lowering of collapsible D, fairly near the end, boat #4 having left. Mrs J.M. Brown and Edith Evans were standing near them. As Theyer and the Wideners headed sternward, Ryerson would probably have been in the smoking room with the others.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Regards
Ben

 

[Rolf Vonk]

Hi Ben,

Do you think Ryerson and Thayer were friends? Cause Mrs Thayer and Mrs Ryerson were. Don't you think it is strange that he left them and went to the smoke room?

Regards,
Rolf

 

[Ben Thomas Sebastian Holme]

Hi Rolf,

Ryerson and Thayer were both from Pennsylvania and almost certainly were friends. They were walking on deck together on the afternoon of April 14th when Ismay was discussing the proximity of ice with their wives. Ismay made a hasty retreat when the men arrived to join their wives.

It is strange that they didn't stick together in the final moments. Ryerson even told his wife that he would stay with John B. Thayer.
I'd imagine that after the departure of boat #4, Thayer and Ryerson contemplated their situation. Thayer may have prefered to take his chances on the rising stern, while Ryerson went and joined other friends.

Regards

Ben