BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor

Subject: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 22 Jan 09 - 06:28 PM

I was able to talk with the daughter of the titanic survivor, Pat Blessington, today. She filled me in a bit. He was #20 of 21 children, was not on official registers, was one of 6 people like in the movie (which I never saw) who caught on to planks and survivied. He had been in a boat and fell out. He was 14 to 16 at the time.

I asked why he was not on the surviver lists and she said she did not know how to get him on. Anyone know how? He apparently was an undocumented passenger.   mg

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jan 09 - 07:44 PM

These folks might be a good place to start: Encyclopedia Titanica

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: M.Ted
Date: 23 Jan 09 - 01:01 PM

It is surprising, but I suppose, not impossible, that there would be an as yet undocumented survivors. It is true that people got on the boat who weren't supposed to be there, but it would have been pretty hard to survive the sinking, be rescued, and get back to land without being noticed. Encyclopedia Titanic would be a good place to start, since they actively track all records of the survivors.

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: mg
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 12:14 AM

Someome on a genealogy list sent me a newspaper clipping about him. Says he was 19, which does not jibe with his death notice or the story I heard as a child. He had relatives in Rhode Island?? who met him in New York. I can email the story if anyone is interested. Just send meyour email.

mg

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 06:31 PM

I've had dealings with the Encyclopeada Titanica and found them to be helpful if not informative...

I've been tracking down a relative who was supposed to have been lost with the ship, but had actually jumped ship before it took that last leg of the journey. The fact that his name appears on the crew manifest (he was 'hospital steward', supposedly) but he wasn't on the ship when it sank, leaves me in doubt as to the accuracy of the whole thing.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 07:12 PM

How would one go about attempting to verify the presence of an undocumented passenger?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 07:24 PM

Especially nearly a hundred years later. Not too many other survivors still living. This might be one of those stories that become part of family legend. Some of them undoubtedly are true.

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: mg
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 08:35 PM

Well, it wasn't only family legend. My father introduced me to him when I was about 8 or 9 and he said he was a Titanic survivor..I had never heard of the Titanic but pretended I had. He was right there...if it wasn't true (or perhaps he was deluded but he was a pillar of the church and a founder of the community) he would have said oh don't tease her or something. My father was dead serious. mg

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 08:39 PM

Sorry, mg. I didn't speak clearly.

I don't mean - at all - that it isn't true. I just meant that some stories become legend because they cannot be proved; it then becomes part of one's oral history.

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: bubblyrat
Date: 25 Jan 09 - 11:55 AM

When I was in the Navy,we used to often refer to "Fucky off the Hood" ( mythical survivor of sinking of HMS Hood, Battlecruiser,in WW2 ). But I had no idea that he was (it seems) pre-dated by a considerable period of time by "Fucky off the Titanic " !!

Subject: RE: BS: New info on unknown Titanic Survivor
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 26 Jan 09 - 11:25 AM

were these documented? ; - )