Thomas Frederick Cohen Pennal was a steward on the Titanic.
Background[]
Thomas Frederick Cohen Pennal was given to Thomas Augustus Pennal and his wife Mary Jane Cohen on the 24th of January, 1878. His native town was Sennen in Cornwall, England. The year 1879 saw their church perform the traditional ritual of cleansing on Thomas.
Thomas senior had seen a lot of the seas, as he was a shore watchman. Perhaps he gave the passion for the blue waterways to his namesake, who was also his first child. Thomas junior had quite a few younger siblings, with some not making it through their first year. Mary Jane bore another son in 1880: Ernest Augustus. In 1881 it was time for a girl to make her appearnce: Beatrice Mary. They named her sister Violet Lavinia, in 1882. Those three had all been dropped at the village of Saint Just, as the family lived for some years, before returning to Sennen, where Albert Sidney revealed himself in 1884. The household grew further in 1886, with the appearance of Augusta Lilian, who was often adressed as Lily. The pair gave life to another son in 1888: Herbert Douglas.
By 1891, Thomas was attending class. Arthur Claud concluded the direct progeny in 1896, the same year that his brother Thomas was incorporated by the Royal Navy. His time with them was short and lasted only three voyages, before they let him go. His nature and geste were not the problem, as they had a postive view about those. It may be that they simply found his overall build and strength unsuitable for what they want from a mariner. One thing that didn’t work in Thomas’ favor was his size, as he measured only 5’2.
With this chapther closed, it is conceivable that he proceeded to the civil vessels. In 1901, he would no longer be part of the main household of the Pennals, who had shifted to Winton, Hampshire.
In the second half of 1908, he was busy making his own family, with his loved one Maude Rose, who he had given the oath for the future together. Southampton would be their place to stay, with Maude’s origin lieing here as well.
Archibald Frederick took the honor as the pair’s eldest child in 1910, before the second son came into view in 1911: Ronald Alfred. In that year, father Thomas would be away from home for he still earned his living on the salt waters.
Sometime in the first 4 months of 1912, a third son was given to Thomas and Maude. They called him Albert William. He would be their last. That year, Thomas would be part of a most unique occurance.
Titanic[]
Having returned from working aboard the SS Philadelphia, White Star Line gave Thomas Pennal a job as part of the Victualling Crew of the RMS Titanic, a very large and luxurious liner. He was ordained as First Class Bathroom Steward on the 4th of April, in Southampton.
On April 10, the powerful engines of Titanic were fired up as she crept through the waters, which were just deep enough for her to sail through, in fact, they had digged it out especially for her and her sister. Pannel would tend to the needs of wealthy passengers and would keep their bathrooms and restrooms as clean and as pleasant as possible, with several other colleagues.
Titanic’s course would get her from Southampton to France and Ireland for two stops and then she was away from Europe, steering towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Titanic’s voyage became unravelled by one iceberg that had drifted on her route on the night of April 14. There was somehow a limited perspective for the two Look Out Men in the crow’s nest, but it was right in front of them when they had it scoped out. With the speed of Titanic, they would be running into it. They signalled it to the First Officer, William Murdoch.
Murdoch then promped his quartermaster to make a complete port manouvre. As the helmsman followed orders, Murdoch pressed the telegraph to the order ‘Full Astern’, as Titanic needed to be stopped. They soon found out that she wasn’t going to stop so easily. With the little time they had, the Titanic only just made enough of her bow diverge to not hit the iceberg full on, yet, her broadside was exposed. On her starboard flank, a good part of her hull rasped against the tough ice, which caused lacerations. Some of the ship’s skin was peeled of that bad, that it was a split of steel that would direct the ocean into the ship’s lowest decks. Titanic was breached quite significantly. The water came inside her at the tons.
The Captain, Edward John Smith, was concerned about the impingement. Murdoch explained everything, he went to the lowest part of the ship and have his own look at the infringement, along with the carpenters, several officers and other crew. Also poring over the intrusion was the man who had realised Titanic and knew everything about her. Thomas Andrews. Just before midnight, he ran back up the stairs and got to the bridge, where the captain was. With anguish, he had to deliver an awful premise. Titanic was soon going to disappear benath the surface. She was filling up with too much water on 6 vital places, which would bring her down. With an estimated time of 2 hours, Andrews advised the captain to better get the work done on the lifeboats.
The captain didn’t hesitate. He organized all of his important crew. While some were beginning to uncover the boats, stewards were given the task to gently persuade passengers to get up, get dressed and get ready. Many of them acted like it was just a drill to keep everyone calm. It’s a likelihood that Pennal was also involved in the business of bringing the people in First Class to movement.
With the evacuation going very tardy, Titanic’s bow had dipped down and created a wave when the sea was at the level of the bridge. As the ocean manifested itself on the Boat Deck, it caught the last two collapsibles, which proved a struggle to be released. By know, everyone knew Titanic was going to plunge downwards.
Minutes later, the stern starte to rise into the air and was soon at a high angle, when it snapped in half like a twig would do, when it was bent too much. Like a banana, only the keel was holding Titanic together but it crumbled after the forward section pulled the heavier stern along, which sank very fast after the rest of the ship had gone. After 2:20 A.M, all that was left of Titanic was bits and pieces and over 1500 people. These people had a small chance to live long int the waters, which were lethaly freezing. Most unfortunate souls died this way.
Perhaps this is how Thomas came to his end, but we can’t say for sure. No record exists of his activities, nor did they detect a body. As they were sinking, only one third of all who were onboard, could be placed in a lifeboat.
After his death[]
In an epitaph written by the Hampshire Independent, it was specified how inconsolable Maude Pinnal was over the tragic fate that was bestowed upon her late husband.
In 1914, she was ready to board on a new love boat when she got tied to Charlie Houghton. One daughter had sprung from their connection in 1915.
In Middlesex, 1945, Maude concluded her life.