First-class Dining Room Assignments

[Yuriko Cheng]

Hi all! I believe each first-class passenger was allocated a table in the dining room. Does anyone have any info on the seating arrangements?

 

[Thomas Krom]

Hi all! I believe each first-class passenger was allocated a table in the dining room. Does anyone have any info on the seating arrangements?

The dining arrangements were done by the Second Steward (George Dodd) and his two assistants (assistant second stewards William Hughes and Joseph Wheat) in correspondence with the requests the purser would give them (based on the passengers wishes).

While every table will be hard to arrange I can provide a few seating arrangements we do know from the 14th of April in the D-deck dining saloon.

 

[Yuriko Cheng]

That would be very helpful! Thank you!

Oh, another question: Do we have any info on how passengers were selected to dine at the Captain's Table?

 

[Thomas Krom]

That would be very helpful! Thank you!

Here are some table arrangements on the 14th of April 1912:
Doctor’s table (table number 11):

Thomas Andrews Jr (1873-1912)

Albert Adrian Dick (1880-1970)

Vera Dick (1891-1973)

Dorothy Winifred Gibson (1889-1946)

Pauline Caroline Gibson (1866-1961)

Frederick Maxfield Hoyt (1873-1940)

Jane Anne Hoyt (1881-1932)

Assistant surgeon John Edward Simpson (1875-1912)

Pursers table (table number 15):

Eleanor Genevieve Cassebeer (1875-19?)

Alexander Taylor Compton Jr (1874-1912)

Mary Eliza Compton (1847-1930)

Sara Rebecca Compton (1872-1952)

Purser Hugh Richard Walter McElroy (1874-1912)

Frederic Kimber Seward (1878-1943)

John Montgomery Smart (1856-1912)

William Thomas Stead (1849-1912)

Either table number 21, 29 or 33

Isidor Straus (1845-1912)

Rosalie Ida Straus (1849-1912)

The rest can only be speculated from here now on in terms of their table number, but here are some parties that ate together on the 14th of April in the first class dining saloon on D-deck:

Party number 1	Bess Waldo Allison (1886-1912) Hudson Joshua Creighton Allison (1881-1912) Harry Markland Molson (1856-1912) Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen (1859-1929)
Party number 2	Henry Blank (1872-1949) Antoinette Flegenheim (1863-1943) Blanche Greenfield (1867-1936) William Bertram Greenfield (1888-1949) Alfred “Baron Alfred von Drachstedt” Nourney (1892-1972)
Party number 3	Charlotte Appleton (1858-1924) Caroline Lane Brown (1852-1928) Malvina Helen Cornell (1856-1941) Edith Corse Evans (1875-1912)
Party number 4	Edward Pennington Calderhead (1869-1961) John Irwin Flynn (1875-1951) George Edward Graham (1873-1912) James Robert McGough (1876-1937) Spencer Victor Silverthorne (1876-1964)
Party number 5	Julia Florence Cavendish (1886-1963) Tyrell William Cavendish (1875-1912) Gladys Cherry (1881-1965) The Countess of Rothes (Lucy Noël Martha Dyer-Edwards) (1878-1956)
Party number 6	Engelhart Cornelius Østby (1848-1912) Helen Ragnhild Østby (1889-1978) Anna Sophia Warren (1851-1925) Frank Manley Warren (1848-1912)
Party number 7	Elizabeth Lindsey Lines (1861-1942) Mary Conover Lines (1895-1975) Percival Wayland White (1858-1912) Richard Frasar White (1890-1912)
Party number 8	Elizabeth Mussey Eustis (1858-1936) Martha Stephenson (1860-1934)
Party number 9	Captain Edward Gifford Crosby (1842-1912) Catherine Elizabeth Crosby (1847-1920) Harriette Rebecca Crosby (1872-1941) Elmer Zebley Taylor (1864-1949) Juliet Cummins Taylor (1862-1927) Fletcher Fellowes Lambert Williams (1868-1912)
Party number 10	Annie May Stengel (1868-1956) Charles Emil Henry Stengel (1857-1914)
Party number 11	Hedwig Margaritha Frölicher (1889-1972) Margaretha Emerentia Frölicher-Stehli (1864-1955) Maximilian Josef Frölicher-Stehli (1851-1913) Oberst Alfons Simonius-Blumer (1855-1920) Max Stähelin-Maeglin (1880-1968)
Party number 12	Francis Davis Millet (1846-1912) Clarence Moore (1865-1912)
Party number 13	Daniel Warner Marvin (1894-1912) Mary Graham Carmichael Marvin (1894-1975)
Party number 14	Frederick Roland Kenyon (1871-1912) Marion Estelle Kenyon (1871-1958) Dr. Alice May Leader (1862-1944) Margaret Welles Swift (1865-1948)
Party number 15	Philipp Edmund Mock (1881-1951) Emma Mock Schabert (1876-1961)
Party number 16	Arthur Larned Ryerson (1851-1912) Emily Borie Ryerson (1893-1960) Emily Maria Ryerson (1863-1939) John Borie Ryerson (1898-1986) Susan “Suzzette” Parker Ryerson (1890-1921)
Party number 17	Arthur Webster Newell (1854-1912) Madeleine Newell (1880-1969) Marjorie Anne Newell (1889-1992)
Party number 18	Kornelia Theodosia Andrews (1849-1913) Anna Louisa Hogeboom (1860-1947) Gretchen Fiske Longley (1890-1965)
Party number 19	Clara Frauenthal (1869-1943) Henry William Frauenthal (1863-1927) Isaac Gerald Frauenthal (1868-1932)

A handful of passengers dined alone in the first class dining saloon.

Oh, another question: Do we have any info on how passengers were selected to dine at the Captain's Table?

They were selected by the purser, if he ate in the dining saloon on D-deck that is. Captain Smith had his own six seating table, table number 106, which was located in front of the captain's table. On the 14th of April captain Smith was invited by the Widener family (George and Eleanor Widener and their son Harry) to dine in the á la carte restaurant on B-deck, together with Mr. and Mrs. Thayer (who according to Mrs. Thayer dined at his table in the normal dining saloon every night before), Mr. and Mrs. Carter, Major Archibald B-utt and Henry Anderson.

 

[CRAIG SEMAN]

A rather interesting bunch of younger type people at the doctor's table. What was the cut off for children dining in the saloon? 14? 18?

 

[Arun Vajpey]

Party number 7

Elizabeth Lindsey Lines (1861-1942) Mary Conover Lines (1895-1975) Percival Wayland White (1858-1912) Richard Frasar White (1890-1912)

Thanks particularly for confirming that. I have always beleieved that the Whites and the Lines shared a dining table. I bet that the conversation at that table was the most interesting fo the lot because all four come across as reasonably intelligent people.

Party number 18

Kornelia Theodosia Andrews (1849-1913) Anna Louisa Hogeboom (1860-1947) Gretchen Fiske Longley (1890-1965)

Is there any evidence that there could have been a fourth person at that table? I believe that the elusive Ann Isham could have been that person because the other htree searched for her on board the Carpathia. The trio occupied three D-deck bains #7, #9 & #11 whereas Ann Isham was in C49, a deck higher.

Also, is there any way of finding out if the Tables for Party #2 and Party #18 were next to each other? There has been some speculation that the co-passenger who told Antoinette Flegenheim acorss dining tables that her calling bell was not working might have been Ann Isham.

 

[Thomas Krom]

Thanks particularly for confirming that. I have always beleieved that the Whites and the Lines shared a dining table. I bet that the conversation at that table was the most interesting fo the lot because all four come across as reasonably intelligent people.

It's possible Ida Sophia Hippach (1867-1940) and her daugther Gertrude Isabelle Hippach (1894-1974) were at their table too.

Is there any evidence that there could have been a fourth person at that table? I believe that the elusive Ann Isham could have been that person because the other htree searched for her on board the Carpathia. The trio occupied three D-deck bains #7, #9 & #11 whereas Ann Isham was in C49, a deck higher.

I haven't read anything that confirms that Miss Isham dined at the same table as the two aunts and niece. Have you seen anything my friend?

Also, is there any way of finding out if the Tables for Party #2 and Party #18 were next to each other? There has been some speculation that the co-passenger who told Antoinette Flegenheim acorss dining tables that her calling bell was not working might have been Ann Isham.

It's certainly possible, but I have no evidence in favour or against it.

 

[Arun Vajpey]

It's possible Ida Sophia Hippach (1867-1940) and her daugther Gertrude Isabelle Hippach (1894-1974) were at their table too.

Quite possible. There is a comment in William Russo's book Tales of a Titanic Family that Gertrude Hippach developed a crush on young Richard White.

I haven't read anything that confirms that Miss Isham dined at the same table as the two aunts and niece. Have you seen anything my friend?

Not directly, but I have read that Gretchen Longley and her aunts were searching for Ann Isham on board the Carpathia. Since those 3 women were all on D-deck cabins while Mrs Isham was on C-49, I figured that they might have socialized at the dinner table.

 

[Thomas Krom]

Quite possible. There is a comment in William Russo's book Tales of a Titanic Family that Gertrude Hippach developed a crush on young Richard White.

She named Richard White in her account. I could gladly quote from it if you like my friend.

Not directly, but I have read that Gretchen Longley and her aunts were searching for Ann Isham on board the Carpathia. Since those 3 women were all on D-deck cabins while Mrs Isham was on C-49, I figured that they might have socialized at the dinner table.

Either that or during the voyage/after dinner.

 

[Yuriko Cheng]

Thank you very much for the info, Thomas!

A handful of passengers dined alone in the first class dining saloon.

Wasn't this some kind of social faux pas?

 

[Arun Vajpey]

Wasn't this some kind of social faux pas?

I don't think so. I can think of many reasons why a First Class passenger, or anyone for that matter, might have preferred to dine alone occasionally. He or she might have had pressing business or personal issues to sort out once they got back to America and might have wanted to contemplate about that during the meal. Yes, I know that the average First Class passenger had plenty of leisure time while on board a luxury ship and had other options, including remaining in their cabins, if they wanted some solitude. But you'll be surprised how many people find such contemplation come by naturally while seated in front of a leisurely fine meal and perhaps a glass of good wine.

 

[Thomas Krom]

Wasn't this some kind of social faux pas?

Not as far as I am aware, take John "Jack" Borland Thayer III for example, his parents were dining in the á la carte restaurant so he dined alone at the first class dining saloon.

 

[Arun Vajpey]

Either that or during the voyage/after dinner.

Thomas, is there any way you can find more evidence as to which table Ann Isham could have dined? I know that I am assuming that she sat with Kornelia Andrews, Anna Hogeboom and Gretchen Longley but that's based only on the fact that those 3 women were lookong for Mrs Isham on board the Carpathia. Is there any other source or suggestion?