Marjorie Anne Newell- A Titanic Passenger Who Carried the Memory for a Century.

Marjorie Anne Newell- A Titanic Passenger Who Carried the Memory for a Century.

I have been looking into the lives of the people who were on board the RMS Titanic, and today I want to share the story of Marjorie Anne Newell. 

Marjorie Anne Newell was born on the 12th of February 1889 in Lexington, Massachusetts. She was the youngest daughter of Arthur Webster Newell, a successful Boston banker, and Mary Greeley Newell. She grew up in a comfortable household. Music was a constant part of her life, which gives us an image of a woman that had creativity.

In early 1912, when Marjorie was only twenty-three years old, she travelled with her father and her older sister Madeleine. They travelled across Europe and into the Middle East. They celebrated Marjorie’s birthday in Cairo near the  pyramids, before visiting places like Jaffa, Bethlehem, and Jericho. It must have been an amazing adventure for a her.

Arthur Newell surprised his daughters with first-class tickets home to America on the brand new Titanic. On the 10th of April 1912, they boarded the ship at Cherbourg. Marjorie later remembered how magnificent the ship seemed, it was filled with elegant furniture, carved wood panels, and was hugely luxurious. She and her sister shared a cabin, and the two brought their violins with them, practising music before bed. 

On the afternoon of the 14th of April 1912, the family sat together in deck chairs, talking about their travels and the places they had visited. That evening, Marjorie was dressed in a long gown for dinner and she admired the elegance of all the other passengers. At 11:40 pm that night, everything changed for everyone on board when Titanic hit an iceberg.

Marjorie and her sister were asleep when they were woken up by a strange vibration and loud noise. Their father came to their cabin and told them to dress warmly and go up to the boat deck. At that point, Marjorie did not believe the ship was really sinking. The deck seemed quiet, and the orchestra was still playing.

Arthur Newell led his daughters to Lifeboat No. 6. Although he reportedly believed the ship itself seemed safer than the small boats, he still made sure his daughters were in one. When the lifeboat was lowered, he remained behind. Marjorie remembered seeing him calmly waving goodbye to them, reassuring them that he would follow in another boat.

From about a mile away, Marjorie watched Titanic’s lights, before they suddenly went out. She heard terrible cries from people left in the freezing water, sounds she would never forget. When dawn came the survivors saw the icebergs scattered around them. They were then rescued by the RMS Carpathia.

When Marjorie reached New York on the 18th of April 1912, she still had hope that her father might appear among the survivors. Instead, his name was sadly listed among the missing. Her mother was obviously devastated by the loss, and she asked her daughters never to speak about the disaster again.

For many years Marjorie honoured that wish. She became a music instructor and social worker, eventually marrying Floyd Newton Robb in 1917. Together they had four children, and she even named her son Arthur in memory of her father. Music remained central to her life, and she went on to teach violin and piano at Wells College and she also helped to establish the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

It was only in the 1980s, many years after her mother’s death, did she begin sharing her memories in interviews and talks. The events of 1912 clearly remained vivid in her mind.

When the wreck of Titanic was discovered in 1985, Marjorie said that she thought that the ship should be left undisturbed as a memorial to those who had died. 

Marjorie Anne Newell died peacefully on the 11th of June 1992 at the remarkable age of 103. At the time of her death, she was the last surviving first-class passenger of Titanic. 

How do people carry such powerful memories for an entire lifetime, and what responsibility do we have today to remember the experiences they shared?

Marcus Agrippa: The Loyal General Who Helped to Build the Roman Empire

Marcus Agrippa: The Loyal General Who Helped to Build the Roman Empire

I have been learning about ancient Rome, and I want to rell you about a man called Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. 

Agrippa was born about 63 BC, and most likely in Italy. At the time the Roman Republic was struggling with political tension and civil war. We dont know much about when he was a child, but we do know he formed a close friendship with Augustus, who was then known as Octavian. 

When Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, Rome fell into complete chaos. Octavian suddenly found himself in a political power struggle. Agrippa chose to stand with his friend. While Octavian navigated politics, Agrippa became his most trusted military commander. Loyalty must have played a part, but maybe he also believed in Octavian’s vision for Rome.

Agrippa proved to be a brilliant leader and in the early days of the civil wars, he helped to secure victories that strengthened Octavian’s position. When Rome struggled with poor infrastructure, Agrippa organised repairs and even improved sanitation. He also created new public spaces. 

One of his greatest military achievement was in 31 BC during the clash between Octavian and Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII. At the Battle of Actium, Agrippa commanded Octavian’s fleet. He helped secure a victory that effectively ended the Roman civil wars. 

After Octavian became the ruler of the Roman world, taking the name Augustus, Agrippa remained his closest ally. Unlike many powerful Roman figures, he never seemed obsessed with personal glory. Instead, he continued to support Augustus and govern provinces and organised public works.

He also became part of the imperial family, marrying Augustus’ daughter Julia. But even then, he still remained more of a steady supporter than a rival for power. It gives the impression of a man who understood his role and embraced it without resentment.

Agrippa died in 12 BC. His and Augustus’s partnership had helped to build the Roman Empire, and without Agrippa’s military skill and practical mind, Augustus’ rise might have been very different.

Do you think Marcus Agrippa deserves to be remembered as one of the true architects of the Roman Empire?

Image info:

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa

Collection: Louvre Museum

Date: 30-20 BC

Frederick “Moose” Heyliger: The Easy Company Leader Taken Out of War Too Soon

Frederick “Moose” Heyliger: The Easy Company Leader Taken Out of War Too Soon

I have been learning about another of the remarkable men of Easy Company from the series Band of Brothers, and I want to turn my attention to Frederick Theodore Heyliger, often known by the nickname “Moose.” 

Heyliger was born on the 23rd of June 1916 in Concord, Massachusetts, and he worked as a farmhand and also studied at Lawrence Academy in Groton before attending college. Like many American men of his generation, the outbreak of the Second World War changed his life.

He joined the United States Army and became part of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment within the 101st Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy during the Normandy landings and later fought in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands.

In October 1944, Heyliger commanded Easy Company during Operation Pegasus, helping evacuate more than a hundred stranded British airborne soldiers from behind German lines. For his leadership and courage, he was awarded the British Military Cross.

Just days later, on the 31st of October 1944, tragedy hit when he was accidentally shot by one of his own men while on patrol. This forced him out of active service, and he was discharged in 1947.

After the war, Heyliger returned to Massachusetts and studied horticulture. He died on the 3rd of November 2001, aged eighty-five, only one day before the final episode of Band of Brothers aired. 

The Life and Tragic Fate of Titanic Passenger Walter Donald Douglas

The Life and Tragic Fate of Titanic Passenger Walter Donald Douglas

I have been looking into the lives of the people who were on board the RMS Titanic. Walter Donald Douglas was one such person. 

Douglas was born on the 21st of April 1861 in Waterloo, Iowa. His father, George Douglas, had emigrated from Scotland and was one of the founders of the Quaker Oats Company. After attending school and training at a military academy in Minnesota, he started his career in the world of business.

In 1884 he married Lulu Camp, and they had two sons. Tragically, Lulu died in 1899. Douglas perhaps threw his energy into work. Over the years he built a reputation as a successful businessman. With his brother he established the Douglas Starchworks, which became one of the largest starch manufacturers west of the Mississippi. He also invested in grain, banking, and other companies, eventually becoming wealthy and respected in American business circles.

In 1907 he married again, this time to Mahala Dutton. By the beginning of 1912 he had retired. The couple travelled through Europe for several months, selecting furnishings for their new home. Their journey home was in first-class aboard the Titanic.

When the ship hit the iceberg in April 1912, their lives changed in a single night. Mahala survived and was among the first passengers rescued by the RMS Carpathia, but Walter sadly did not. His body was later recovered and returned to the United States.

Do you think the stories of individual passengers like Walter Douglas change the way we understand the tragedy of the Titanic?

Image info:

Walter Donald Douglas 

Date: 1918

Source: The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography

The Battle of Philippi: The Last Stand of the Roman Republic

The Battle of Philippi: The Last Stand of the Roman Republic

I have been learning more about Roman history, in particular the time surrounding Julius Caesar.

Yesterday I touched on the Battle of Philippi, and today I want to dig a little bit deeper and find out more about it. It feels like one of those moments in history where everything that people believed in was tested.

After Caesar’s assassination on the 15th of March 44 BC, Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus believed they had acted for the good of Rome. They seem to have convinced themselves that they were restoring the Republic, and that their actions would bring balance back to a system they felt was becoming more like a tyranny. But instead, there was unrest. Rome did not react the they had thought it would. They had created a power struggle. In response, Caesar’s supporters -especially Mark Antony and Octavian-formed an alliance to avenge him, leading Rome into another civil war.

By 42 BC, Brutus and Cassius had gathered their forces in the eastern provinces, they were preparing for what must have felt like an inevitable confrontation. On the opposing side was Mark Antony and Octavian. Both sides were not just fighting for power, but for their vision for Rome. 

The fighting took place near the city of Philippi. The first clash came in October 42 BC. It was chaotic and confusing. Brutus’ forces managed to break through Octavian’s lines, giving them brief  belief that that victory might be possible. However, Cassius was facing Antony, and his position began to collapse. In the confusion, and with poor communication across the battlefield, Cassius was wrongly led to believe that all was lost.

A single misunderstanding changed everything. Believing he was defeated, Cassius chose to take his own life. Did he feel that he had failed Rome, or that Rome had already been lost long?

Brutus was still alive and completely unaware at first of Cassius’ death, he tried to continue. There perhaps was still a belief that he could still salvage something from the chaos. But the second battle, fought later that same month, brought a decisive end. Antony’s forces proved stronger, and Brutus’ army began to break.

He was faced with the reality of his defeat, Brutus made the same decision as Cassius. Rather than be captured and paraded, he chose to end his life. 

The Battle of Philippi did not just mean the defeat of two men. It also was the end of the Roman Republic as they had known it. 

It leaves me wondering, when people believe they are fighting for something greater than themselves, how do they know when to stop?

Image info:

Brutus and his companions after the battle of Philippi

Date: 1900

Author: Weston, W H; Plutarch; Rainey, W

Wild Bill Guarnere: The Fierce Paratrooper Who Fought with Heart and Never Let Go

Wild Bill Guarnere: The Fierce Paratrooper Who Fought with Heart and Never Let Go

I have been learning more about the lives of the men who fought in the wars, and after watching Band of Brothers, I wanted to understand more about one of its most unforgettable figures-William Guarnere, known to many as “Wild Bill.”

He was born on the 28th of April 1923 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States, into a large Italian-American family. He grew up during the Great Depression, which must have given him a strong resilience. He  joined military training camps as a teenager. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he finished school and chose to enlist in the United States Army on the 31st of August 1942, despite having an exemption because of his war work.

Guarnere trained at Camp Toccoa and became part of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. His war really began on the 6th of June 1944, when he parachuted into Normandy during the D-Day landings. In the confusion of the drop, he quickly found himself in action, joining efforts to secure key positions and later taking part in the assault on the German guns at Brécourt Manor. His aggression and determination, was in part due by the loss of his brother Henry in Italy, earning him the nickname “Wild Bill.”

He continued fighting during Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands, where he was wounded but he was determined to return to his unit. By December 1944, he rejoined Easy Company just before the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. During the brutal and intense fighting near Foy, he was severely wounded while trying to rescue another soldier, he lost his right leg. 

For his service, Guarnere was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart, recognising both his bravery and his sacrifice.

After the war, he returned home to the United States, married, raised a family, and remained closely connected to his fellow veterans. His lifelong friendship with Edward Heffron shows a bond that was forged in war, which can never fade. Years later, he and Edward Heffron shared their story in Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends.

He passed away on the 8th of March 2014, at the age of 90. 

Titanic Survivor to Trailblazing Barrister: The Remarkable Life of Elsie Bowerman

Titanic Survivor to Trailblazing Barrister: The Remarkable Life of Elsie Bowerman

I have been learning more about the lives of the people on the Titanic, and I wanted to understand more about one woman, Elsie Bowerman. She was not only a survivor, but someone who spent her life pushing against the limits on women of her time.

She was born on the 18th of December 1889 in Tunbridge Wells, into a comfortable family. Her father died while she was still very young and It is hard not to imagine how this might have affected her, perhaps it encouraged her sense of independence and her resilience. She was sent to Wycombe Abbey as a boarder, and later continued her education at Girton College, Cambridge, at a time when higher education for women was still very limited.

While at Cambridge, she became involved in the growing movement for women’s rights, she joined the Women's Social and Political Union. She organised events, handed out literature, and supported leading figures like Emmeline Pankhurst. 

In April 1912, Elsie and her mother boarded the RMS Titanic as first-class passengers, they were still active in the suffrage cause even in the days before they left. When the ship hit the iceberg, their lives changed along with everyone else on board. Elsie was only 22 years old. She and her mother managed to get into Lifeboat 6 and they luckily both survived the disaster. We often think about survival as a relief, but it must also have been quite overwhelming- they were forced to leave behind so many other people, they would have lived with the memories of that night forever. 

During the First World War, she stayed closely connected to the suffrage movement and the wider efforts of supporting women’s roles in society. She worked abroad as part of medical support efforts in Serbia, she witnessed hardship and conflict first-hand. She travelled through Europe during the early parts of the revolution in Russia, which must have been quite frightening , but also eye-opening.

After the war, as women slowly began to gain new rights, she moved into politics and organisation, she supported campaigns and helped to shape new groups focused on national and social issues. But perhaps one of her most significant achievements came when the law finally allowed women to become legal professionals. She trained as a barrister and was called to the bar in the 1920s, becoming one of the first women to stand in court. To step into a world that was seen as for men, must have need an immense amount confidence and determination.

Later in life, she continued her work on an international level, even contributing to efforts connected to the United Nations and the status of women. Even into her later years, it seems she never gave up her belief that women’s roles in society could and should expand.

It makes me wonder, when we think about people like Elsie Bowerman, do we remember them for the moments they survived, or for the changes they helped to create?

Image info:

Elsie Bowerman was a survivor of the Titanic and a suffragette

Date: 1910