Rossmore Edward Abbott

Mr. Rossmore Edward Abbott was born on Friday, February 21st, 1896 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. He was the son of George Stanton Abbott (June 23rd, 1867 - April 23rd, 1941), a famous professional boxer, and Rhoda Mary Hunt (January 14th, 1873 - February 18th, 1946), two English immigrants who got married in early 1895. He had a younger brother, Eugene Joseph (March 31st, 1899 - April 15th 1912).

When Rossmore and Eugene were still kids, their father's career took off as he became the middleweight boxing champion of the United States. This assured them financially and they were a very happy family. Rossmore was a pupil at Oxford Street Grammar School and the family attented Grace Episcopal Church in Providence. However, fame grew to Stanton's head drifting the family apart. By 1911, Rossmore's parents divorced and Rhoda gained full guard of him and his brother. His mother decided to take a new start with the kids in St. Albans, Hartfordshire, England, the place she was raised herself. They sailed on the R.M.S. Olympic, Titanic's sister, and arrived in England in August. His mom started to work as a seamstress and Rossmore as a bootmaker to support the family. Meanwhile, his little brother attented Priory Park School. Sadly though, life was not easy in England and the boys were not happy. Rossmore and Eugene were very homesick as they missed their life in America. This made Rhoda realised that her sons were American kids, not English kids, and that they would grow better if they went back to their town of Providence.

They had first bought tickets for Providence to arrive in early April 1912 aboard the R.M.S Philadelphia, but due to the national coal strike in England, the family was moved from an old and small liner to the new and luxurious R.M.S. Titanic. The family was thrilled since it was the biggest and most luxurious ship in the world. Their ticket was CA2673 which cost £20 5s. The family travelled to Southampton by train and, on April 10th, 1912, boarded the Titanic. Once on board they found their cabin at the far stern of the ship, Rossmore and Eugene immidiately took off to explore every place of the vessel. The trip was quite calm as the boys spent their days roaming around the ship while their mother talked with their cabin neighbors.

On the night of April 14th, 1912, the family had just retired to sleep when they were suddenly awakened by a sudden jolt and then a dreadful squealing and scraping sound coming from the side of the ship. Rhoda new something was wrong, but Rossmore and his brother sensed an adventure and begged their mother to go up on deck and find out what happened. Preferring caution, Rhoda refused and told the boys to wait for her in the cabin. When she got back, she said a steward had told her there was nothing to worry about and she tucked the boys back to sleep for the night. At about 12:15 A.M., the family was suddenly awakened again by a steward opening their cabin door and shouting "All passengers on deck with life jackets.". They didn't realize the seriousness of the situation as they casually started dressing up and putting on their life jackets. They went into the crowded hallway and followed the other third class passengers aiming for the deck. They passed threw a watertight door which opened to a stairway leading to the deck above. They joined a large group of men, women and children waiting in the second class saloon area of the ship where only women and children were being allowed beyond the gate guarded by crewmen. Realizing his fate, Rossmore fell to his knees and prayed that his mother would be saved, even if he and Eugene couldn't. Still, Rhoda managed to get her sons through and they next climbed a steel ladder onto the stern end of the boat deck and moved slowly forward, carefully so they wouldn't trip over discarded ropes remaining from the previous launchings of lifeboats. They finally reached one of Titanic's last lifeboats, Collapsible C, just as it was being loaded. Sadly, only women and children were allowed in the collapsible. They watched anxiously as they could see their friends boarding the boat, knowing that both Rossmore and Eugene could probably not be allowed in with their mother. As their turn came to enter the boat, a crewman asked Rossmore and his brother to get out the way and asked Rhoda to get in the boat. But her maternal instinct took over and she clasped her sons to her body as she stepped back into the crowd. At 02:00 A.M., the collapsible left the sinking ship and the family decided they had to jump in the water. As crewmen struggled to free collapsible A from the ropes, Eugene, Rossmore and Rhoda jumped in the water. The succion made by the sinking ship created a pression that separated Rossmore from his mother and brother. He succumbed to hypothermia and perished. His body was the 190th recovered by the C.S. Mackay-Bennett. He was buried at sea on Wednesday, April 24th, 1912.

His brother Eugene also perished in the sinking but his mother survived. She never recovered from the sinking and mourned her sons untill her death. Rhoda was also the one to claim the effects recovered on her son's body. Many death notices appeared in different newspapers, all published by Rhoda.

## Photos

Portrait of Rossmore Edward Abbott.Eugene, Rossmore and Rhoda Abbott, circa. 1906.Death notice for Eugene and Rossmore.Body recovery notice for Rossmore.Rossmore's body examination, page one.Rossmore's body examination, page two.Rossmore's body claiming file.