Other LinksThere are numerous Australian and regional links to the Titanic tragedy.
Other Australian victims of the Titanic were its Boatswain Alfred Nichols who was born in Sydney - Saloon Stewardess Louise White and Purser's Clerk Donald Campbell, both born in Victoria. Although the exact number remains uncertain as not all steerage class passengers were documented properly, there were certainly more Australians working and sailing on the ship including 28 year old South Australian Evelyn Marsden, who worked for the White Star Line and transferred across from Titanic's sister ship Olympic for the voyage at the last moment. One of the lucky ones, she got a seat in Lifeboat 16, returning to Australia where she married and died without issue in 1938. The Titanic disaster had a profound affect on Australia, being as maritime dependent then as it is aviation today to bridge the vast distances separating it from the outside world. The fate of Titanic's passengers could have befallen any family, causing the same safety concerns a plane crash does today. Special services were held in churches, town halls and schools, questions were asked in Parliament before the gathering clouds of World War One overshadowed the event and Titanic faded from the headlines. |