RMS Titanic and Art

 

RMS Titanic

This blog looks at the connection between Swansea art and the RMS Titanic.

Michel Marcel and Edmond Navratil

So, let’s with Collapsible Lifeboat D.  2.05 am, April 15, was the last of the nine boats to have been lowered from the port side, of the stricken RMS Titanic, Second Officer Lightoller, managed to fit the lifeboat in the now empty davits of Lifeboat 1. Lightoller, was having difficult filling the boat with women and children but managing to fill the boat with 15-20 people.  As the boat was being lowered, Mr Bjornstrom-Steffansson and Mr Woolner jumped from the lower decks into the boat.  Picked up from the sea, was Mr Hoyt, who placed his wife in the lifeboat earlier.  Also rescued aboard this lifeboat were the two brothers, Michel Marcel and Edmond Navratil, who were dubbed the “Orphans of the Titantic” 

Second Officer Lightoller

 

Earlier on the evening of 14^th April 1912, at the time of the collision, Woolner, was in the Smoking Room, in the company of Swedish businessman Mr Bjornstrom-Steffansson and Edward Kent. Kent was a victim of the sinking.

Mauritz Bjornstrom-Steffansson

Woolner, who boarded the Titanic at Southampton.  During the voyage he became acquainted with the noted American author, Helene Churchill Candee, Archibald Gracie, Edward Colley and the aforementioned Mauritz Bjornstrom-Steffansson, they were known as the “our coterie”.

Woolner reported that there was no sensation, but the ship stalled slightly and that the Smoking Room seemed to have twisted somewhat.  Following Woolner, went and found Mrs Candee and suggested that they went for a walk, and that he didn’t think that there was anything serious to worry about.  Having walked to the end of the Promenade Deck, he noticed that people were walking around with lifebelts on.  Woolner, enquired with nearby steward if and order with given to wear lifebelt, which was the case.  Assisting Mrs Candee back to her cabin and helping her into her lifebelt.  Woolner went back to his cabin and picked up two lifebelts and gave one away to a passerby.

Helene Churchill Candee

Escorting Mrs Candee to the Boat Deck, following orders given back Captain Smith, passengers were ordered to A-Deck.  Further orders were given by Captain Smith, for those passengers to return to the Boat Deck, Wooler saw Mrs Candee off on Lifeboat 6.

Both Wooler and Bjornstrom-Steffansson assisted in filling other boats.  Woolner witnessed Mr and Mrs Strauss in Lifeboat 8 and Mrs Strauss refusing to leave her husband.

Collapsible D

Woolner and Bjornstrom-Steffansson, watched as Collapsible D, was being prepared, and heard scuffle and shots being fired from the starboard side.  Woolner said to his friend that “there is nothing more for us to do here” and they made down to A-Deck. It was here that both men jumped, Bjornstrom-Steffansson jumped first, and tumbled in bow of the boat.  Woolner, mis judged the jump and was hampered by his lifebelt, bounced off gunwale and fell backwards and clinging by his fingers to the gunwale and his legs dangling in the water. Bjornstrom-Steffansson assisted him into the boat.  Collapsible D was picked up by the RMS Carpathia at 7.15 that morning.

RMS Carpathia

Woolner returned to the UK, on board Lusitania.

So, who was Woolner?

Mr Hugh Woolner was born 1899, Marylebone.  Son of Thomas Woolner and Alice Gertrude Waugh.  At the time of the 1817 Census, the family were living at Welbeck Street.  The family were still here a decade later, Hugh and his brother, Geoffrey, were listed as Students at Marlborough College.   Geoffrey died the following year aged 14, at Marlborough.  Hugh graduated from Cambridge University.

Following his father’s death, 1892, Hugh started his career with the London Stock Exchange. Later founding the brokerage firm Woolner & Co. His mother, Alice, died March 1912.  Hugh married 1892, to Mary Simpson.  The couple were to be parents of five children.  Hugh died February 1925.

So, let’s turn our attentions nearly a century earlier to Hugh’s father, Thomas Woolner.

Thomas Woolner

Thomas was born in 1825, Hadleigh, Suffolk. Thomas was a sculptor and poet and was one of the founding members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brothers, having been established during 1848. 

Having been trained by William Behnes started to exhibit works at the Royal Academy from 1843.  During a visit to Australia, Thomas, obtained commissions for statues of British Imperial Heroes, including Captain Cook. 

John Deffett Francis 

The Swansea born portrait painter and art collector, John Deffett Francis, of Thomas.  1899, John arranged for Thomas to donate his plaster cast bust of William Gladstone to Swansea Libraries.  Thomas also donated the bust of Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson bust

Swansea Public Library situated along Alexandra Road, was opened by William Gladstone during 1887.   It was here in the Reading Room, that both busts were placed, and they stayed here until 2008, following the library closure.

Thomas Woolner married Alice Gertrude Waugh, during 1864, and they were to have six children.  Thomas died during 1892.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, did visit Wales, but sadly didn’t visit Swansea, unlike Gladstone.  However, he was inspired by the Welsh landscape and literature, which were featured in a few of his poems.

Swansea Public Library, Alexandra Road 

Cedric Morris

Cedric Morris, Swansea born.  Artist and Plantsman.

Born December 1889, Sketty. Son of George Lockwood Morris and Wilhelmina Cory.  On his father’s side, Cedric was descended from Sir John Morris, 1^st Baronet and his sister Margaret, the founder of Dulwich Picture Gallery.

Frairs Road Cemetery, Hadleigh.  Buried here is Sir Cedric Morris.