This page contains the names of several people who planned to travel on the Titanic but, for one reason, failed to do so.
Some had actually booked cabins and these are confirmed by their presence in early passenger lists.
Others only appear in newspaper reports or family lore and are, therefore, harder to verify.
See also Unlisted passengers and crew.
Name of passengers known to have cancelled passage on the Titanic:
These are passengers whose names appear on the passenger list but who did not travel
CRAIG, Mr. Norman, KC, MP
Booked cabin C-132 (see Cave List)
Craig and fellow cancelled passenger Mr. C.C. Puffer both travelled to New York on the Olympic in August 1912.
HOLDEN, Rev. J. Stuart
The Reverend J.Stuart Holden, rector of St. Paul's Church, Portman Square, London, was booked on the Titanic to sail from Southampton of 10 April 1912 , he is mentioned on the Herbert Cave Passenger List and would have occupied cabin D-11. Unfortunately for her, but perhaps fortunately for him, his wife fell ill before his departure, and Rev. Holden cancelled his trip.
LAWRENCE, Arthur
This name appears in the Cave List as being booked for cabin E-37.
EASTMAN, Miss Anne K.
Booked cabin D-31 (see Cave List)
LEWIS, Mrs. Carlton P.
Was booked for cabin D-32 (see WOOD) (see Cave List)
MELODY, Mr. Anthony
MIDDLETON, Hon. J. Conan
POND, Miss Florence L. and maid
Miss Pond was the daughter of a wealthy Detroit lawyer, Ashely Pond. She frequently travelled to Lausanne in Switzerland, and it is likely she intended to return to America via Cherbourg.
PUFFER, Mr. C. C.
The name Mr. C. C. Puffer appears in several early newspaper reports of the Titanic sinking. His name also appears in a Second Proof First Class Passenger list but does not appear in the Third Proof list found on the body of Bedroom Steward Herbert Cave. It was reported that he had booked passage from Cherbourg but was prevented from joining.
WOOD, Mr. and Mrs. Frank P.
Booked cabin D-32 (see LEWIS)
Other people who may have cancelled
The evidence for the following is less clear.
ADELMAN, Mr. and Mrs
A couple named Adelman were reported to have died in the sinking until they turned up on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse a few days later. Newspapers were seemingly unable to agree on the identity of Mr Adelman...:
HUSBAND, WIFE, MOTHER DIE.
Among those who perished on the Titanic were Franz Adelman, chief mechanic for the Witching Waves Company, proprietors of an attraction at Luna Park, his wife and his mother, Mrs. Christine Adelman. Adelman was sent to Paris In the interests of his employers to install attractions like the one at Luna Park, and took his family with him. They intended to return on the French liner La Provence, but the Witching Waves Company, as a reward and bonus for Adelman's efficient work while in Paris, offered them a trip home in the second cabin of the queen of the seas, the company to pay all the expenses for the three. They were lost. The Adelmans were all highly thought of in the Coney Island colony.
TURN OF A COIN SAVED TWO.
Frank Adelman Tossed Up With His Wife as to Sailing on Titanic.
By the turn of a coin the lives of Frank Adelman and his wife may be said to have been saved from death on the Titanic. They were thought by their friends to have perished on that vessel and were presented with their obituary notices and pictures, published shortly afterward, when they stepped off the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, which came to port yesterday.
Mr. Adelman, who is a well known musician, having conducted various orchestras in the far West, returns from Europe to make his home in this city. He had planned to sail on the Titanic, but: when his wife urged a premonition of danger, he consented to flip a coin and if she won humor her whim and take the German boat instead. Mrs. Adelman's luck probably saved the couple.
ANDERSON, Mr. and Mrs. Walter, or WALTER, W. Anderson
This name appears in some early newspaper lists but is believed to refer, in fact, to a genuine victim, Mr. W. Anderson Walker.
BACON, Mr. Robert, his wife and daughter.
U.S. Ambassador to France, was delayed by late arrival of his successor, Myron T. Hendrick. Changed to the France, which departed France on her maiden voyage 20 April 1912.
BILL, Mr. and Mrs. Edward W.
Mrs. Bill had a dream of Titanic being wrecked; they sailed on Celtic instead.
BOND, Mrs. Florence and maid see POND, Miss Florence L.
CARLSON, Mr. Frank
It is said that Carlson was driving to Cherbourg with the intention of boarding the Titanic when his car broke down, and he missed the boat. According to Walter Lord in The Night Lives On, his name "remained on the passenger list", but it isn't clear which passenger list Lord is referring to. It is more likely that the story of a Frank Carlson breaking down got confused with the genuine Titanic victim Frans Carlsson.
DAVIES, S. P.
Of Winnipeg, Manitoba; cancelled because illness forced him to take an earlier ship.
FRANKS, Alfred
Mr Alfred Franks of Edgbaston, Birmingham changed his mind after booking. A few days before sailing he took a boat from Liverpool instead..
FRICK, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clay
Booked for suite B-52; cancelled when Mrs Frick hurt her ankle at Madeira on a cruise aboard Adriatic.
HANAN, Mr. and Mrs.
HARDING, Mr. and Mrs. J. Horace
Booked suite B-52 after it had been given up by Henry Frick and J.P. Morgan; cancelled and took Mauretania instead.
HART, George
HITCHENS, Col. J. Warren
Could not get suitable accommodations
HOME, Thomas
Brother-in-law to Major Arthur Peuchen was scheduled to sail on Titanic but cancelled. He sailed on the Lusitania's last voyage.
JENKINS, Dr. J. C.
KIND, Frank
Booked from Amsterdam, saw accommodation plan at Paris, canceled. Transferred to NDL Washington, departed 7 April 1912
LANCASTER, Charles
LINES, Ernest
It was reported in the Evening News on 18 April 1912 that Ernest Lines booked but did not sail. This name likely refers to the husband of Elizabeth Lines, though it is not known if he ever intended to travel with her and their daughter, Mary, on the Titanic.
MADDEN, The Rt. Rev. T. J.
Archbishop of Liverpool, England
MORGAN, Mr. John Pierpont
Booked suite B-52. Was delayed by business (suite then booked by Mr. and Mrs. J. Horace Harding).
NESBITT, Rev. Henry S., wife and five children
Re-booked 10 April 1912 Titanic departure to 6 April 1912 Carmania departure because of family emergency.
NORMAN, Maxwell
From Boston. Changed to Oceanic
O'BRIEN, Mr. and Mrs. James V.
Were in Ireland because of a lawsuit, which lasted longer than expected. Had to switch to another ship.
ODELL, Herbert
Originally, Herbert intended to Join his wife Lily, son Jack and others on the Titanic for a holiday in Ireland, but he was forced to change his plans and remain in London.
PALLES, Christopher
The fortunate escape of Dr. [sic] Norman Craig, K.C., M.P., from being a passenger on the Titanic through his being detained by the Unionist Whips to take part in an important division in the House of Commons has been widely referred to. It is not however, so generally known that the Right Hon. Christopher Palles, Lord Chief Baron of Ireland, had an equally narrow escape. He had arranged to sail in the same ill-fated veseel, but a chill at the last moment precluded him, to his great disappointment from taking from taking the voyage.
PIRRIE, Lord
ROBERTS, Mrs. Elizabeth Walker, and maid
Saved as Mrs. Elizabeth Robert, and maid
ROSS, Sir Charles
Booked to return on Lusitania, whose voyage was cancelled by a coal strike. Could not wait for Titanic, re-booked on Carmania sailing 3 days ahead of Titanic.
STAFFORD, Rev. J. S. Wardell
STURROCK, Crawford James
MISSED ILL-FATED TITANIC
Death of Barnhill Man
A Barnhill man, who should have sailed on the Titanic as the representative of an engineering firm, but who was delayed and missed the ship, has died 25 years almost to a day after the disaster to the famous liner on April 14, 1912. He was Mr Crawford James Sturrock, 42 Kerrington Crescent, formerly a partner in the firm of Sturrock & Murray, engineers, Dundee. One of five seafaring brothers, he joined the firm of G. & J. Weir, Ltd., Holm Foundry, Cathcart, Glasgow, and sailed in many vessels as tho guarantee man of their productions. It was in this capacity that ho was to have joined the Titanic. He came to Dundee 20 years ago to join the firm of Pturrock & Murray. He is survived by Mrs Sturrock, a son and a daughter. - Dundee Courier - Tuesday 20 April 1937
MISSED THE BOAT. ESCAPED DEATH ON THE TITANIC. Passing of Mr Crawford J. Sturrock A man who escaped death on the Titanic because missed the boat has died at Dundee. Mr Crawford James Sturrock, 42 Kerrington Crescent, Barnhill, Dundee, was one of a family of engineers and seafaring men, six of whom were at sea at one time. After holding a chief's certificate, he left the sea and joined the staff of Messrs Weir, Cathcart, Glasgow, and attended the trial trip of many of the firm's productions as guarantee man. The time the Titanic was to sail Mr Sturrock was delayed and that fact saved his life. Deceased came to Dundee 20 years ago partner in the firm of .Sturrock & Murray, and retired some years ago. He is survived by a wife, a son, and' daughter. One of a family of 15, Mr Sturrock leaves only three brothers, all in Dundee, and one sister. - Dundee Evening Telegraph - Monday 19 April 1937
THOMPSON, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, and son Harold
The Thompson family had to cancel their Titanic trip when their son was badly hurt while playing.
TURNER, Mr. and Mrs. George H.
VANDERBILT, Mr. and Mrs. George
Mr George Washington Vanderbilt (1862-1914), grandson of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, and creator of Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC booked to occupy a first-class cabin. However, they changed their minds at the last minute and sailed on the Olympic, but sent most of their baggage along with his personal valet Fred Wheeler, who boarded the Titanic as a second-class passenger at Southhampton. Wheeler perished in the disaster.
It is not clear why the Vanderbilts changed their minds about sailing on the Titanic. According to a New York Times article dated April 30, 1912, they did so at the urging of Edith's mother (Susan Dresser), but since she had died in 1883, this cannot be correct. It is possible that the Times confused Edith's mother Susan with Edith's sister who bore the same name, but there is no way of knowing for sure. The Biltmore Estate Archives contains a letter from George Vanderbilt's niece, Adele Sloane Burden, expressing her relief in learning that her aunt and uncle had changed their minds and were safe. Early newspaper reports had placed Vanderbilt among the missing passengers.
WHITE, Mr. A.J. (or M.J.?)
WILKINSON, Miss Ada
WILKINSON, Mrs. S. George
WILSON, Mr. and Mrs. J. Clifford
WILSON, Miss Dorothy and Miss Edith
Could not get the accommodations they wanted; Re-booked on the Rotterdam
3rd class passengers with tickets from Queenstown but did not join:
CALLAGHAN, Nora
CONCANNON, John
COURTNEY, Bridget
COURTNEY, Margaret
DUNNE, Mary
FORHAN, Delia
GILLIGAN, Margaret
JORDAN, Annie
JORDAN, Mary
MARTIN, Mary
O'BRIEN, Denis
O'CONNELL, Pat
O'SULLIVAN, Michael
RYAN, Pat
SCANLON, James
THOMAS, Pat
TYNDON, James
Passengers who said they cancelled but were aboard:
PETERSEN, Marius
Peterson wrote to friends that he had decided not to travel on the Titanic. There is also some evidence that he received a partial refund on his ticket. However, it is now generally accepted that he did travel and perished in the disaster.
For more information on these see John P. Eaton (2008) Canceled Passages aboard the Titanic.
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