Joseph Bruce Ismay

Joseph Bruce Ismay (December 12th, 1862 - October 17th, 1937) was the managing director of White Star Line. He reached this high postition after selling the firm (which was founded by his father) to American financier, J. Pierpont Morgon.

Ismay travelled for free with the Titanic on her maiden voyage. He chose the most expensive suite, with private promenade, as his cabin. Ismay wanted to beat the Olympic and reach New York in record time.

That Sunday, he dined at 7:30 P.M. with doctor William O'Loughlin.

Sinking of the Titanic

When the Titanic collided with the iceberg, Ismay was asleep, but the collision woke him. He went to the bridge and asked Captain Smith what happened. "We have struck ice", the old man explained. "Do you think the ship is seriously damaged?" "I'm afraid she is."

Ismay then went down to the main companionway, where he met Chief Engineer Bell. Ismay asked if he thought the ship was seriously damaged, and Bell said he thought so, but was quite satisfied the pumps would keep her afloat.

When Ismay arrived back on the bridge, he heard Smith give the order to swing out the lifeboats. He kept hanging around the forward starboard side, in the vicinity of lifeboats 1, 3, 5, 7 & Collapsible C.

He shouted to Third Officer Pitman: "There's no time to waste! Fill the boat with women and children!" But Ismay was still wearing his pyjamas and Pitman, not realizing he was taking to his highest boss, didn't take orders from ordinary passengers. Ismay calmed down and assisted Miss Beckwith into lifeboat 5, with her husband and her daughter from her previous marriage. Karl Behr was also with the group, he had a crush on Miss Beckwith. Ismay generously allowed the whole group to enter the lifeboat. But when it was carefully lowered away, he freaked out again. "Lower away, lower away, lower away", he shouted to Fifth Officer Lowe, who was in charge of the lowering. "If you get the hell out of the way, we'll be able to do something! You want me to lower faster? You'll have me drown the lot of them!" Ismay was completely stunned. Lowe scolded him on exactly the same loud tone as the one his father always shouted to him when something was against the old man's will. Ismay walked to lifeboat 3 without saying another word. The seamen who saw Lowe shouting were also stunned. They all thought Lowe would get into serious trouble once the Titanic arrived in New York. Lowe indeed never made it beyond temporarily First Officer on ships who were sold for scrap and in the 1930 Great Depression, Lowe was among the first people to be put on hoilding money. Nevertheless, Ismay admitted that the scolding was quite right.

Ismay disappeared from the scene for over an hour, but he was seen again when Collapsible C was being prepared. He helped get the boat to the davits. There was a certain number of men in the boat, and an officer called out asking if there were any more women. There was no response, and there were no passengers left on the deck. Ismay decided to climb into the collapsible when it was already being lowered away and he escaped alive.

After the sinking

Ismay suffered from acute stress disorder during the sinking, he saw and heard nothing, he was completely taken down. When on board the Carpathia, he constantly mumbled "I'm Ismay, I'm Ismay..."

Was Ismay responsible for Titanic's sinking?

The myths surrounding Ismay are many but almost all centre on allegations of his cowardice in escaping the sinking ship whilst fellow passengers, notably women and children, were left to fend for themselves. The claims made at the time and repeated today were pushed so that he "saved his own skin" whilst others died. But, Lord Mersey said at the British Titanic Inquiry : 'Had he not jumped in he would simply have added one more life, namely his own, to the number of those lost'.

Ismay's fault was that he survived and as a consequence laid open to the high and somewhat dubious moral code of the U.S. press. Almost universally condemned in America, when he finally arrived home he was cheered and applauded as he descended the gangway at Liverpool. The British press had treated the whole episode in a far less judgmental way.

In a second, more serious allegation, it was claimed he ordered Edward J. Smith, Titanic's captain, to "make a record crossing," thus indirectly causing the collision with the iceberg. It is unlikely that an experienced shipmaster like Smith, on his last voyage before retirement and the highest paid commander in the mercantile marine, would defer to Ismay on matters of navigation. No firm evidence has ever come to light to suggest that Ismay in any way interfered with the navigation of Titanic and, other than talking with the various heads of departments on the ship, conducted himself like many other passengers. Yet the opposite image of him exists today.

All of the negative stereotypes can be tracked back to the American press and in particular to those newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst, one of the most powerful and influential men in America. Hearst and Ismay had met years before in New York when Ismay was an agent for his company. The shy and private Ismay disliked press attention and the two men fell out as a consequence of his refusal to cooperate.

Hearst never forgot, and in April 1912 his syndicated press prosecuted a vicious campaign against Ismay, who was defenceless in the eye of the hurricane. Stories were invented and witnesses, wishing to strengthen exorbitant insurance claims for lost baggage against the company, lied by saying he had in fact ordered Smith to make a record crossing.

Portrayals

In popular culture, Ismay is often the scapegoat for the sinking of the Titanic.

In the Titanic episode of Voyagers!, Ismay dresses up like a woman to sneak in one of the last lifeboats, but gets caught twice, first by Bogg and again in the boat by Molly Brown. Brown treathens to throw Ismay overboard, but is distracted by Jeff's sudden disappearence.

The 2012 Miniseries shows Ismay discuss the amount of lifeboats with Thomas Andrews. The number 32 is said to be the maximum, which was 64 in reality. Ismay is also concerned about more lifeboats ruining the promenade decks. Strangely, the Olympic had been in service since June 1911, and the lifeboat capacity applied to that ship too, so there was little reason to discuss it on April 4th. Next, Ismay & Andrews meet the Earl of Manton. Hugh and Ismay discuss ways to get someone off the ship to make room for Lady Georgiana. But in fact, Titanic was only 2/3rd full, so there was no need to discuss this.

External Links

• http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/ismay-praised-titanic-survivor.html

• http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/ismay_survivor_praise.htmlGIRL

• http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor-defense-ismay.htmlTITANIC