Alice Catherine Cleaver was a First Class passenger of the Titanic. She survived the sinking.
Biography[]
She was the daughter of Joseph Cleaver, a postman, and Lavinia Alice Thomas. Cleaver. At the time of her birth, which was on July 5th, 1889 the family lived at 42 Marquis Road, Pancras.
While she was still in her teens Alice started working as a nursemaid to fashionable English families. In 1911 she was working as a nurse maid in the Harley St. home of the Sargeant family.
She was later hired by Montreal millionaires, Hudson and Bess Allison, as a last minute replacement to look after their baby son, Trevor.
Titanic[]
She boarded the Titanic at Southampton in First Class under the Allison's ticket (No. 113781). Rumors were that she had killed her own baby and was in deep shock because of this, but this remains a mystery to this day. It appears that her identity was mistaken for that of a Alice Mary Cleaver, who was not on the Titanic (allthough appearing on some passenger lists) and had no connection with Alice Catherine Cleaver, other than the fact they were Christian and shared surnames. Alice Mary Cleaver was convicted of murder in 1909 for throwing her baby under a train.
Alice had already felt uneasy during the voyage, and it has been said she had prominitions. Those that still had mistaken her identity would say she had feelings of guilt and struggled with the murder of her baby.
After the collision on the night of April 14th, 1912; Alice was immediately in panic, and apparently bundled up the infant in her charge and went off to Second Class to round up the rest of the Allison household. The Allison pair however had faith in the ship and thought nothing much was wrong, but Alice was adament that they were in danger and made this sudden move when they didn't want to listen to her.
A drawing of Alice Cleaver
Alice boarded lifeboat 11. Bedroom Steward William Faulkner held baby Trevor while Alice got in. Although there is no firm evidence, it seems certain that the Allisons were unaware that Cooper had taken the child off safely. However they missed their baby and were searching all over the place and taking their other child, their daughter Helen Loraine Allison with them. It appears that the couple were seperated during the evacuation and just as Mrs. Bess Allison was ready to board, she was called by a passenger who said her husband was on the other side. This was not to be the truth however. Their trust in the unsinkable ship and the long search meant they were too late to find a lifeboat for them and their daughter, and all of them perished in the sinking. They realised too late that they could at least have their daughter taken to safety first.
So without knowing, Alice indirectly caused the death of the rest of the family.
The next day, Alice Cleaver and Sarah Daniels realized that they, along with Trevor and the cook - Mildred Brown, were the only survivors of their party.
When she arrived in New York with the child, Alice avoided talking to reporters by telling them her name was Jean.
After the sinking, she returned to England. On June 22nd, 1918 she married widower Edward James Williams (born 1891), a clerk who later became a surgical appliance manufacturer. They had two daughters. Although she reportedly never talked about the sinking, she is listed as a contributor to Walter Lord's research for A Night to Remember (as Mrs. A. C. Williams).
At the time of Alice's death on November 1st, 1984; she was the last surviving servant passenger of the Titanic.
Portrayals[]
A Night to Remember (1958)[]
A possible appearance of Alice Cleaver in A Night to Remember (1958)
A possible appearance of Alice Cleaver and Trevor Allison, onboard the Carpathia
Alice Cleaver make a possible appearance in A Night to Remember (1958), portrayed by Diana Blackwood. She's appear in lifeboat 6, sit next to Margaret Brown and was given a fur shawl by her. As the Titanic goes down, she's stared in horror, holding a baby. This character may be refer to Alice Cleaver, although in real life Alice and Trevor escaped in lifeboat 11.
1996 Titanic Miniseries[]
Alice Cleaver in Titanic 1996 Miniseries
Alice Cleaver with Baby Trevor and Lorraine Allison in Titanic (1996)
Alice Cleaver was portrayed by Felicity Waterman. In this miniseries, Cooper was portrayed as an emotionally unstable young woman with premonitions of the disaster, who then sees the opportunity to rescue baby Trevor from the sinking ship as a saving grace from her tumultuous past. she escaped in lifeboat 7 which in reality, she escaped in lifeboat 11
2012 Titanic Miniseries[]
Alice Cleaver in Titanic (2012) Miniseries
Alice Cleaver in Titanic 2012 Miniseries
Alice Cleaver was portrayed by Izabella Urbanowicz. This miniseries also portrayed her unfairly, and was mistaken escaped in lifeboat 8.
Notes[]
- "Lost child of the Titanic and the fraud that haunted her family". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2014-01-19. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
- ^ Hustak, Alan. "THE TITANIC; As least 32 passengers were bound for Montreal: [FINAL Edition]". The Gazette. ProQuest 432268914
- Rondeau, Rob (2012-04-16). Titanic Lives: On Board, Destination Canada. Formac Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 9781459500198
- "Alice Catherine Cooper : Titanic Survivor | Miss Alice Catherine Cooper". Encyclopedia Titanica. Retrieved 2017-03-28
- "The weather during the Titanic disaster: looking back 100 years". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-03-21
- Koldau, Linda Maria (2012-05-07). The Titanic on Film: Myth versus Truth. McFarland. ISBN 9780786490370
- https://timmaltin.com/2019/03/08/titanic-nursemaid-alice-cooper/#:~:text=But%20Alice%20Mary%20Cleaver%2C%20who,her%20baby%20under%20a%20train.