It does indeed, on pp 147 and 160. But as IG shows through BB's deckplan, Cabin 134 was a 6-people female passenger cabin at the stern. That's what is shown here on her ET bio as well, where a facsmilie of the card is shown. But if she claimed that her room started to flood early and she had to literally flee to the boat deck ahead of the water, it suggests, that could only have been from the bow.In the book "On A Sea Of Glass," they have Anna's room being in the bow, not in room 134 in the stern. While they don't mention the inspection card that does indeed give that number, they base the bow decision off of Anna's accounts of the disaster, where she says that her cabin began flooding very quickly, and she was chased out of it by the incoming water. This wouldn't have happened had her room been in the stern, as those rooms never flooded until the breakup
Yes, and as above. While it is not clear on which particular lifeboat Anna Sjoblom was saved, Peter Engberg-Klarstrom conjectures that it must have been one of the starboard aft lifeboats. She also claimed in an interview with Tacoma Daily News on 30th April 1912 that her lifeboat was overloaded and 'next to last' to be lowered on that section of the ship, which means that it must have been #13 or #15 but I don't know if she said anything about the drama associated with lowering of those two lifeboats. Even if her boat was #11 (and some accounts, especially Eaton & Haas' sources, do say #11 was overloaded; Steward Edward Wheelton is supposed to have collected and led a large group of women into that boat), it was lowered at around 01:32 am, which does not fit in with her account of being 'chased onto the boat deck by the flooding'.She also claimed she saw an officer shoot himself, and if one did, she was on the complete opposite side of the ship where it supposedly happened, which certainly raises some questions as to the validity of her accounts.
There are reasons for that confusion. Theoretically at least, single Third Class men were berthed near the bow and single women near the stern, which ties in with Anna Sjoblom's cabin being 134 as shown in BB's deck plan. But, was it Eugene Daly (or another Irishman) who claimed that when the Third Class men started swarming towards the stern soon after the collision and following early flooding of their cabins, there were several girls among them? That statement is not without support:Regardless, it is interesting how people have placed her cabin in both the stern and the bow. Perhaps we'll never know where she really was.
Sorry to be quoting myself, but I checked and found clarification in Paul Quinn's Dusk to Dawn. In the third column of p94, it is stated that its was Daniel Buckley (and not Eugene Daly like I thought earlier) who saw several girls coming aft with the young men soon after the collision.But, was it Eugene Daly (or another Irishman) who claimed that when the Third Class men started swarming towards the stern soon after the collision and following early flooding of their cabins, there were several girls among them?
All very good insights. I'll add that on page 403 of "On A Sea Of Glass" endnote #23, they give a good explanation for their reasoning for Anna Sjoblom and a few other girls's cabins to be in the bow.It does indeed, on pp 147 and 160. But as IG shows through BB's deckplan, Cabin 134 was a 6-people female passenger cabin at the stern. That's what is shown here on her ET bio as well, where a facsmilie of the card is shown. But if she claimed that her room started to flood early and she had to literally flee to the boat deck ahead of the water, it suggests, that could only have been from the bow.
The reference for the account on p160 of On A Sea If Glass (218, Ch4), simply says "account provided by Mike Poirier" with no details. I would like Mr Poirer to provide details about his source. As it says below, there might have been an element of unreliability in Anna Sjoblom's account of her survival.
Yes, and as above. While it is not clear on which particular lifeboat Anna Sjoblom was saved, Peter Engberg-Klarstrom conjectures that it must have been one of the starboard aft lifeboats. She also claimed in an interview with Tacoma Daily News on 30th April 1912 that her lifeboat was overloaded and 'next to last' to be lowered on that section of the ship, which means that it must have been #13 or #15 but I don't know if she said anything about the drama associated with lowering of those two lifeboats. Even if her boat was #11 (and some accounts, especially Eaton & Haas' sources, do say #11 was overloaded; Steward Edward Wheelton is supposed to have collected and led a large group of women into that boat), it was lowered at around 01:32 am, which does not fit in with her account of being 'chased onto the boat deck by the flooding'.
We must remember that Sunday 14th April 1912 was Anna Sjoblom's 18th birthday and she had travelled from Finland on board the SS Polaris with a large group of Finns that included her schoolmate Jakob Wiklund and his brother among others. Might she have been celebrating a bit too enthusiastically that night?
There are reasons for that confusion. Theoretically at least, single Third Class men were berthed near the bow and single women near the stern, which ties in with Anna Sjoblom's cabin being 134 as shown in BB's deck plan. But, was it Eugene Daly (or another Irishman) who claimed that when the Third Class men started swarming towards the stern soon after the collision and following early flooding of their cabins, there were several girls among them? That statement is not without support:
In his book A Night To Remember, Walter Lord says that many young men from Third Class rooms in the bow, alerted by the early flooding, 'hurried aft to join the girls'. Anna Sjoblom and another girl were reportedly awakened by a Danish 'swain', which is a bit different from her being in the bow and chased up by the water etc. Also, in ANTR there is account of bow Anna and another girl climbed a ladder near the First Class A la carte restaurant to reach the boat deck. Of course, as far as I know, the restaurant was well towards the stern on B-deck.
On p80 of Paul Quinn's book Dusk To Dawn, which has several survivor quotes, Anna Sjoblom is supposed to have said that the shock of the collision woke her up. Everyone, presumably in her cabin, became excited; she put on some clothes and went outside.
All these ambiguous accounts must have been ramifications of statements originating from Anna Sjoblom herself. While there might have been a bit of third party embellishment, one cannot exclude the possibility that Anna and perhaps a few others were not where they were actually supposed to be on her 18th birthday night just before the collision.
Thanks; I had missed that. Considering several single girls- Bertha Mulvihill, Emily Badman, Anna Sjoblom etc - reported water in their cabins etc soon after the collision, I agree that some of them might have been berthed at the bow. There might have been some unofficial 'redistribution' of cabins after departure (see below)'ll add that on page 403 of "On A Sea Of Glass" endnote #23, they give a good explanation for their reasoning for Anna Sjoblom and a few other girls's cabins to be in the bow.
Well, it was her 18th birthday and she had many Finnish acquaintances on board, almost all of them in Third Class like her. I think it is safe to assume that Anna Sjoblom and her friends were celebrating a bit that night. Having said that, they might have actually gone to bed by the time of collision, like she claimed because of Lights Out.I believe in her account she claims she went to bed early and wasn't feeling well, though again, we don't know how much of this is true.
Looking at it one way Lifeboat #16 makes sense since her cabin (at least the one allocated to her) was at the stern on the port side. But then, that goes against several of her statements eg, being chased out of her room by the flooding water (which could not have happened at the stern), her lifeboat being the last but one on her side and overloaded (neither of which applies to #16). So, we probably will never know unless all the statements by surviving Finnish passengers are collated; even then one cannot be certain.Also, everything I've seen puts her lifeboat as #16 on the aft port side; I've yet to come across anything for the starboard side. Although as you've said there is definitely some uncertainty as to which lifeboat she was in.
As mentioned above, I thought about this. Officially at least, White Star are supposed to have berthed single Third Class single men at the bow and single women at the stern cabins with families somewhere in between but mostly stern rooms. But then, there are too many accounts that suggest that these guidelines might have not been strictly followed and survivor accounts do indicate that there might have been some single women occupying bow cabins.There is definitely evidence supporting both her cabin being in the stern as well as the bow; although the stern evidence is a little more concrete i.e. the inspection card, while the bow evidence is just based off of her account and doesn't have as much strong evidence other than having to take her at her word.
Hi There, I was wondering if you ever found a translation of Anna's interview? Many thanks, HarryHey! I'm not related to Anna Sjöblom, but I'm related to one of her travelling companions, Alfred Bonäs (in my profile pic) and come from Anna's home area. My older relateives around here, in fact, remember Anna Sjöblom very well, because she came home to visit Finland at about 1970 (she died in -75), and made a lasting impression.
There's an interview Anna made with Finnish State Media, YLE, in 1970. It's in Swedish (or Swenglish, actually, because Anna had forgotten much of her Swedish during the time in America) that you can listen to here: Överlevande från Titanic I think I made a translation of it into English; I'll see if I can find it.
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