Captain Edward Smith is most famously known for being captain of the Titanic.
His Parents He was born on the 27th of January 1850, in Hanley, Staffordshire, England to his parents Edward Smith and Catherine Smith (Hancock). His parents married on the 2nd of August 1841, in Shelton Staffordshire and went on to own a shop. His Education Captain Edward Smith went to the Etruria British School. The Etruria British School is in Hanley too. Smith went to the Etruria British School until he was 12/13 years old. After he left school, he went on to work. His First Job After finishing the Etruria British School, Captain Edward Smith went on to his first job, which was at the Etruria Forge. The Eturia Forge is also in Staffordshire, today it is a museum, called the Etruria Industrial Museum. Captain Smith operated a steam hammer while at the Etruria Forge.
The Etruria Forge was a factory when Smith worked there.
His Apprenticeship Captain Edward Smith worked at the Etruria Forge for a few years, he then went to Liverpool to start an apprenticeship with Gibson & Co. Liverpool, in 1867. It was at this time the Smith became interested in wanting to work at sea. He had gone to do an apprenticeship with Gibson & Co. Liverpool, following in his half brother's footsteps. Smith had two half-siblings. His half brother was called Joseph Hancock and his half-sister was called Thyrza Hancock. Masters Certificate Smith then went on to gain a masters certificate at about age 24/25. This masters certificate gave Smith the qualifications to command a vessel and take them out to sea. It was the start of his seafaring career. His Marriage
Captain Smith married his wife at St Oswald's Church, in Winwick, in Cheshire.
His wife was Sarah Eleanor Pennington. Smith and Pennington married on the 13th of January 1887. Both of them had their daughter a few years after they had married. They had a daughter named Helen Melville Smith; Helen Melville Smith was born on the 2nd of April 1898, she was born at Waterloo in Liverpool. Smith's Career At White Star Line By the time that Smith was married and had his daughter, he was already working for White Star Line (White Star Line was the company that owned the Titanic). Smith joined White Star Line in 1880. His first job at White Star Line was on a ship called SS Celtic. He started his job on the SS Celtic in March 1880, where he was the fourth officer on the ship. Smith went on to work on numerous ships while at White Star Line during the late Victorian era and early Edwardian era. Captain Of The RMS Olympic
Before Smith started working on the RMS Titanic, he was working on the RMS Olympic. The RMS Olympic was the sister ship to the RMS Titanic.
As you can see from the picture above, the RMS Olympic is identical to Titanic. Smith was captain of the Olympic on the Olympic's maiden voyage like he was captain of the Titanic on the Titanic's maiden voyage. However, unlike the Titanic's maiden voyage, the Olympic's maiden voyage didn't end in catastrophe. The maiden voyage of the Olympic began on the 14th of June 1911 from Southampton. Olympic followed the much of the same route that the later ill-fated Titanic would follow, as the Olympic once leaving Southampton then stopped off at Cherbourg in France and then Queenstown in Ireland, before heading out into the Atlantic ocean and setting sail for New York. Titanic was also supposed to reach New York, but, as we know, Titanic didn't reach New York on her maiden voyage. Olympic did though. Captain Smith successfully captained the Olympic to New York and landed there on the 21st of June 1911. The Olympic's maiden voyage was successful. Titanic's Sea Trials The Olympic's maiden voyage happened just a few months before Titanic's. The building of the Titanic was completed by the Spring of 1912. The Titanic's sea trials were supposed to be on the 1st of April 1911, however, due to bad weather, her sea trials were postponed for a day. Titanic's sea trials were on the 2nd of April 1912. The sea trials went on for about 12 hours, where the captain had taken the ship out to sea to run tests on the Titanic, such as speed tests, to make sure that the Titanic was working properly. Titanic successfully completed her sea trials on the evening of 2nd April 1912 from Belfast. That same evening, just an hour after the Titanic arrived back at Belfast from her sea trials, the Titanic set off again with captain Smith. This time, Titanic set off to Southampton, where she would begin her maiden voyage just a few days later. Titanic's Maiden Voyage Titanic's maiden voyage began on the 10th of April 1912. Captain Smith arrived that morning to board Titanic at 7 am. She left Southampton on midday on the 10th of April 1912. Just a few minutes after starting her maiden voyage, while still at Southampton docks, Titanic had a near collision with the SS New York. This near collision with the SS New York set the Titanic's voyage back. But, only for an hour. Around an hour later, Titanic successfully left Southampton with Smith as captain of the ship and made their way to Cherbourg, France. Titanic arrived in Cherbourg in the early evening of the 10th of April 1912 successfully. While at Cherbourg, Titanic collected more passenger . She didn't dock at Cherbourg long and by 8 pm, Titanic's anchor was lifted and she made her way to Ireland. Titanic reached Ireland the next morning. Captain Smith had successfully taken Titanic to both France and Ireland without incident. He arrived in Queenstown, Ireland on the 11th of April 1912, at Cork Harbour at 11.30 am. While at Cork Harbour, Titanic let off some passengers and collected other passengers - there was also mail that she collected. Titanic was only at Cork for 2 hours. She lifted her anchor at 1.30 pm and set sail out into the Atlantic ocean. This was the last time Titanic saw dry land. The Last Hours Of Titanic
During Titanic's last day, on the 14th of April 1912, captain Smith was in charge of Titanic throughout the daylight hours.
During that day, there were numerous iceberg warnings giving to Titanic from other ships in the area. Not all of these iceberg warnings made their way to captain Smith, as some of the warnings didn't even make it to the bridge. Despite these iceberg warnings, its thought that Titanic still sped through the waters and didn't reduce its speed during that day, and later night. On the night of the 14th of April 1912, captain Smith was at a dinner party in first class and then later retired to bed that night before 10 pm. At 10 pm, First Officer Murdoch took charge of the ship. Therefore, during Titanic's very last hours and during her collision with the iceberg it wasn't Captain Smith who was in charge of Titanic, it was First Officer Murdoch. Titanic collided with the iceberg at 11.40 pm that night. Immediately after the Titanic collided with the iceberg, Captain Smith came out straight to the bridge to see what had happened. Smith was then told by First Officer Murdoch what had happened - that Titanic had collided with an iceberg. After Smith had talked to Thomas Andrews - Andrews was Titanic's architect - it became apparent to Smith that Titanic would not stay afloat and that she would sink very quickly to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in just a few short hours. By midnight, Smith is thought to have ordered the lifeboats to be prepared. He is then thought to have given the order of ''women and children first''. There is still speculation to this day to what Captain Edward Smith did in the final hours of the Titanic and during her sinking. But, what we do know, is that captain Edward Smith never left the Titanic, he stayed on the ship until the very end - an indication that he helped passengers and crew until the very end. It's speculated that Captain Smith was last seen on the bridge just before the Titanic sank into the Atlantic ocean. Titanic sank at 2.20 am on the 15th of April 1912. Captain Edward Smith died on the Titanic. His body was never recovered.
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