A Titanic passenger research quest

[Samuel Halpern]

Michel, Jr., recalled that just before placing him in the boat, his father gave a final message, "My child, when your mother comes for you, as she surely will, tell her that I loved her dearly and still do. Tell her I expected her to follow us, so that we might all live happily together in the peace and freedom of the New World."

 

[Arun Vajpey]

Michel, Jr., recalled that just before placing him in the boat, his father gave a final message, "My child, when your mother comes for you, as she surely will, tell her that I loved her dearly and still do. Tell her I expected her to follow us, so that we might all live happily together in the peace and freedom of the New World."

I used to believe that 'recollection' from Michel Navratil Jr but had not really thought about it in a logical manner. As I said in my post #11 of this thread, that message - not just the words themselves but the mature poignancy involved in the whole sentence - is highly likely to have been understood and later remembered by a boy not quite 4 years old at the time of the disaster. But since Michel Jr did report that as his father's parting message, he must have been coached later that they were; only his mother Marcelle could have done that.

IMO, when Marcelle finally recovered her children in America and started back to France, she is bound to have asked Michel Jr about what he could remember about the voyage and the accident. He probably told her a few things from his childish perspective and based on those and what she already knew about her husband, Marcelle likely got the picture. In the ensuing years, she must have coached the growing Michel Jr about what his father had "really" told him as they parted durng those final minutes of the Titanic sinking. Considering the way her deceased husband had treated her before, I find it difficult to understand Marcelle's motivation behind this soft-touch..

 

[Samuel Halpern]

I find it difficult to understand Marcelle's motivation behind this soft-touch..

Some people would rather have a child believe only good things about their deceased parent rather than them knowing the truth about them. It's just the way some people are.

 

[Melinda R]

The research by Fidelis Morgan is excellent. I had read Orphans of the Storm when it first came out. Glad I had it to go back to after reading your very detailed article.

 

[kneserlambert]

I used to believe that 'recollection' from Michel Navratil Jr but had not really thought about it in a logical manner. As I said in my post #11 of this thread, that message - not just the words themselves but the mature poignancy involved in the whole sentence - is highly likely to have been understood and later remembered by a boy not quite 4 years old at the time of the disaster. But since Michel Jr did report that as his father's parting message, he must have been coached later that they were; only his mother Marcelle could have done that.

IMO, when Marcelle finally recovered her children in America and started back to France, she is bound to have asked Michel Jr about what he could remember about the voyage and the accident. He probably told her a few things from his childish perspective and based on those and what she already knew about her husband, Marcelle likely got the picture. In the ensuing years, she must have coached the growing Michel Jr about what his father had "really" told him as they parted durng those final minutes of the Titanic sinking. Considering the way her deceased husband had treated her before, I find it difficult to understand Marcelle's motivation behind this soft-touch..

Reading this thread reminds me of a personal experience I had while researching a family history project during university. I was trying to trace back my great-grandfather's journey as an immigrant to the U.S., and I stumbled upon some old letters that were passed down through generations. One of the letters contained a message that seemed so simple, yet full of emotion. It was a farewell note written by my great-grandfather to his mother before he left for America. The words were so poignant that I couldn't help but think of how much those few sentences shaped the memory of him for our family.

It struck me how stories, especially those passed down, can be colored by what people want to remember or what they think is most important. Much like Michel Jr.'s recollection of his father, it's fascinating how personal history can evolve over time. I often wonder what my great-grandfather's true experience was like, but in the end, it's the emotional impact of those memories that live on. On a side note, I've recently found free video lectures to be an excellent way to dive deeper into historical topics, as they help bring context and additional perspectives to the stories we explore.

i think children, especially as young as Michel Jr. was at the time of the disaster, often interpret events through a mix of direct experience and the subsequent narratives imposed by adults.