Fireman Murdoch

[Micheal Napier]

Hey all.

Whilst reading the Ulster Titanic Society web page today, i noticed that there was a fireman named William Murdoch. Does anyone know if he was any relation to the First Officer?

Mike Napier

 

[Inger Sheil]

No link has been established to my knowledge, Mike. Stormer discusses the confusion caused by his appearance on the lists of the saved in her biography of First Officer Murdoch 'Goodbye, Good Luck'. 'William Murdoch' was a fairly common name, and there were quite a few about.

Have you seen the photo of Fireman Murdoch in Cameron's book, 'Belfast's Own', complete with photograph? I've spoken to a couple of people who had a bit of a start when they were flicking through the book and came across the caption "William Murdoch in Australia with Catherine Robson", showing a very cheerfull looking middle aged man.

Inger

 

[Inger Sheil]

Righteo -

I'm officially renouncing any claim I have to being able to write in the English (or any other) language. I even topped my earlier effort in another post referring three times to 'discuss' or 'discussion' in the one sentence...above, we have a line that tells us twice about a photo.

It wouldn't be quite so bad if I didn't notice the tautologisms, malapropisms, poor spelling and grammar when I reread the posts later.

Yours in self-disgust,

Inger

 

[Phillip Gowan]

Michael,
Have you noticed that Officer Murdoch was William McMaster Murdoch, and fireman Murdoch's mother's maiden name was McMaster? Quite a coincidence methinks.

Phil Gowan

 

[Chris Dohany]

I'm thinking that may be where the coincidences end. Fireman Murdoch's parents were native Irish, whereas it appears Officer Murdoch came from a long line of Scots.

 

[Micheal Napier]

Thanks for your inputs folks.

Just another question about the first officer, in the line of officers was he more responsible as a navigator, where as Wilde played a more administrative duty?

Thanks for your time once again.
Mike Napier

 

[Inger Sheil]

And speaking of shared names...I found another officer Harold Lowe sailing on the Oceanic in the 1910s. He was born in Chester where the Lowe family originally hailed from, so it is possible there is a link.

The Murdochs connected with the First Officer have themselves speculated on possible connections due to the 'McMaster' link but - possibly due to the reasons Chris mentions - have yet to find one.

I remember a radio interview with one of the Australian descendents of Fireman Murdoch at the time the Cameron movie came out. A competition had been held for a Titanic related prize - might have been a piece of 'Titanic coal', but I don't quite recall - and the winner was to be the individual who gave the best reason why they should have it. This woman won hands down. She did, btw, mention the First Officer/Fireman coincidence.

Inger

 

[Andrew Rogers]

Today Daniel Rosenshine and myself found William John Murdoch's grave.
He shares the grave with his wife Catherine who died in 1965.
Thanks to Geoff Whitfield for giving us a clue!

Bye for now,
Andrew

 

[Daniel Rosenshine]

Hello Andrew,

Funny, two seconds ago your message was not there and now it is, we must have been on line at the same time.

Don't forget 'I' found the grave not 'we' he he

How funny, it was only two steps away from where we parked the car yet we searched the whole cemetery for it!

Cheers ... Daniel.

 

[Inger Sheil]

Like I told Andrew, I don't envy the two of you going through Rookwood trying to find that grave, even with a grave number...that place is an amazingly sprawling necropolis. What sort of condition is the site in?

Inger

 

[Andrew Rogers]

OK Daniel, you found it but I parked right near it and managed to walk over it without noticing a thing!!
Inger, it's not in great condition. Will e-mail a pic for you. Daniel and I might try to find the relatives and see about getting it fixed up.
The M Mason who did Evelyn Marsden's headstone might lend a hand.

Andrew

 

[Matteo Eyre]

does anyone know the boat in which Stoker Murdoch survived in??
Matteo

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Collapsible C

 

[Matteo Eyre]

Cheers Bob, i had sort of narrowed it down to C, D or 16 but i had no idea at all
just wondering how do you know all of this stuff?? like where do you get all your information from?? i'm trying to broaden my resources you see
Cheers Bob
Matteo

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Well, you could have got that particular bit of info (and a lot more besides) from Craig Stringer's Titanic People, which I've already recommended.