One to One

J

Jemma Hyder

Guest
Thought it might be interesting to start a thread on this one:

If you could have a one to one with any Titanic Passenger or Crew Member, Lost or Saved, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Mine would Be Jack Phillips,(funnily enough) and I'd end up asking him a whole host of things, like what he did with certain wireless messages etc etc...........
 
Hi folks, I'm new to this site, hope you won't mind my chiming in. If I could speak with someone from Titanic, it'd be Officer Moody I think (though it is a hard decision, because there's so many questions I'd like to ask people.) Moody should have been off with the other junior officers but he stayed. Was it just lack of planning, as was so much else? I suspect he was just doing his job with dedication. But I'd love to talk to him. We know so little about him. It appears he wsa working till the last, but we've no idea what happened to him, how he died. But I'm also curious what he thought of the ship, before it sank. I'd just like to know more about him.

Kathy
 
My choice, which is no surprise to anyone, would, of course, be Captain Stanley Lord.

I'd ask him just exactly what happened that night, and I'd also like his thoughts on the aftermath and investigations.
 
My choice would be First Officer Murdoch. Of course, I'd want to know how he actually died (not out of disrespect, but simply to know the truth). I'd also want to know if he blamed himself for the incident and how he felt during the ship's last moments. You know, how he thought, whether he felt his decisions had been right, if he had any last regrets...

We know so little about him despite the discussion that there is. After all, what we know is of the seaman he was, not of his family, of private times...all we know is of half of him only. A skewed perception, because so many stories have never been passed around, that could only improve our understanding of the man. I would love to know the real him.

Regards,
Charmaine
 
Oh, why do I have to pick only one? "You want the impossible!" (to quote Luke Skywalker).

Now, if you said only one a day, then that would help...a little...

How about just gathering everyone in a really large room and having a question and answer?
happy.gif
 
Sir Cosimo-- "Well, um, yes..."
I-- "So you are both a cad and a coward?"
Sir C.-- "Um, no, actually. Neither, really, I think."
I-- "Do you?"
Sir C.-- "Sort of, you know, old chap."
I-- "You aren't entirely positive?"
Sir C.-- "Well, no..."
I-- "But then you would be very biased. Perhaps we should ask Lady Duff-Gordon..."
Lady D.-- "Um, yes, what do you want. Where's Cosmo?"
I-- "Dead, I should hope. I came to interview you."
Lady D.-- "I need Miss Francatelli before I can answer any of your questions."
Miss F.-- (Something in French)
Lady D.-- "There's your beautiful night-gown lost!"
I-- "What are you on about? I haven't a night-gown! A bath-robe perhaps..."
Lady D.-- "No, I mean Miss Francatelli's night-gown."
Miss F.-- (Something silly in French)
Lady D.-- "She lost it on the Titanic, you know!"
I-- "Ah! The Titanic, that's what I wanted to interview you about. About your husband's behaviour, actually. Was he a cad or simply a coward?"
Sir C.-- "You don't have to answer him, dear!"
I (pulling out a watercress sandwich)-- "Well, if you want this sandwich you will..."

That Evening...

I-- "Well, that was fun. Led me no-where of course, the Duff-Gordons snuck out the back, and we had to call the police, but the chase was fun. Found out that Sir Cosmo was indeed both a cad and a coward...next visit-- J. Bruce Ismay!"
 
Act II

LADY DUFF GORDON: (raising lorgnette) Young man just what are you here for?

ADDISON: Well, I'm basically just here to cause trouble, I guess, because I'm kind of a big insensitive dope and, instead of trying to have an open mind, I'd rather tow the same sad old party line and heap abuse on people who probably deserve better treatment from someone less biased, more sympathetic, more kind, and generally better informed than I am."

LADY DUFF GORDON: Well, my pet, that is really what I had gathered from your imbecilic and unkind comments. Now - Addison is it? - well, I have a suggestion, dear boy. Why don't you go and search out some other bridge to live under; we've quite had it with trolls 'round here. Besides, I've no time for stupid people with mean things to say so, if you'll excuse me...Au revoir. (Exits with Miss Francatelli)

ADDISON: (stands up and shrugs) Well...like...hey lady, I was only trying to be funny...

LADY DUFF GORDON: Good day. (Whispering to Miss Francatelli) What a sad little toad.

MISS FRANCATELLI: And rather looks like one too, Madame.

LADY DUFF GORDON: Yes, Lord love him...

ADDISON: (sitting back down, scatching his head) Well, maybe I can try and cause some sh*t somewhere else. I mean it's Christmas and I'm just a big loser and feeling low so, if I can, I'd like to upset somebody else just to, you know, make myself feel better. Hmmm, what kind of mischief can I stir up now?...

(Crane falls smashing troll to atoms)

MISS FRANCATELLI: (Turning back) Oh, dear. Little froggy man's been squished.

LADY DUFF GORDON: What? (Turning) Oh, well, never mind. (Takes second look) But that IS a lovely shade of green...

The End.
 
I would love to meet with Violet Jessop. Her photo looks as though she was an interesting, fun-loving person. As a stewardess for first class, I imagine she would have a lot of information about the manners and possessions of her passengers. It would be nice if she were also able to share some juicy gossip!!! She would be a good person to ask about the crew's meals and accommodations and how staff were treated by their charges and White Star Line. What did she like best about her job...or least?
 
EDITED - Ignore this post. Apologies to all who saw it, I should not have posted it in the first place. Like Randy (refer to post later on), I did not see the mean-spiritedness until it was pointed out.

Sincere apologies,
Charmaine
 
Act III

I-- After the Duff-Gordons are shipped out on a cattle boat to work as rubber sappers in a Brazillian rainforest, I decide to pay a visit to J. Bruce Ismay. I'm rounding up all the cads I can find and knocking their heads together.

(That evening, I arrive on the steps of a large black castle where Ismay lives in seclusion. The sign reads "Trespassers will be hanged, drawn, and quartered". However, little does Ismay know, but his feeble attempts to keep everyone away don't really work too well, not in my case. My job--- to reveal the truth!)

ISMAY (While ascending a tall, spiral staircase; an evil grin adorning his face): Well, it's a good thing I'm alone, considering the fact I'm a total cad and coward...yo ho! What is that shape moving around down there? Is that my poodle? Is that Mrs. Ismay? No...Harold Sanderson!! Are you down there...Eeeek! No response. Man, I hate it when this happens.

I: J. Bruce Ismay, are you a cad, or a coward, or both? And by the way, nice house.

ISMAY: Who are you? What do you want?

I: Information.

ISMAY: Aha! It's Patrick McGoohan down there!! I thought so...

I: No, it isn't.

ISMAY: Ummmm...is it Tom Baker???

I: No, it is no BBC TV Personality, Ismay. It's just a guy looking for answers!

ISMAY (quivering): Ummmm...oh.

I: So, J. Brute, are you a cad or a coward or both?

ISMAY: Ummm...both actually...I mean, I don't know. Stop subjecting me to this torture, you are just like Senator Smith! No respect for anyone's privacy!!

I: I've come for answers. I want them.

ISMAY: But...the North Atlantic, it was so scary! Besides, White Star Line needed me! J.P. Morgan needed me...

I: J.P. Morgan's dead. White Star didn't need cowards...

ISMAY: Alright! Alright! Ummm...look over there...

I: Where?

ISMAY: There, behind you, you know...it's William E. Carter, go bother him...

I: That's not...hey! Come back here.

(ISMAY races up-stairs and tries to load his blunderbust. The door bursts open and knocks the gun out of his hands...a struggle ensues...)

That Evening...At Home...

I: Well, that's done. Poor old Ismay. Like Sir Cosmo, he's both cad and coward. I don't suppose we shall see the likes of him again, considering he now works as a mustache waxer for a small mustache waxing firm. I got him the job, I'm afraid. I felt so incredibly sorry for him, once I saw the poor guy begging in the streets, with tattered tweed, and his broken mustache. I know it's not an ideal job, but hey! That's life, especially for a Titanic villain. Anyway, to-morrow I'm off to find poor old Quartermaster Hitchens...
 
All,

I think anybody who knows the time and effort I've put into researching Lucy Duff Gordon and the kind friendships that have resulted with her generous family, will understand why I didn't sit tight on this one. It was a matter of defending their honor as much as the Duff Gordons. Their family has been extraordinarily accomodating and helpful to me over the years and have also recently rendered a distinct courtesy to ET by consenting to allow the kimono worn by Lucy Duff Gordon to be seen publicly and exclusively on this forum. It was their original desire that it not be photographed for fear that it would cause them to be bothered with the press, something that has already happened unfortunately. However it is now with Phillip Gowan, a friend whom I know will protect it from being made into a tabloid sensation. Thus the permission to picture it here (and later for my book and Phil's - ONLY).

I am wrong for not contacting Phil Hind about my upset regarding Addison Hart's outrageously mean-spirited post about the Duff Gordons. I should have apprised him of it before replying to it as I did. I myself did not see it until several friends pointed out to me that the D-Gs were being shamelessly mocked on the thread.

I realize I cannot prevent people from harboring an ill opinion of the couple. I in fact would have no qualms about constructive criticism from others within the realm of a legitimate debate, but this was character assasination couched in nasty humor.

Anyhow, I reacted as I thought appropriate at the time which was to let the protagonists defend themselves in a bit of fictionalized fluff. I see it was wrong now to indulge this person who has now leapt to aiming his gun at Ismay and Hitchens.

I do think, though, that I would not have been the only one outraged had Hart first posted something unbecoming about Hitchens to begin with. As we've been publicly joined by one of his relatives, someone we're privileged to have among us, his story is made more human to us so I'm sure everyone would have sprung to the defence, which they should of course.

However, a relative of Lucy Duff Gordon's, a most kind and gentle woman whom you'd all love, is also a member of this forum though she has never wanted to introduce herself. I now see why and my urging her to come forward and my assurances to her that she would be embraced here, not shunned or insulted, will now probably come to nothing.

That is what upsets me the most, I guess.

Randy
 
Randy, whoever this lady is, I would be more then happy to welcome her. As to the character assassination, I'm inclined to agree. It's all too easy to fall for the reductive steroetypes born at the time of people who were evil as opposed to those who are remembered as hero's, and as one who tries to look at things a bit more closely, it's a trap I try to avoid. While one may observe that the Duff-Gordons certainly made some mistakes in both timing and taste,(That group lifeboat photo on the Carpathia.) they were hardly evil.

That incident in the lifeboat about offering the crew five pounds each was hardly the bribe it was made out to be at the time. These men had lost their kits, their source of income had plunged to the bottom cutting off their pay, and they were on their own in regards to obtaining new kits. The company wasn't about to help. That five pounds would have gone a long way to helping these men start fresh. Sir Cosmo was under no obligation to offer such, but he did anyway. Quite a generous act.

As to the lifeboat, they didn't bully their way in. They asked permission and got it. What would anyone expect them to do afterwards? Stay and drown?

Somehow, those little points seem to get lost in the debate.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
 

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