Thanks for that photograph of Mrs Brown's son, Daniel. The rugged terrain of South Dakota must have seemed a long way away from genteel Old New York! The close bonds existing between the Lamson siblings persisted into the next generation. I've come across two reports, at least, which have one or other of the sisters throwing parties for their nephews and nieces.
Thinking back to their experiences that night, one can't help but reflect on how frightening it must have been when the Lamson sisters became separated from one another. It seems to be generally agreed that Mrs Appleton and Mrs Cornell embarked on Emergency Boat No. 2 whilst, famously, Mrs Brown was in
Collapsible D - so becoming, quite conceivably, the very last passenger to board the very last boat to leave the sinking
Titanic. What they had been doing in the intervening period is open to question. Research suggests that many other first-class ladies, who had had every opportunity to escape at an early stage, prevaricated until very late on in the proceedings. Thankfully, Malvina and Charlotte did not waste precious moments seeking their sister but, instead, entered a boat. Poor Bess Allison, looking for both her husband and her baby, was not so fortunate. Nor was Caroline Brown the only one who got separated from her relatives. I recently re-read Jack Thayer's account and he also describes loosing his parents in the throng. It is easy to forget how dark and crowded the decks must have been that night; the general air of confusion not eased at all by the lack of co-ordinated instruction from above. This is a very illuminating thread from a couple of years back which touches on some of the issues I've been mulling over:
https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/discus/messages/5665/99672.html?1181278404
I particularly like Steve Shortman's contribution to the debate. Various sources suggest that, initially, quite a substantial first-class contingent waited to board Lifeboat No. 4 - only for many to become disgruntled with the various delays and, ultimately, drift off to depart the ship by other means.
Lastly, I only realised a month or so ago that, by his own account,
Colonel Gracie - a truly indefatigable networker - did
not actually know Edith Evans personally and, indeed, was only introduced to her for the first time as the ship was sinking. Even then, he didn't catch her name and had to ask her to repeat it to him when he re-encountered her with Mrs Brown at a truly critical stage.
