Lifeboat 6 is the sixth to be launched.
Lowered By: 2nd Officer Lightoller.
Crew Member in Charge: Quartermaster Robert Hichens
By 1:10am, Second Officer Lightoller began to load lifeboat 6.
For numerous reasons, Lightoller had some difficulty finding women or crew members willing to board this lifeboat. Titanic was starting to lean slightly to the starboard side, and even though this tilt was evident to some passengers and crew, the ship still felt safe enough to remain aboard...
Video Provided By: James Cameron's Titanic Explorer
After some time, Lightoller was finally able to convince some women to board the lifeboat. Despite being ordered aboard, Lamp Trimmer Samuel Hemming leapt back aboard Titanic when he realized there was not a crewman to man the aft falls.
As the lifeboat was being lowered, it dragged along Titanic's riveted port side because of the ship's slight tilt to starbaord. About half way down to the sea, a women called up to Lightoller saying that there weren't any seaman to row the boat. First class passenger Major Arthur Peuchen was standing near Lightoller and offered to help. Lightoller said,
"If you are seaman enough to go down the falls, then you can go."
Peuchen then climbed down the falls and joined the group. This was the only time that Lightoller ordered a man into a lifeboat...
Video Provided By: A Night To Remember (1958)
Once down to the water, lifeboat 6 rowed away quickly. Lifeboat 6 is well known for it's notable passengers. Among them were: Denver millionairess Margaret Brown (known later as the "Unsinkable Molly Brown"), writer and feminist Helen Churchill Candee, and Lookout Fredrick Fleet.
Lifeboat 6 is launched with only 24 out of 65 seats occupied.
|Left to Right: Margaret Brown, Helen Churchill Candee, |