Helen Alice Wilson was the nursemaid of the Spedden Family on Titanic.
Early Life[]
Helen Alice Wilson was born in Cloberne, Galway, Ireland on February 12, 1879. She was the daughter of Patrick Wilson and Elleanor Feenery and had 8 siblings: three elder sisters named Mary (born 1862), Bridget (born 1867), and Ellen (born 1875), as well as 4 elder brothers: Patrick (born 1866), Mathias (born 1870), Thomas (born 1873), and Peter (born 1877). In 1882, a younger sister was born: Margaret.
Between 1904 and 1906, Helen first came to the United States. In 1908 she began working for the Spedden family as a personal maid to Mrs. Margaretta Corning Spedden in Tuxedo Park, New York. Helen traveled extensively with the family; They spent summers in Bar Harbor, Maine and winters in various resorts around the world.
In late 1911, the Spedden family sailed for Algiers along with Helen and another servant, Miss Elizabeth Margaret Burns. She was the nanny of the couple's only child, Robert Douglas Spedden. From Algiers, they visited Monte Carlo and later went sightseeing in Paris.
Titanic[]
On April 10, 1912, after a stint abroad visiting Madeira and several Riviera resorts, Helen and the family boarded the Titanic in Cherbourg.
On the night of April 14, the iceberg collision had awakened the husband, Frederic Oakley Spedden. Helen and Elizabeth along with the entire Spedden family headed to the starboard side of the Boat Deck, where the women and little Robert were loaded into lifeboat 3. Later, Mr. Frederic was also able to get on the boat with 20 other men. This meant the whole family with their servants survived.
After the sinking[]
After arriving in New York, Helen Alice Wilson stayed with the Speddens at the Hotel Seville and there she was received by her brother Peter Wilson, who, upon learning that his sister was on the Titanic, had traveled from Plainfield, New Jersey, to reunite with her.
Later life[]
Years later, Helen quit her job and married Swedish ship captain Axel Johannes Rosenquist with whom she had 2 daughters. In 1917, their first child, Helen Rosenquist was born, followed by Esther Rosenquist in 1919. The family lived at 311 Plymouth Place, Merchantville, Camden, New Jersey.
Helen Wilson died after a long illness on December 1, 1939 at the age of 60 and was buried in Arlington Cemetery, Camden, New Jersey. Her husband died 6 years later.