🚢 Titanic’s Lifeboat 16 – The Women, Children, and the ‘Unsinkable’ Violet Jessop

Facts About Lifeboat 16 (LB-16)

Lifeboat 16, the 8th one launched at 1:25 am, located on the boat deck, port side, with 34 occupants comprised of 3 Second Class, 20 Third Class, and 11 Crew Members (26 Women and 8 Men). Capacity for the lifeboat was 65 (52% of Capacity).

🚢 RMS Titanic Lifeboat 16 – A Lifeboat with Unsung Heroes

🔍 Overview: A Quietly Loaded Lifeboat with Key Survivors

Lifeboat 16 was launched at 1:25 AM and had 34 occupants, just over half of its full capacity of 65. It was one of the least chaotic lifeboats to be launched, filled mostly with women and children from third class under the supervision of Sixth Officer James Moody.

📌 Why is Lifeboat 16 historically significant?

✔ It carried some of the most fascinating survivors, including Violet Jessop, the “Unsinkable Stewardess.”

✔ One of the few lifeboats to be lowered without major delays or incidents.

✔ Mostly filled with third-class women who fought against barriers and restrictions to reach the deck.

✔ Commanded efficiently, but still left with too many empty seats, reflecting Titanic’s flawed evacuation process.

📌 For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, Lifeboat 16 provides an important study of third-class survival rates, the role of female crew members, and the understated heroism of the night.

Interesting Discoveries About Lifeboat 16

• Lifeboat 16, the furthest aft, was filled without trouble under Sixth Officer Moody.
• Lifeboat 16 (1:40 am) Capacity: 65 49 women, 1 man, 6 crew
• After several hours, they encountered Lifeboat 16; Hichens ordered them to tie up alongside, which prevented further rowing. For a moment, Brown and the other exhausted women enjoyed the respite, but soon the cold became unbearable.
• The first six boats to be loaded on the after end were Lifeboats 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16. All these boats, except Lifeboat 16, contained portions of the twenty First Class women and children loaded from the after end.

Second Class Passengers - LB-16

1. Miss Lyyli Karolina Silvén (17)  Tornio, Finland, Russian Empire[note 6]
2. Miss Edwina Celia "Winnie" Troutt (27)  Bath, Somerset, England
3. Miss Elizabeth Anne (alias Mrs. Elizabeth Faunthorpe) Wilkinson (29)  Manchester, England

Third Class Passengers - LB-16

1. Miss Karen Marie Abelseth (16)  Los Angeles, California, US
2. Miss Carla Christine Andersen-Jensen (19)  Portland, Oregon, US
3. Miss Helen Corr (16)  New York City
4. Mrs. Anna Elisabeth Judith Dyker (née Andersson) (22)  New Haven, Connecticut, US
5. Miss Mary Katherine "Katie" Gilnagh (17)  New York City
6. Miss Hanora (Nora) Healy (29)  New York City
7. Miss Anna Katherine Kelly (20)  Chicago, Illinois, US
8. Miss Margaret Mannion (28)  New York City
9. Miss Catherine Agnes McCoy (29)  Brooklyn, New York, US
10. Miss Alice McCoy (26)  Brooklyn, New York, US
11. Mr. Bernard McCoy (24)  Brooklyn, New York, US
12. Miss Ellen Mary Mockler (23)  New York City
13. Miss Bertha Bridget Moran (28)  Brooklyn, New York, US
14. Miss Katherine "Katie" Mullen (19)  New York City
15. Miss Catherine "Kate" Murphy (18)  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
16. Miss Margaret Jane "Maggie/Mary" Murphy (25)  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
17. Miss Nora Murphy (34)  New York City
18. Miss Anna Sofiia Sjöblom (18)  Olympia, Washington, US
19. Master As'ad Iskandar Fa'ud Tannous (5 mo.)  Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, US
20. Mrs. Ellen Wilkes (47)  Akron, Ohio, US

Deck Crew - LB-16

1. Mr. James Anderson (40)  Able Seaman
2. Mr. John Anderson (41)  Able Seaman
3. Mr. Joseph Henry Bailey (43)  Master-at-arms
4. Mr. James Forward (27)  Able Seaman

Engineering Crew - LB-16

1. Mr. George Pelham (39) Trimmer

Victualling Crew - LB-16

1. Mr. Charles Edward Andrews (19)  Assistant Second Class Saloon Steward
2. Miss Mary Gregson (44)  Stewardess
3. Miss Violet Constance Jessop (24)  Stewardess
4. Mrs Elizabeth May Leather (41)  Stewardess
5. Miss Evelyn Marsden (28)  Stewardess
6. Mrs. Mary Kezziah Roberts (née Humphrys) (41)  Saloon Steward

Legend For Survivor or Lost Passengers and Crew Members

• LB-# or A-D - Survivor on Lifeboat 1-16 or Collapsible Lifeboat A-D
• P-BNR - Perished, Body Not Recovered or Body Not Identified
• MB – CS Mackay-Bennett (bodies 1–306)
• M – CS Minia (bodies 307–323)
• MM – CGS Montmagny (bodies 326–329)
• A – SS Algerine (body 330)
• O – RMS Oceanic (bodies 331–333)
• I – SS Ilford (body 334)
• OT – SS Ottawa (body 335)

Numbers 324 and 325 were unused, and the six bodies buried at sea by the Carpathia also went unnumbered. Several recovered bodies were unidentifiable and thus not all numbers are matched with a person.

Upon recovery, the bodies of 209 identified and unidentified victims of the sinking were brought to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Of those, 121 were taken to the non-denominational Fairview Lawn Cemetery, 59 were repatriated, 19 were buried in the Roman Catholic Mount Olivet Cemetery, and 10 were taken to the Jewish Baron de Hirsch Cemetery. The bodies of the remaining recovered victims were either delivered to family members or buried at sea.

📌 The Story of Violet Jessop: The “Unsinkable Stewardess”

📌 Violet Jessop, a Titanic stewardess aboard Lifeboat 16, went on to survive the sinking of both the Titanic and its sister ship, Britannic.

📜 Why This Story Matters:

✔ One of the most famous Titanic survivors, she later wrote an autobiography about her experiences.

✔ She had already survived an earlier accident aboard Titanic’s sister ship, Olympic.

✔ Her presence in Lifeboat 16 makes it one of the most significant lifeboats for maritime historians.

🚢 A true survivor, Violet Jessop became a legend of ocean travel.

📌 Lifeboat 16: An Example of How Third-Class Women Escaped

📌 The majority of Lifeboat 16’s passengers were third-class women, reflecting the difficulties they faced in reaching safety.

📜 Why This Story Matters:

✔ Many third-class passengers were trapped by locked gates and barriers.

✔ Only a small percentage of third-class women reached lifeboats, making these survivors extraordinary.

✔ Their escape stories highlight the class disparities in Titanic’s evacuation.

🚢 A powerful glimpse into the struggle for survival among third-class passengers.

📌 Officer Moody’s Last Act of Duty

📌 Sixth Officer James Moody oversaw the loading of Lifeboat 16 before remaining on board and perishing with the Titanic.

📜 Why This Story Matters:

✔ Moody was responsible for ensuring the lifeboat was safely launched.

✔ He was the youngest Titanic officer and stayed behind to help others.

✔ His sacrifice is a testament to the bravery of Titanic’s crew.

🚢 An unsung hero who put duty before survival.

📌 Lifeboat 16’s Role in Titanic’s Final Moments

📌 Lifeboat 16 later tied up with other lifeboats, preventing them from rowing further away from the wreck.

📜 Why This Story Matters:

✔ As the Titanic went down, several lifeboats grouped together for warmth and safety.

✔ Passengers were forced to sit still in the freezing cold, unable to move due to orders from crew members.

✔ This story highlights the sheer physical toll of surviving the disaster.

🚢 A haunting reminder of the long, freezing night survivors endured.

📚 Relevance for Different Audiences

📌 🧑‍🏫 For Teachers & Students:

✔ A case study in class barriers aboard Titanic.

✔ Explores the role of female crew members in survival.

✔ Highlights Officer Moody’s leadership and sacrifice.

📌 📖 For Historians & Maritime Researchers:

✔ Includes one of the most famous Titanic survivors, Violet Jessop.

✔ Provides insight into the loading process of lifeboats in the final hour.

✔ Demonstrates how some lifeboats cooperated in the aftermath of the sinking.

📌 🧬 For Genealogists & Family Historians:

✔ Contains a rare mix of third-class passengers, many of whom have fascinating personal histories.

✔ Several of the survivors later gave testimony, making it a well-documented lifeboat.

✔ Includes a notable young survivor, five-month-old As’ad Tannous, highlighting the few children who made it.

🌟 Final Thoughts: A Lifeboat of Determination and Courage

📌 Lifeboat 16 was a quiet but powerful part of Titanic’s story, carrying some of the most remarkable survivors.

✔ Home to the famous “Unsinkable Stewardess” Violet Jessop.

✔ A rare lifeboat that mostly carried third-class women.

✔ Overseen by Sixth Officer Moody, who perished after ensuring its launch.

✔ A key example of Titanic’s class struggles and survival tactics.

🚢 A lifeboat filled with quiet heroism, enduring hardship, and survivors who would go on to shape Titanic’s legacy.