Captain edward john smith titanic biography history

Edward J. Smith

(1850-1912)

Who Was Edward Tabulate. Smith?

Captain Edward J. Smith, flier of the luxury vessel Titanic, played a role in suggestion of the most famous disasters at sea in history considering that it sank in 1912.

A Sailor's Life

Edward J. Smith was by birth on January 27, 1850, beckon Hanley, Staffordshire, England.

The odd thing of a potter and subsequent a grocer, he attended wonderful school in Etruria, which was supported by the Wedgwood earthenware works. Smith stopped going come into contact with school around the age tinge 12. Beginning his life lessen the sea as a poorer, he signed on to significance crew of the Senator Weber in 1867.

For years, Smith vino up the ranks and unskilled, earning certificates as a without fear or favour mate in 1871, a rule mate in 1873, and top-notch master in 1875.

The final vessel he commanded was righteousness Lizzie Fennell, a 1,000-ton convey that moved goods to avoid from South America. Smith completed the leap to passenger armada in 1880 when he went to work for the Snowy Star Line. By 1885, put your feet up was the first officer an assortment of the Republic. Two years closest, Smith married Eleanor Pennington.

Goodness couple welcomed their only youngster, Helen, in 1902.

Eight years succeeding, Smith took his first supervision of a passenger ship, rendering Baltic. He went on respecting serve as the captain albatross several other vessels in honesty White Star Line. From 1895 to 1904, Smith commanded class Majestic.

He also served eliminate the British Royal Navy via the Boer War in Southern Africa.

In 1902, the White Celebrity Line was bought by honourableness International Mercantile Marine (IMM) Gang in a deal financed overstep famed banker J. P. Mount. A new Baltic was extra to the White Star Organized fleet in 1904 with Adventurer as its captain.

At 23,000 tons, the Baltic was get someone on the blower of the largest vessels put the lid on the time. His next run, the Adriatic, was even superior. By this time, Smith was held in high esteem bypass his company and was convulsion known and well regarded amidst travelers on the North Ocean route between the United States and Europe.

Captain of the Titanic

The White Star Line planned be acquainted with add even grander ships come to its fleet.

To compete be introduced to the Lusitania and Mauretania celebrated by Cunard, the company proclaimed it was building two modern ocean liners in 1907. (The order for the Gigantic was made later and was bolster renamed Britannic after the Titanic disaster) The first of goodness two vessels, the Olympic, was launched in 1910 with Adventurer in command.

His ship was damaged in September 1911 in the way that a British Royal Navy auto crashed into its side.

In 1912, Smith became the captain concerning the Titanic. He was play a part Belfast on April 2, 1912, for the vessel’s first ocean trials. Two days later, say publicly ship docked in Southampton nearby was prepared for its chaste voyage across the North Ocean.

It was heralded as see to of the biggest and cap luxurious ships of the time.

On April 10, 1912, the Titanic left Southampton and stopped affront Cherbourg, France, to pick form more passengers and mail. Delight made one stop in Queenstown, Ireland, the next day once setting out into the Ocean. There, the ship took proclamation more passengers as well sort mail to be delivered interrupt the United States.

In termination, there were more than 2,200 people aboard the ship because it made its way put over the ocean.

Trouble at Sea

The chief few days seemed to better without incident. On the forenoon of April 14, the Titanic received a warning about get cracking in its path from class Caronia.

Smith reportedly posted that message on the bridge. Oversight then led the religious aid for the first class transport. Another message about dangerous accessory came from the Baltic elaborate the early afternoon. Smith showed this message to Joseph Bacteriologist Ismay, the chairman of goodness White Star Line and impresario of IMM.

Ismay held span to this note until succeeding that evening.

The earlier warning overexert the Baltic is posted contract the ship’s bridge around 7 p.m. A half an date later, Smith attended a top secret party held by Mr. explode Mrs. George Dunton Widener worry the ship's a la menu restaurant. Other guests included clamp down executive John B.

Thayer topmost Major Archibald Butt. Around that time, another ice warning let alone the nearby Californian was connote to another ship in disloyalty fleet; this transmission was reportedly overheard by the Titanic crew.

After the dinner party, Smith reduction with his second officer Physicist Lightoller on the bridge. Weep long after their conversation distressed, Smith turned in for rank night.

Swamped with telegraphic messages for passengers, the operators reverie the Titanic put aside unadorned warning about icebergs from representation Mesaba. A warning transmission escape the Californian to the Titanic was also cut off harsh operators.

Around 11:40 p.m., calligraphic crew member spotted an floater in the path of integrity Titanic, but the crew was unable to move away explain time.

The ship scraped combat the iceberg and suffered accelerate to its forward area. A handful holes have been made staging the ship’s side, allowing bounding main water to begin rushing welcome. Soon after the collision, Mormon went to the bridge most important worked on assessing the on the hop. He soon learned that glory ship was on its evade down and ordered that leadership crew to prepare the lifeboats.

The first distress call went out after midnight.

Death at Sea

Unprepared for such an event, rectitude Titanic did not have enow lifeboats to carry all taste its passengers to safety. Mormon tried to manage the site the best that he could, helping with the loading commemorate the boats and managing nobility transmission of distress calls.

Do something was last seen headed broach the bridge.

After 2 a.m. rendering next morning, the Titanic discriminatingly slipped into the dark chilly waters of the North Ocean, taking its captain with regulation. Several stories emerged about act his life ended. There were reports that he had try himself on the bridge.

Substitute had him in the h2o, swimming with an infant enhance tow and putting the offspring on a lifeboat before slip beneath the water. It psychiatry commonly held, however, that Adventurer followed the marine tradition admit remaining aboard his doomed vessel.

There were several investigations into righteousness Titanic disaster in the Mutual States and England.

With entitle of the warnings, many wondered why Smith chose not not far from slow down or turn southerly in response to the warning of icebergs. He was turn on the waterworks found to be responsible intend the shipwreck.


  • Name: Edward John Smith
  • Birth Year: 1850
  • Birth date: January 27, 1850
  • Birth City: Hanley
  • Birth Country: Unified Kingdom
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Principal Edward J.

    Smith played unadorned role in one of rendering most famous disasters at mass in history, the sinking relief the Titanic in 1912.

  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Aquarius
  • Death Year: 1912
  • Death date: Apr 15, 1912
  • Death City: Atlantic Ocean

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  • Article Title: Prince J.

    Smith Biography

  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/history-culture/edward-j-smith
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 27, 2021
  • Original Publicised Date: April 2, 2014