Collapsible C or Collapsible 3, was an “Engelhardt Type Collapsible” raft that was stationed on the starboard side of the RMS Titanic. it was the ninth lifeboat to be launched from the starboard side; and the first collapsible to be launched. Officers Murdoch and Wilde had launched the lifeboat from the davits at around 1:47 AM, with the assistance of McElroy.
Departure[]
Around 1:45 A.M., Officers Wilde and Murdoch had been actively preparing Collapsible C for launch. As they would fit the raft into the davits which housed Emergency Lifeboat 1. Which had left 45 minutes earlier. After finishing the preparation, they began filling passengers into the boat, many of whom being Third Class passengers from the Middle East. Wilde then put Quartermaster Rowe, who had been assisting with the Morse lamp, trying to contact ships in the vicinity and with firing rockets, in charge of the boat.
During the filling process, a crowd of people began rushing the lifeboat, causing one of the two officers to fire into the air as a warning shot. When the boat was filled to near capacity, with around 30 women and children inside, Wilde ordered five crewmen in, Seeing there were a few seats still free, First Class passenger, William Ernest Carter, who had left his family at lifeboat 4, entered it and the boat was lowered away. According to Joseph Bruce Ismay, as the lifeboat was being lowered, he saw no more women around and he leaped into it and took the nearest seat. His decision caused him to later be heavily criticized for his escape and he was portrayed as Brute Ismay in some newspapers. He received the hatred of the American public who had made him into a scapegoat and a coward. Some have theorized that he jumped into the boat, despite there being women still near the boat. However others claim there were none, and his escape was justified; he was a passenger just like any other passenger.
As the boat lowered, it scraped against the wall of the Promenade, as it would then be lowered into the water, about 40 minutes before the Titanic took it’s final plunge. While rowing away from the ship, four Chinese Third Class passengers were discovered in the bottom of the boat. Emily Goldsmith noticed them along with other passengers and they informed Rowe about them. The boat left the ship with around 41 passengers within the boat, as they wouldn’t pick up any survivors from the water.
During the final plunge, Bruce Ismay testified that he had his back turned from the ship, wishing to not see it founder. The boat reached the RMS Carpathia as the tenth or twelfth lifeboat.
Notable occupants[]
- George Thomas Rowe -----------------Quartermaster (in charge)
- Albert Victor Pearcey -----------------Third Class Pantryman
- Joseph Bruce Ismay ----------------- First Class Passenger
- William Ernest Carter ----------------- First Class Passenger
- Juliette Laroche* -------------------- Second Class Passenger
- Louise Laroche* ----------------------Second Class Passenger
- Simonne Laroche* ------------------- Second Class Passenger
- Mariyam Assāf Khalīl* ----------------Third Class Passenger
- Margaret Bedelia Devaney ------------Third Class Passenger
- Mantūrah Franjīyah* ------------------ Third Class Passenger
- Emily A. Goldsmith -------------------- Third Class Passenger
- Frank J. W. Goldsmith ----------------- Third Class Passenger
- Hilda Maria Hellström------------------ Third Class Passenger
- Helga Hirvonen* ----------------------Third Class Passenger
- Hildur Hirvonen* ---------------------- Third Class Passenger
- May Howard* -------------------------Third Class Passenger
- Joseph Hyman ----------------------- Third Class Passenger
- Hee Ling* -----------------------------Third Class Passenger
- Velin Matilda Öhman ------------------ Third Class Passenger
- Anna Kristine Salkjelsvik ---------------Third Class Passenger
- Amy Stanley* ------------------------ Third Class Passenger
- Kātrīn Yūsuf* -------------------------- Third Class Passenger
- Nabīhah Yūsuf* ----------------------- Third Class Passenger
* = not certain
Popular culture[]
Fictional Occupants[]
- First Class Lady 5
- Louisa Grex, Lady Manton
- Georgiana Grex
- Mabel Watson
- Annie Desmond
- Jamie Perse (transferred from lifeboat 12)
A Night to Remember (1958)[]
The chaos during the loading of Collapsible C, as seen in A Night to Remember (1958)
In A Night to Remember, the loading for Collapsible C was chaotic. First Officer Murdoch and Bruce Ismay tried to fill the lifeboat with the women. Quartermaster George Thomas Rowe was assigned by Murdoch to be in charge of the boat.
When there was no more space in the lifeboats, while there were still many people on board, the crew told them to go to way aft (even though there were no more lifeboats left).
Bruce Ismay, asking Murdoch: "Is there no one else?", he saw one more empty seat on the boat and jumped into the lifeboat as it was being launched.
Murdoch, surprised at Ismay's actions, briefly stopped the lifeboat from launching, while Ismay only stared at him briefly. Murdoch then immediately continued launching the lifeboat.
Titanic (1997)[]
Bruce Ismay jumped into Collapsible C, from the 1997 film Titanic
In the 1997 film, around 1:45 AM, Murdoch and Ismay tried to fill the lifeboat, even Ismay frantically forced a woman who was crying to get into the lifeboat. Murdoch, seeing that the area around the lifeboat was very quiet, asked a crew member: "Where is everyone?", the crew member replied that everyone was still at aft.
While there was still room left in the lifeboat, Murdoch finally allowed several men to fill the empty seats, even offering the place to Lovejoy and Cal (who had bribed Murdoch). Cal, who is hesitant to board the lifeboat because Rose is on the other side of the ship, and Lovejoy follows him.
Ismay, not seeing anyone else near him, realized that there was still an empty seat in the lifeboat, and jumped in to fill it. Murdoch briefly looked at him in doubt before ordering the boat to be lowered, He did not look at Murdoch while the boat was being launched.
As the ship continued to sink, Ismay turned his back on Titanic unable to bear the sight of the ship foundering.
Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)[]
Flashback of the loading of Collapsible C, as seen in Ghosts of the Abyss
In Ghosts of the Abyss, there is a flashback scene during the loading of Collapsible C. Murdoch, not seeing any more women around him, asking: "Anyone else then?", To fill the empty seats on the lifeboat.
Murdoch finally allowed several men to fill the empty seats, including Bruce Ismay who jumped into the boat.
2012 Miniseries Titanic[]
The loading of Collapsible C, as seen in the 2012 Miniseries Titanic
In the 2012 miniseries, Harry Widener led the Manton family and their servants to Collapsible C, one of the last lifeboats. Bruce Ismay, seeing Lady Manton, insisted her on getting into the lifeboat, he also told stewardess Annie Desmond to get on the boat, because they needed her.
Lady Manton and Georgiana insisted on staying on the ship, but were eventually forced to board the lifeboat with Lady Manton's maid, Mabel Watson.
1st Officer Murdoch ask 5th Officer Lowe take command of Collapsible C. As the boat was being launched, Ismay jumped into the boat.
After the Titanic sank, Lady Manton and Georgiana urged Ismay and Lowe to return to rescue the survivors, but a woman said: "we'll be swamped, they will sink us for sure, we can't we musn't!". The passengers debated whether to return or not, but Lowe planned to assemble several lifeboats (Emergency Lifeboat 2, Lifeboat 5, and Lifeboat 6) and transfer some of his passengers to the other boats.
Gallery[]
| Lifeboats |
|---|
| Emergency Lifeboat 1 · Emergency Lifeboat 2 · Lifeboat 3 · Lifeboat 4 · Lifeboat 5 · Lifeboat 6 · Lifeboat 7 · Lifeboat 8 · Lifeboat 9 · Lifeboat 10 · Lifeboat 11 · Lifeboat 12 · Lifeboat 13 · Lifeboat 14 · Lifeboat 15 · Lifeboat 16 · Collapsible A · Collapsible B · Collapsible C · Collapsible D |