Lifeboat 13

**Lifeboat 13** was the 7th lifeboat to be lowered from the starboard side of the *Titanic*.

## Lowering

It was partly filled from the Boat Deck and partly from A Deck after it had been lowered to that level when it was launched under the supervision of Murdoch and Moody at 1:43 A.M.. Again, it was heavily occupied, with over 65 people aboard. Leading Fireman Frederick Barrett was put in charge by boatswain Alfred Nichols. The occupants were mainly Second and Third Class women and children, with some men also aboard including Lawrence Beesley, who subsequently wrote a popular book about the disaster  . Dr. Washington Dodge was also aboard, having earlier seen his wife and child aboard Boat 5. He owed his presence aboard the boat to the apparent guilty feelings of Steward F. Dent Ray, who had urged the Dodges to sail on *Titanic* in the first place. Just before Boat 5 was lowered, Ray bundled Dodge aboard. Others did not want to board at all.

"You've got to go, madam, so you may as well keep quiet."

A woman on deck became hysterical, crying: "Don't put me in that boat! I don't want to go in that boat! I've never been in an open boat in my life!" Ray told her: "You have got to go and you may as well keep quiet."

## Near-disaster

While it was being lowered the lifeboat was nearly caught by "an enormous stream of water, three or four feet in diameter" coming from the condenser exhaust which was being produced by the pumps, far below, attempting to purge the water that was flooding into *Titanic*. The occupants had to push the boat clear using their oars and spars and reached the water safely. The wash from the exhaust caused the lifeboat to drift directly under Boat 15, which was being lowered almost simultaneously. Its lowering was halted just in time, with only a few feet to spare. The falls aboard Boat 13 jammed and had to be cut free to allow the boat to get away safely from the side of *Titanic*.

After the boat managed to push out from the side of the ship, they realized they had nobody to command, so they elected Leading Fireman Barrett to take charge. Barrett ordered the men to put out the oars and start rowing away from the ship.

## Rescue

A few hours later the occupants saw the *Carpathia* coming to their rescue and began rowing towards it to an accompaniment of the song "Pull for the Shore, Sailor." They were picked up at about 6:30 am.

## Occupants

* Frederick Barrett (in charge) *Leading Fireman*
* Robert Hopkins *Able Seaman*
* George William Beauchamp *Fireman*
* Albert Major *Fireman*
* Reginald Robinson Lee *Lookout*
* Miss Annie Caton *Masseuse Turkish Bath*
* Frederick Dent Ray *1st Class Saloon Steward*
* William Wright *Glory Hole Steward*
* Miss (Bonnel) Laura Burnell\* *First Class Passenger*
* Mr. Washington Dodge *First Class Passenger*
* Miss Ruth Elizabeth Becker *Second Class Passenger*
* Mr. Lawrence Beesley *Second Class Passenger*
* Mr. Albert F. Caldwell *Second Class Passenger*
* Mrs. Sylvia Caldwell *Second Class Passenger*
* Master Alden G. Caldwell *Second Class Passenger*
* Mrs Mary D. Hewlett\* *Second Class Passenger*
* Mr. Masabumi Hosono\* *Second Class Passenger*
* Miss Vera W. Quick\* (11?) *Second Class Passenger*
* Miss Nusthm Slayter *Second Class Passenger*
* Miss Susan Webber *Second Class Passenger*
* Miss Mary Davies Wilburn *Second Class Passenger*
* Master Sam Leah Aks\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Bridget Bradley\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Mr. Daniel Buckley\* (D?) *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Elizabeth Dowdell *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Virginia Ethel Emanuel *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Mary Agatha Glynn\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Hilda M. Hellstrom\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Mister Bernt B. Johannesen\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Mister Oscar L. Johansson\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Mister Einar Gervasius Karlson\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Aurora A. Landergren\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Mister Frithiof Madsen\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Mrs Anna de Messemaecker *Third Class Passenger*
* Master Arthur Olsen\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Mister Johan Cervin Svensson\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Beatrice i. Sandstrom\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Miss Margretha R. Sandstrom\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Agnes Sandstrom\* *Third Class Passenger*
* Ellen Shine *Third Class Passenger*

\* = not certain