Wallace Hartley: The Music That Carried Courage Into Titanic’s Final Moments
I have been learning more about the people who on board the
RMS Titanic, and over the past few days I found out a little about the
musicians. Today I want to tell a little bit about Wallace Hartley, he was the man who led the
band in those final moments.
He was born on the 2nd of June 1878 in Colne, Lancashire. His family were both musical and religious. His father was a choirmaster, so music would have been around him from a very young age. Although he started his working life in a bank, he eventually started working with orchestras and then on ocean liners.
By 1909, he was playing on major ships when he was offered
the role of bandleader for Titanic’s maiden voyage in April 1912. He initially
hesitated as he had recently gotten engaged to Maria Robinson, and leaving her
must have been difficult.
On the night of the 14th of April 1912. After the iceberg hit,
Hartley and the other musicians began to play. It is often said they continued to
play until the very end. He must have felt fear but music was his way of
bringing calm.
Hartley tragically did not survive, his body was later
returned home. Thousands came to pay their respects. His violin which was a
gift from the woman he loved, has since become a symbol of that night.
Do you think you would have found strength in music, if you
had been there that night?
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