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14/11/55

"My brother at the time was an engineer on another White Star ship, and the news was kept secret from all on board, except that the wireless operator told my brother he would hear news at Boston that would make 'his hair stand on end! Officer Lowe told my brother that he and another officer tossed which of them should take charge of the last lifeboat to leave the ship and Commander Lowe (as he eventually became - he died when harbourmaster at Conway [sic - Conwy]), won. The only other officer saved was Mr Lightoller.
Commander Lowe said very few lifeboats had their full complement and many wealthy passengers bribed the men in charge not to return to the sinking ship for fear of the suction. One lady in particular he mentioned was titled and I think, a famous dress designer. The truth of this statement is, I think, borne out by the fact that only two lifeboats were in charge of an Officer - the two mentioned above. My brother was also told that the captain was given a wireless message warning him of proximity of icebergs, that he showed it to Mr Ismay, who put it in his pocket with no comment- he was so determined the ship should make a record maiden voyage. It was afterwards said that when next he entered his London club, all the men in the room got up and walked out. I cannot vouch for this, but it came from a very good source. They felt he ought to have gone down with the ship as did the captain, who could have been saved by one of the lifeboats but declined. There is a memorial on Liverpool pierhead to seamen in general, but in reality, it was originally intended as a memorial to the men of the Titanic. The company however, fought hard ot [sic] keep the name out, and succeeded.
I attended the memorial concert in London to the ship's orchestra and it was the most poignant concert I ever attended ... Commander Lowe was a good-living, religious type of man. When living at Conway he had a motor-launch in which he passed most of his time, accompanied by his adoring dog."

Notes:

1. Lowe did not leave in "the last lifeboat" and Lightoller was not the only other saved.
2. The "famous dress designer" is obviously a reference to Lady Lucille Duff-Gordon, who escaped with her husband and 10 others (5 members of the crew) in lifeboat number 1, which had a capacity of 40 people. It is unknown whether the accusation of bribery is true or not; certainly, apart from boat 1, there is no other mention of such an event.