He Put His Wife in the Lifeboat - Henry B. Harris Stayed Behind

He Put His Wife in the Lifeboat - Henry B. Harris Stayed Behind

I have been learning about some of the people who was on board the Titanic. So today I want to tell you a little bit about Henry B. Harris.

He was born on the 1st of December 1866 in St. Louis, Missouri, into a family that was already connected to the theatre. Henry grew up surrounded by performance, audiences, and opportunity. As a young man, he began, selling songbooks in theatre lobbies. It was a small beginning. Over time, he moved into management and production, learning the risks and rewards of the industry.

By 1901, he was producing plays on his own. His career gathered pace as he worked with established actors and began managing theatres. In 1906, he became owner of the Hackett Theatre in New York, later renamed in honour of his father. He also leased and managed other venues and, in 1911, opened the Folies Bergère Theatre. It was an ambitious venture inspired by Paris, but it failed and cost him heavily. But that did not stop him. By early 1912, he was in London arranging more productions.

He travelled with his wife, Renee. They boarded the RMS Titanic in April 1912. During the voyage, Renee injured her arm, but she was still reluctant to leave his side. On the night of the 14th of April when the ship hit the iceberg, the couple were forced apart. Renee was placed into a lifeboat, while Henry remained behind.

Renee survived and waited for news, even hoping he had been rescued by another ship. But Henry B. Harris was sadly among those who never returned, his body was lost to the Atlantic. 

Do you think people like Henry, make the tragedy of Titanic feel even more personal?