Allison family
Encyclopedia
Hudson Joshua Creighton (December 9, 1881 – April 15, 1912), his wife, Bessie Waldo Allison (née Daniels) (November 14, 1886 – April 15, 1912), their daughter Helen Loraine Allison (June 5, 1909 – April 15, 1912) and their son, Hudson Trevor Allison (May 7, 1911 – August 7, 1929) were passengers on board the RMS Titanic, which struck an iceberg and sank on 15 April 1912. Of the family, only baby Trevor survived.
The family booked first class passage on board the Titanic, bound for Montreal
. Hudson, Bessie and their children, Loraine, 2, and Trevor, 11 months, boarded the ship in Southampton
along with four servants: a maid, Sarah Daniels (no relation to Bessie); a nurse, Alice Cleaver; a cook, Mildred Brown; and a chauffeur, George Swane. Hudson and Bessie occupied cabin C-22, Sarah Loraine occupied C-24, and Alice and Trevor occupied C-26. Two second-class cabins were also booked for Swane and Brown.
Hudson and Bessie were dining companions with Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen
. At dinner on 14 April, they brought Loraine to the dining room with them so she could see how pretty it was.
After the ship struck the iceberg, Mr. Allison left to find out what was going on. While he was gone, Alice took baby Trevor and went to get the rest of the servants in second class. Mr. Allison returned to his cabin to find Alice and Trevor gone. Hudson delivered his wife and daughter to Boat 6
, and apparently left before the boat was launched. Major Peuchen recalled how Bessie and Loraine were almost rescued:
George Swane saw Alice, Mildred and Trevor safely into Boat 11, which left the ship at around 1:45am, nearly an hour after Boat 6 had already left the ship. Varying stories claim that Alice panicked and grabbed Trevor, without informing Mrs. Allison that she was leaving, and that Mrs. Allison refused to leave the ship without her baby, though it is possible that the entire group went up to the boat deck together, and that Alice and the baby were lost in the crowd.
Hudson, Bessie and Loraine Alison, as well as George Swane, were also lost in the sinking. Whether or not Swane found his employers and informed them that their son was safely off the ship is unknown, but if he did, it is likely the information came too late for any of them to leave the ship. Hudson, Bessie and Loraine was last seen on deck Smiling, Bessie was one of only four first-class women (including Ida Straus
) who perished, while Loraine was the only child of first and second class to die in the disaster. Hudson Allison's body was the 135th recovered by the CS Mackay-Bennett; George Swane's was 294th. Hudson's body was brought to be buried in the family plot in Maple Ridge Cemetery near Winchester, Ontario.
Alice and Trevor were met in New York City
by Hudson's brother, George, who, along with his wife, Lillian, took custody of the now-orphaned Trevor. Trevor died on August 7, 1929 at the age of 18 of food poisoning. He was buried beside his father.
) who raised her on a farm in the American Midwest. Her claim, however, was not accepted by the Allison family. Eventually, Ms. Kramer moved to the western United States and the Allison family never heard from her again.
. Mr. Allison was portrayed by Kevin Conway, while Harley Jane Kozak
played his wife, Bessie. Loraine was portrayed by Devon Hoholuk. The part of baby Trevor was uncredited. The miniseries' subplot regarding the family was highly fictionalized and filled with historical inaccuracies, for example, the Allisons were portryed as Americans
when in reality they were French Canadian
. And that implying the long standing myth that Alice Cleaver (played by Felicity Waterman
) was a child murderess who stole Trevor in a fit of panic, thus forcing the Allisons to remain on the ship looking for him until it was too late. The Allisons' other servants (Sarah Daniels, Mildred Brown and George Swane) did not feature in the series - the only servant travelling with them was Alice Cleaver.
The family booked first class passage on board the Titanic, bound for Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Hudson, Bessie and their children, Loraine, 2, and Trevor, 11 months, boarded the ship in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
along with four servants: a maid, Sarah Daniels (no relation to Bessie); a nurse, Alice Cleaver; a cook, Mildred Brown; and a chauffeur, George Swane. Hudson and Bessie occupied cabin C-22, Sarah Loraine occupied C-24, and Alice and Trevor occupied C-26. Two second-class cabins were also booked for Swane and Brown.
Hudson and Bessie were dining companions with Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen
Arthur Godfrey Peuchen
Arthur Godfrey Peuchen was a Canadian businessman and RMS Titanic survivor.-Early life:Born in Montreal, Quebec, Peuchen was the son of a railroad contractor; his grandfather managed the London, Brighton and Midlands Railway. He was educated in private schools...
. At dinner on 14 April, they brought Loraine to the dining room with them so she could see how pretty it was.
After the ship struck the iceberg, Mr. Allison left to find out what was going on. While he was gone, Alice took baby Trevor and went to get the rest of the servants in second class. Mr. Allison returned to his cabin to find Alice and Trevor gone. Hudson delivered his wife and daughter to Boat 6
Titanic Lifeboat No. 6
Titanic Lifeboat No. 6 was the third lifeboat to be launched during the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. Well-known for being the lifeboat that carried "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", No...
, and apparently left before the boat was launched. Major Peuchen recalled how Bessie and Loraine were almost rescued:
Hudson, Bessie and Loraine Alison, as well as George Swane, were also lost in the sinking. Whether or not Swane found his employers and informed them that their son was safely off the ship is unknown, but if he did, it is likely the information came too late for any of them to leave the ship. Hudson, Bessie and Loraine was last seen on deck Smiling, Bessie was one of only four first-class women (including Ida Straus
Ida Straus
Ida Straus, born Rosalie Ida Blun was an American homemaker and wife of the co-owner of the Macy's department store. She and her husband Isidor died on board the RMS Titanic.-Early life:...
) who perished, while Loraine was the only child of first and second class to die in the disaster. Hudson Allison's body was the 135th recovered by the CS Mackay-Bennett; George Swane's was 294th. Hudson's body was brought to be buried in the family plot in Maple Ridge Cemetery near Winchester, Ontario.
Alice and Trevor were met in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by Hudson's brother, George, who, along with his wife, Lillian, took custody of the now-orphaned Trevor. Trevor died on August 7, 1929 at the age of 18 of food poisoning. He was buried beside his father.
What really happened to Loraine?
In 1940, a woman named Loraine Kramer claimed that she was Loraine Allison, and that at the last minute, her parents gave her up to a man named Hyde (whose identity is said to be that of shipbuilder Thomas AndrewsThomas Andrews (shipbuilder)
Thomas Andrews, Jr. was an Irish businessman and shipbuilder; managing director and head of the draughting department for the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. Andrews was the shipbuilder in charge of the plans for the ocean liner...
) who raised her on a farm in the American Midwest. Her claim, however, was not accepted by the Allison family. Eventually, Ms. Kramer moved to the western United States and the Allison family never heard from her again.
The Allisons in film
The Allisons were major characters in the 1996 miniseries, TitanicTitanic (TV miniseries)
Titanic is a made-for-TV movie that premièred on CBS in 1996. Titanic follows several characters on board the RMS Titanic when she sinks on her maiden voyage in 1912. The miniseries was directed by Robert Lieberman. The original music score was composed by Lennie Niehaus...
. Mr. Allison was portrayed by Kevin Conway, while Harley Jane Kozak
Harley Jane Kozak
-Life and career:Kozak was born Susan Jane Kozak in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Dorothy , a university music teacher, and Joseph Aloysius Kozak, an attorney. She has seven siblings: brothers John, Joseph, Peter and Andrew and sisters Dorothy, Mary and Ann. Harley is the youngest of...
played his wife, Bessie. Loraine was portrayed by Devon Hoholuk. The part of baby Trevor was uncredited. The miniseries' subplot regarding the family was highly fictionalized and filled with historical inaccuracies, for example, the Allisons were portryed as Americans
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
when in reality they were French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
. And that implying the long standing myth that Alice Cleaver (played by Felicity Waterman
Felicity Waterman
Felicity Waterman is an English actress best known for her role as Vanessa Hunt during the final two seasons of the television drama series Knots Landing and as a regular cast member of the series Pensacola: Wings of Gold 1999-2000 in the role of Lt...
) was a child murderess who stole Trevor in a fit of panic, thus forcing the Allisons to remain on the ship looking for him until it was too late. The Allisons' other servants (Sarah Daniels, Mildred Brown and George Swane) did not feature in the series - the only servant travelling with them was Alice Cleaver.