Titanic Sinks – How the Goldfields Heard!!!

Titanic 1912

On  the 14th April 1912, 103 yrs ago today the SS Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg. The following is a copy of the newspaper article from the 16th April 1912 from the Kalgoorlie Miner and describes how the people of the Goldfields of Western Australia were first told of the tragedy.

WHITE STAR LINER
COLLIDES WITH ICEBERG
WIRELESS MESSAGES
HELP ON THE WAY

Wireless messages have been received from the White Star liner Titanic, 45,000 tons bound for New York from Southampton saying she has collided with an iceberg and is in urgent need of assistance. The liner Virginia is hastening to her aid.

TITANIC SINKING
WOMEN TAKEN OFF
VESSELS FIRST VOYAGE
THREE THOUSAND ABOARD

London April 15
The Titanic lies off Cape Rae the South East Point of Newfoundland and is sinking by the head. The last message to hand is that the women are being taken off her.  The Titanic was lately built at the Belfast yards of Messrs Harland and Wolfe and she and her sister ship, the Olympic, are two of the largest vessels in the world. The Titanic started her first voyage last Wednesday from Southampton to New York and had nearly 3000 persons on board.

DETAILS OF THE DISASTER
THREE THOUSAND ABOARD
ASSISTANCE DOUBTFUL

Messages received here about midday state that the Titanic struck and iceberg on Sunday evening. The liner the Virginia received the Titanic’s appeal for help 170 miles away and the Olympic and the Baltic have also gone to the rescue. It is doubtful they will arrive in time. The last signals from the Titanic were blurred and ended abruptly. The women were debarked in lifeboats and the weather was calm. Among the passengers on the Titanic were Mr W T Stead editor and proprietor of ‘The Review of Reviews’, Mr Joseph Ismay, Chairman of the White Star Line: Colonel J J Astor and many other New York bankers.

For further reading a much more detailed report was given in the Western Argus on the 30th April 1912 with an artist sketch at:- http://bit.ly/1ypyAbm

There were five Australians on board on this fateful night only one of which were to survive, they were:-

Donald S CAMPBELL aged 25, from Melbourne, 3^rd Class Clerk, Body never recovered

Alfred William Stanley NICHOLS from Sydney, aged 47, Boatswain, Body never recovered

Leonard Lysle Oliver WHITE aged 32, from Sydney, a saloon steward, Body never recovered

Arthur Gordon McCRAE aged 32 from Adelaide Died and his body was recovered and taken home for burial.

Evelyn MARSDEN Stewardess Survived from North of Adelaide, the only Australian born survivor.

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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