Roberta Elizabeth Mary "Cissy" Maioni was a personal maid to the Countess of Rothes and survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
She boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as maid to the Countess. They and the Countess' cousin Gladys Cherry survived the sinking in Lifeboat 8.
Portrayals[]
2012 Miniseries Titanic[]
Sophie Rundle as Roberta Maioni in the 2012 Miniseries Titanic
| “ |
Hello, Miss Watson. Roberta Maioni. With the Countess of Rothes." |
” |
—Roberta Maioni and Mabel Watson | ||
In the 2012 miniseries Titanic, Roberta Maioni was portrayed by Sophie Rundle. She first appeared as one of the servants seen in the Maid's and Valet's Saloon. It is revealed that she is an old acquaintance of Mabel Watson.
When Mabel Watson and Kenneth Barnes entered the saloon, Maioni immediately saw a familiar face, and it was Miss Watson. Maioni immediately greeted her, saying that she was with the Countess of Rothes. Watson remembered Maioni, whom she had met at the Duchess of Bedford's. Maioni agreed, and then chatted with Watson.
When the stewardess Annie Desmond asked the servants to take their seats, Watson and Maioni asked Desmond if the waiters that was hired by English and Irish families could share a table, which Desmond agreed.
Maioni then overheard a conversation between Kenneth Barnes and Annie Desmond, talking about Desmond's job of taking care of passengers and servants from Second Class. Hearing this, Maioni then interrupted their conversation, saying that they were First Class passengers. Desmond replies that they are first class servants, so their treatment and facilities is not same. Maioni then just smiled and grimaced.
When the Titanic sank, Maioni and the Countess of Rothes escaped in lifeboat 4. Maioni watched in horror as the Titanic disappeared to the bottom of the sea, and was terrified to hear the screams of the passengers. She is then seen calming a woman.
After the Titanic was completely gone and the screams had subsided, the passengers in lifeboat 4 debated whether they should return or not. Seaman Holmes, who was in charge of the boat said there was no use for going back and yelling at the Countess of Rothes. Hearing this, Maioni immediately rebuked Holmes for speaking disrespectfully to a Countess.
The women on boat 4 remained adamant about returning. Margaret Brown threatened to throw Holmes overboard, and asked the women to take the oars. Maioni and Eleanor Widener volunteered to row, while the Countess of Rothes took the tiller from Holmes.
When they returned, they can only save John Batley, while his wife Muriel is dead. Maioni was last seen in the background with the other passengers waiting for the RMS Carpathia to arrive.