Cosmo duff gordon biography sample
He was also a sheriff and magistrate in his native Kincardineshirenear Aberdeenwhere his ancestral country estate Maryculter was located. Duff-Gordon is best known for the circumstances in which he survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic inalong with his wife and her secretary, Laura Mabel Francatelli. The three were among only 12 people who escaped in Lifeboat 1, which had a capacity of The ladies had earlier turned down places in two other lifeboats for women and children because Lucy refused to be separated from her husband.
Duff-Gordon was a witness at the inquiry into the sinking. Duff-Gordon stated that the money was to allow the sailor to buy new clothes.
Cosmo duff gordon biography sample
Cosmo denied the allegation that he disobeyed orders, maintaining there had been no women or children in the immediate vicinity when his boat was launched, as was confirmed by others. Moreover, Duff-Gordon denied his offer of money to the lifeboat's crew was a bribe although he could not deny passing the moneyand the British Board of Trade's inquiry into the disaster accepted his explanation that it was a charitable contribution for crew members who had lost not only their possessions but their jobs.
At the English investigation after the disaster both were called to testify. Cosmo Edmund Duff Gordon. Share this page. Comment and discuss. Sir Cosmo and his wife were on the maiden voyage of the Titanic in April Cosmo's survival of the sinking of the Titanic is attributed to his boarding a life boat with his wife. Fireman Robert Pusey complained to Duff-Gordon that they had lost all their belongings their 'kit 'and that, in all probability, their pay would end when the ship sank, so the wealthy passenger offered all the men five pounds on their return.
This was a pledge he would honour on board the Carpathia. Later Sir Cosmo would appear before a packed British Inquiry to defend himself against the accusation that he had bribed the men to secure his escape from the Titanic and that they were thus encouraged not to return to the scene of the sinking to rescue swimmers. They were in a life boat of only 12 people, 7 of whom were crew members, with a capacity of Cosmo said there were no women and children waiting to board the boat and there was a witness to support this.
The accusations of bribery were declared unfounded. Retrieved 10 July London: Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 16 July Retrieved 5 May Archived from the original on 3 January Retrieved 3 February Necropolis Notables. The Brook wood Cemetery Society. Retrieved 23 February Archived from the original on 13 April Retrieved 16 April External links [ edit ].
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