Encyclopedia Titanica

CAPT. ROSTRON GUEST OF MRS. J. J. ASTOR

New York Times

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Rescuer of Titanic Survivors Meets Again Mrs. Thayer and Mrs. Cumings
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GOES TO SEE MRS. WIDENER
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With the Crew of the Carpathia He Will Attend Concert for Musicians' Families
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Capt. Arthur Henry Rostron, R. D., R. N. R., and Dr. Frank E. McGee, surgeon of the Cunard liner Carpathia, which figured as the life saver in the Titanic disaster, were the guests yesterday of Mrs. John Jacob Astor at an informal luncheon given by her at her home, 840 Fifth Avenue. As the hostess was in deep mourning, the party was very small, the only other guests being two widows whose husbands died on the Titanic, Mrs. John Bradley Cumings of New York and Mrs. John B. Thayer of Haverford, Penn. The Captain gave up his room to the three women after they reached the Carpathia on the morning of April 15.

The taxicab that took the Captain and the doctor from the Cunard pier to Mrs. Astor's house nearly came to grief on Fifth Avenue, at Twentieth Street, through losing a tire off a rear wheel. The taxi skidded into the sidewalk with a lurch that nearly threw it on its end. The driver managed to get his machine under control in time and no one was hurt.

Mrs. Thayer and Mrs. Cumings, both dressed in deep black, had reached the house before Capt. Rostron and Dr. Mc Gee arrived, and had to pass through a cordon of photographers and moving picture operators.

The decorations in the dining room were pink roses and wild flowers. The menu was simple and bad been arranged personally by Mrs. Astor.

Mrs. George D. Widener was to have made the fourth guest at the luncheon, and was to have accompanied Mrs. Thayer from Philadelphia, but she was unable to attend on account of illness.

After the luncheon Capt. Rostron went to Mrs. Thayer's home at Haverford and will probably call on Mrs. Widener in Philadelphia to-day if she is well enough to receive him.

Capt. Rostron said that he was delighted to have had the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Astor and her friends, Mrs. Cumings and Mrs. Thayer, before sailing again for Europe. He added that he was very gratified on his own behalf and, also on account of the officers and crew of the Carpathia, for the enthusiastic reception accorded to him on Thursday night at the Winter Garden, but it was also rather embarrasing [sic] he said, to a shipmaster to be suddenly thrust in the limelight before a large audience.

At Haverford the Captain will meet Mrs. Thayer's son, John B. Thayer, Jr., who was rescued with her by the Carpathia when her husband, who was Vice President of the Pennsylvania Railroad, was lost.

It was said yesterday that Mrs. Astor intended to present Capt. Rostron with a souvenir of the rescue of the women and children who were confided to his care for five days on the Carpathia.

The crew of the Carpathia, including Capt. Rostron and his officers and engineers, have been invited to attend the concert to be given to-morrow night at the Moulin Rouge for the benefit of the families of the eight musicians who went down with the Titanic. More than 500 band musicians will participate in this concert.

The bands that have volunteered for the memorial concert, giving their services free, are Arthur Pryor's Band, Gustav D'Aquin's Band, Lacolle's Concert Band, Soller and her male band, New York Letter Carriers' Band, Catholic Protectory Band, Hebrew Orphan Asylum Band, United States Navy bands, and United States Army bands.

Related Ships

Carpathia

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Mark Baber, USA

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Encyclopedia Titanica (2004) CAPT. ROSTRON GUEST OF MRS. J. J. ASTOR (New York Times, Saturday 1st June 1912, ref: #3513, published 20 August 2004, generated 30th June 2024 02:56:41 AM); URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/capt-rostron-guest-mrs-j-j-astor.html