Understanding J. Bruce Ismay: The True Story of the Man They Called 'The Coward of Titanic'

by Clifford Ismay, Tad Fitch (Foreword by)

Overview

An insight into the man at the heart of the world’s most infamous maritime disaster

Following the Titanic disaster, Bruce Ismay was savaged by both the British and American press for deserting the ship while women and children were still on board. Some papers called him the 'Coward of the Titanic' or 'J. Brute Ismay', and suggested the White Star flag be changed to a 'yellow liver'. History has portrayed Bruce Ismay as a cold, heartless character who showed little compassion for others.

Clifford Ismay’s new book explores the life and motives of this misunderstood man, delving into family letters and diaries, and revisiting the public enquiries, to reveal a shy, compassionate man, who walked Titanic’s boat deck for over two hours, assisting with preparing and loading the lifeboats before finding a spare seat in the last lifeboat to be successfully lowered from the starboard side, and who possibly suffered with post-traumatic stress for the rest of his life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780750998666
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

TAD FITCH is a member of both the Titanic Historical Society and the Titanic International Aociety, and has appeared in the documentary series Titanic: Stories from the Deep. He has been researching maritime history for over 30 years and has co-authored such books as Report Into the Loss of SS Titanic: A Centennial Reappraisal, Into the Danger Zone: The Lusitania, First Battle of the Atlantic, and Liners During the Great War. His books have twice been nominated for the Mountbatten Award. Alongside J. Kent Layton, he is the author of The Unseen Aquitania (The History Press, 2024) and can be found at wormstedt.com/TadFitch. He lives in Ohio.

Table of Contents

Foreword Tad Fitch 7

Introduction 11

1 The Ismay Family 15

2 Young Thomas Henry Ismay 19

3 Purchase of the White Star Line 26

4 Declining Health 51

5 Joseph Bruce Ismay 63

6 Presidency of International Mercantile Marine 83

7 RMS Olympic, First of the Olympic Class 121

8 RMS Titanic 133

9 Carpathia Rescue and Braces Homecoming 156

10 Bruce Ismay's Retirement from International Mercantile Marine 175

11 Life in Ireland 192

Appendix 1 Extracts From the Archives 198

Appendix 2 Maryport-Built Sailing Ships of the Nineteenth Century 205

Appendix 3 White Star Line Handbook 210

Acknowledgements 221

Notes 224

Bibliography 226

Index 228