A beautiful night

Titanic Third Class stories

I promised our readers that even after the Titanic anniversary month I would make an effort to write about third class passenger stories of their experience on the ship and in the sinking. This week I decided I was ready to focus on another passenger story. I have decided to pick passengers at random, no matter how little information I am able to find on them. I was relieved this week to select a passenger who I had actually found a great account of prior.

Period Illustration of Olympic and Titanic 3rd Class General Room via Wikimedia Commons

Ellen Wilkes was 47 at the time of her sailing on the Titanic. She was a third class passenger, and she was traveling from her homeland of Cornwall, England, to Akron, Ohio, with family. Their group was joining another family member who had emigrated to America before them.

I have an account of her experience aboard the ship that also gives some insight into life around World War II. She was interviewed around the anniversary of the sinking by The Akron Beacon Journal in April of 1941. Here are some excerpts from her account:

Recalling the Wreck with the Ice Berg

“It was near midnight on April 14, 1912 that the big vessel struck a submerged iceberg. It was a sensation something like the sudden stopping of a speeding train. There was a shock—and the big vessel seemed to shudder. I was in my stateroom at the time partially dressed. I finished dressing, wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and made my way to the upper deck.”

Experience on the Deck

“One junior officer told me to return to my stateroom—that everything would be alright. But somehow all of us realized that something serious had happened. There were many tearful leave takings between husbands and wives. Orders were for women and children first in the lifeboats. I put on a life-preserver and made my way to the rail. One of the lifeboats was ready to pull away when a man at the oars called out: ‘Room for one more.’ I jumped into the boat and we drew away into the gloom. “

Experience on the Lifeboat

“In the confusion I became separated from my sister and her children. I didn’t know until I was taken aboard the S.S. Carpathia several hours later, that she and two of her children had been saved. It’s strange what a person will do under such circumstances. I kept thinking all the time about what a beautiful night it was—and what a shame that such a tragedy had to occur on such a fine night.”

“The moon was brilliant—and the stars shone like electric bulbs in the sky. The water was as calm as a millpond. There were 25 persons in the lifeboat in which I was rescued.”

Account of the Sinking

“We had pulled some distance from the sinking vessel and I saw it make its final plunge. It seemed to raise up on one end—then plunge downward below the water. It disappeared like a bucket going into a well.”

Experience of the Carpathia and the Aftermath

“Four or five hours later we saw what appeared to be a headlight in the distance. It proved to be the Carpathia. All the lifeboats in the vicinity made their way to the rescue ship.

“One of the faces peering down at me from the rail of the Carpathia was that of my sister, Mrs. Hockings. We had a tearful reunion aboard the ship. We were given warm food and drink—and wrapped in warm clothing.

“I wouldn’t want to go through another scene like the one when the Carpathia reached dock in New York. But I can’t help living over again the horrible events of that April night, just 29 years ago, when the Titanic went to the bottom.”

Life and correspondence prior to World War II

Ellen provided that account on April 4, 1941, to newspaper writer H.B. “Doc” Kerr. At the time the United States was just a few months away from entering into World War II and the war was already in effect where her sisters lived in Cornwall. Ellen lived with her disabled son who was noted to be a Canadian World War I veteran. The two had very little money to live off of, as half of their income went to paying rent.

On corresponding with her 92 and 80 year old sisters who lived in Cornwall, Ellen said:

“I hear from them occasionally, but they won’t write much about the war. Sometimes I find their letters censored. Sentences or parts of sentences will be clipped out.”

Conclusion

The beauty of the night of the sinking that Ellen describes matches with so many other accounts of Titanic passengers. One fact that I will note about that night that does not match Ellen’s account is that the moon is said to not have been visible that night. I found a good article explaining why that was the case. However, all other accounts I have come across agree that the stars were indeed magnificent.

I recently published a short book with the support of my friend George Behe that shares compiled accounts of male American born passengers aboard the Titanic. It is a first step that I hope to build on in the future when I have more time available to research outside of my work schedule. If you would be interested in reading it here is the link to purchase.

Thanks for reading Ellen’s account of the Titanic, I hope to bring many more accounts of third class to The Silent Sod in the future.

---

---

Sources:

Encyclopedia Titanica (2015) Ellen Wilkes (ref: #1302, last updated: 7th August 2015, accessed 29th July 2026 17:48:36 PM) URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/ellen-wilkes.html

“Around the Town: Mrs. Ellen Wilkes Recalls 1912 Sea Tragedy Tells Of Rescue From Luxury Liner, Titanic With H. B. “Doc” Kerr, The Akron Beacon Journal, April 4, 1941, page 35.