Captain Edward John Smith is an extraordinary person whose name is forever inscribed in history in connection with his involvement in the largest water disaster.
Childhood and family
Edward John Smith, whose biography begins from the moment of birth on January 27, 1850, is very famous.
The boy appeared in the family of Edward Smith and Katherine Hancock (Marsh) in the small town of Hanley, in Staffordshire, UK.
John Edward was the son of a potter. The father instilled love for his work, but his son was interested in traveling, the sea, distant countries. The boy's mother was a good banker, but she later preferred to open her own grocery store over clerical work.
Career start
At the age of twelve, the captain of the Titanic, Edward John Smith, lost his father, who died of tuberculosis. The boy had to leave school and get a job at a factory in Stoke-on-Trent, where a young but very hard worker was entrusted with the management of a steam hammer. But this work did not bring the desired pleasure to the young man. He dreamed of the sea and travel.
At the age of seventeen, fate brought him to Liverpool, where he forever connected his life with ships andby sea.
After two years of training, John Edward was able to find his first job on the Senator Weber sailing ship, with a company that specialized in shipping. The stubborn young man did not shun any work. He quickly moved up the career ladder and after four years he received the right to hold the position of assistant captain.
In 1876, twenty-six-year-old John Edward headed his first ship, the Lizzie Fennell. Over the next three years, he traveled hundreds of thousands of nautical miles between the United States of America, Canada and the UK.
Big changes
In 1880, the captain's old dream came true - he was able to join the ranks of the largest and most powerful shipping company of that time - the White Star Line.
The catch was that the corporation almost did not serve the transportation of goods. The main focus of the company was the movement of passengers.
Due to the fact that passenger and cargo ships are notable for handling, the already established captain had to start his career anew from the bottom.
Thanks to his hard work and perseverance, after seven years he again took the helm on the main bridge.
In subsequent years, John Edward managed such vessels as "Ripablik", "B altik", "Koptik", "Adriatic", "Germanic", "Runik" and others.
In 1892, the captain was entrusted with the management of the company's largest steamship, the Majestic. Since thenEdward Smith could only be found on huge ships.
The public using the services of liners of this class was more than we althy. John Edward was nicknamed “Captain of Millionaires.”
Military service
The situation in the world was heating up. In 1888, the captain was enlisted in the British Navy Reserve.
He did not take part in active hostilities. However, Edward had to make several flights to transport troops to the shores of South Africa, where the Boer War was taking place.
In 1904, the captain was awarded the military officer rank of Commodore.
Family life
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-seventh year was marked for John Edward not only by success in the official field. On the twelfth of July he married Sarah Eleanor Pennington. Already on the second of April next year, their young family celebrated replenishment - they had a daughter, who was named Helen.
The captain's family life took place in a large, spacious red brick house in the suburbs of Southampton.
Last flight
On April 10, 1912, the most ambitious project of the early twentieth century, striking in its scale even after a hundred years, was launched from the port of Southamptor - an ultra-modern liner called the Titanic. The ship was built over the course of three years at a shipyard in Belfast.
The Titanic's displacement was 52,310 tons, speed up totwenty-three knots, it was characterized by a steel hull, a power plant with a capacity of fifty-five thousand horsepower, one thousand three hundred and seventeen passengers on board. And this colossus was appointed to manage the famous captain.
Edward John Smith! He will lead the Titanic!”, - these were the headlines of English newspapers dedicated to the legendary ship.
The liner was considered unsinkable. The design engineers were confident that the compartments they had designed with impenetrable bulkheads would help the ship withstand any elements.
For John Smith, this was supposed to be the last flight in his career, after which he was to go on a well-deserved retirement.
Disaster
According to the official version, on the night of the fourteenth to the fifteenth of April, one thousand nine hundred and twelve, the liner collided with an iceberg, it received critical holes. The ship began to sink rapidly and after three hours it finally sank to the bottom.
The exact number of dead has been established - one thousand four hundred and ninety-six people. The survivors are seven hundred and twelve.
The last minutes of the captain
The most basic version is that the officer shot himself. The testimonies of the surviving members of the team differ. Some claim that they last saw John Smith on the bridge. Others are sure that he was among other people in the water. Someone even tried to help the captain get into the boat, but these attempts were unsuccessful.
John Smith's body was never found. His soul is foreverleft with the ocean.
Captain's family after the disaster
Wife Sarah lived another nineteen years after her husband's death. In 1931, she died in a car accident in London, where she later moved.
Daughter Helen has lived an active and interesting life as an entrepreneur and race car driver.
The girl followed with interest all the news related to the Titanic. It is noted that she repeatedly visited the film sets and very carefully looked at the actor who played her father.
