Helen Alice Wilson

Helen Alice Wilson was the nursemaid of the Spedden Family onboard Titanic.

Helen Alice Wilson was born in Cloberne, Galway, Ireland on February 12, 1879. She was the daughter of Patrick Wilson and Elleanor Feenery and had 8 siblings: Mary (1862), Patrick (1866), Bridget (1867), Mathias (1870), Thomas (1873), Ellen (1875), Peter (1877) and Margaret (1882). Between 1904 and 1906, Helen first came to the United States and, in 1908, began working in the Spedden family as a personal maid to Mrs. Margaretta Corning Spedden in Tuxedo Park, New York. Helen traveled extensively with the family; They spent summers in Bar Harbor, Maine and winters in various resorts around the world.

In late 1911, the Spedden family sailed for Algiers along with Helen and Robert Douglas Spedden's nanny, Miss Elizabeth Margaret Burns. From Algiers, they moved to Monte Carlo and then to Paris.

## **Titanic**

In April 1912, after a stint abroad visiting Madeira and several Riviera resorts, Helen Alice Wilson, Frederic Oakley Spedden, Margaretta Corning Spedden, Robert Douglas Spedden and Elizabeth Margaret Burns boarded the Titanic in Cherbourg.

On the night of April 14-15, 1912, Helen and Elizabeth along with the entire Spedden family headed to the starboard deck, where the women and little Robert were loaded into lifeboat 3. Later, Mr. Frederic was also able to get on that boat. Fortunately, they all survived the disaster.

After arriving in New York, Helen Alice Wilson stayed with the Speddens at the Hotel Seville and there she was received by her brother Peter Wilson, who, upon learning that his sister was on the Titanic, had traveled from Plainfield, New Jersey, to reunite with her.

Years later, Helen quit her job and married Swedish ship captain Axel Johannes Rosenquist with whom she had 2 daughters: Helen Rosenquist (born 1917) and Esther Rosenquist (born 1919). The family lived at 311 Plymouth Place, Merchantville, Camden, New Jersey.

Helen Wilson died after a long illness on December 1, 1939 at the age of 60 and was buried in Arlington Cemetery, Camden, New Jersey. Her husband died 6 years later.

Helen Wilson about the night of disaster:

> "It was the most beautiful starlight night that I ever saw when we struck the iceberg. This I noticed especially after the lights of the ship had all sunk below the water... I shall never forget the cries of anguish that went up from that ship as the life-boats pulled away. While we were being put into the boat there was a mad rush of some foreigners to get in, and two Italian men were shot dead before my eyes. The sight of floating bodies as we rowed away was horrible. Mr. Spedden was saved by what might be really called a leap for life. He had put his family into the boat which was lowered at once, and there were no more women in the immediate vicinity, so one of the officers seeing room for one more said to Mr. Spedden. 'You may as well jump and save yourself.' He did so and landed in the boat, thus joining his family. The water was almost to our knees in the boat. We pulled away toward a light which we thought was on a vessel, but after four hours we saw that it was only a star. We feared when the Carpathia came up that we should be swamped by the waves after all our troubles but we were saved. I will never forget the awful experiences of that night. I wish I could sleep and wake up to find it was only a dream, but it was too real."
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