I am related to the Captain of the Titanic, Captain Edward John Smith. First let me explain what the Titanic is all about before I get into any family related information.
The RMS Titanic was an Olympic-class passenger liner owned by British shipping company White Star Line and built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Ireland. At the time of her construction, she was the largest passenger steamship in the world.
Shortly before midnight on 14 April 1912, four days into the ship’s maiden voyage, Titanic hit an iceberg and sank two hours and forty minutes later, early on 15 April 1912. The sinking resulted in the deaths of 1,517 of the 2,223 people on board, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. The high casualty rate was due in part to the fact that, although complying with the regulations of the time, the ship did not carry enough lifeboats for everyone aboard. The ship had a total lifeboat capacity of 1,178 people, although her maximum capacity was 3,547. A disproportionate number of men died due to the women-and-children-first protocol that was followed.
The Titanic used some of the most advanced technology available at the time and was popularly believed to have been described as “unsinkable.”[6] It was a great shock to many that, despite the extensive safety features, the Titanic sank. The frenzy on the part of the media about Titanic’s famous victims, the legends about the sinking, the resulting changes to maritime law, and the discovery of the wreck have contributed to the continuing interest in, and notoriety of, the Titanic.
Welcome this is the section I will be posting about the Titanic family Genealogy.
Titanic Family
Hi Lady Kathleen, what a plessure in talking to you mam.
We all know That EJ Smith direct blood line ended when both of his grand children died ,you may be related to EJ Smith by Smith’s half Brother & nethpew that both lived in America 1912.
Yorkshiress, Actually I already know I am related to him but though his father or was it his grandfather. One of them had a brother which is where my line runs. And this is how Captain Smith is my Great Uncle.
I have read that from his father,Smith’s father had a son with another women before marriage to his next wife,don’t quote me on this,I could ask for you on a Titanic forum ,if this is 100% correct.
I’m very thrilled in talking to someone related to the captain,wish to share more with me? I would loved to learn more about EJ Smith and his daughter & wife,the internet only provides very small input on this family.
Yet agian,It’s a pleassure talking to you, ladyKathleen.
Hello…I am intrigued by this message thread. There has always been talk of my family being related to Captain Smith. My Grandfather told the story that there were some documents linking us to him.
My GGGrandfather was John Smith b. 1845 in either Kincardine, Ontario or Scotland…part of the mystery. It was said that his father..we think it was William Smith…was disowned by his father for marrying the upstairs maid…I don’t know how that differs from the downstairs maid..anyhow..William Smith..we think…immigrated to Kincardine Ontario with the maid’s family. His son….John Smith…made his way to Mercer County, Pennsylvania around 1863.
Part of the story is told that either William Smith or his father (name unknown) was an officer in the English Army for 21 years and attended the University of Edinburgh.
Hypothesis 1—-In looking at the family tree for Captain E. J Smith, I see a William Smith that could be E. J.Smith’s uncle..it fits the time frames.
Hypothesis 2–What I am wondering is if E.J Smith’s Grandfather was in the English Army and part of the land clearing in Scotland or was his son …William? If William ran off with the Scottish maid…maybe this was why he was disowned? I am sure my ignorance of land clearings and the whole struggle is now evident?
Does anyone have any information on E. J. Smith’s Grandfather or his Uncle’s?
Thanks
Dan Smith
Hi All
The most important thing about tracing family history is to start with you and work backwards. Don’t get bogged down in trying to connect to a famous person as that will waste time. Work with what you have and if it fits in with the famous person, great, if not, great too!
Hypotheses are great, but I suggest that you work backwards from the known to the unknown, making sure you have a firm foundation before you go back.
An upstairs maid worked upstairs and the downstairs maid worked downstairs. To understand the difference, you need to be aware of the Victorian Household where servants were either upstairs or downstairs. If you were upstairs, you worked in the actual house, seen by the family who owned the house but if you worked downstairs you were in the kitchens and servant’s quarters, never to be seen! For a better understanding of such things, see “Upstairs downstairs” the fantastic 1970’s series on English TV.
Good luck with your family history.
Glynn