Evelyn Marsden
Encyclopedia
Evelyn Marsden (15 October 1883 – 30 August 1938) was the only Australian female survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic and was rescued in lifeboat 16.
She was the daughter of railway worker Walter Henry Marsden (Hoyleton Stationmaster
in 1912) and Annie Bradshaw. Her birthplace of Stockyard Creek is about 80 km north of Adelaide, South Australia and is now ruins.
, signed-on to the RMS Titanic on 6 April 1912, and gave her address as 7 West Marlands Terrace, The Polygon, Southampton
. She was 28 and single at the time and as a stewardess she was paid monthly wages of £3 10s. She assisted also as a nurse for the First Class passengers. There is mention of Evelyn in a letter by Mary Sloan to her sister on 27 April 1912, stating that they both were taken to Dr. Simpson's room for a little whiskey and water during the disaster. Dr. Simpson then hurried away and was never seen by them again. Evelyn and Mary escaped on Boat 16 which was lowered at 1.35 a.m. from the Port side by 6th Officer Moody. This boat held about 40 people with no incidents recorded while loading. They were in this boat all night until the RMS Carpathia
picked them up, at about seven in the morning. George Robinson, the uncle of Evelyn Marsden was also noted as being aboard the Titanic.
whilst visiting a farm at Murray Bridge, South Australia
. After the Titanic disaster she returned to that farm to thank the family for teaching her to row and handle a boat properly.
. Arriving back in Australia
at the Semaphore, South Australia
anchorage on November 1912, her husband took up residence as a doctor at the Royal Adelaide Hospital
and they moved into a new apartment in Ruthven Mansions on Pulteney Street. Later they moved to Wallaroo, South Australia
, living and working there for 15 months before finally moving to Bondi
, Sydney
, where her husband continued work as a Doctor
. Everlyn died on 30 August 1938, with her husband passing away soon after and they were both buried at Waverley Cemetery
, Sydney
. They had no children.
Their grave was unmarked until 5 October 2000, when a headstone was finally erected on their gravesite.
She was the daughter of railway worker Walter Henry Marsden (Hoyleton Stationmaster
Hoyleton, South Australia
Hoyleton is a former railway town in South Australia, west of the Clare Valley, halfway between Leasingham and Halbury. At the 2006 census, Hoyleton had a population of 283....
in 1912) and Annie Bradshaw. Her birthplace of Stockyard Creek is about 80 km north of Adelaide, South Australia and is now ruins.
Titanic survivor
Evelyn, who previously worked onboard the ship RMS OlympicRMS Olympic
RMS Olympic was the lead ship of the Olympic-class ocean liners built for the White Star Line, which also included Titanic and Britannic...
, signed-on to the RMS Titanic on 6 April 1912, and gave her address as 7 West Marlands Terrace, The Polygon, Southampton
The Polygon, Southampton
The Polygon is an area in the city of Southampton, England.The area is located just to the north of the railway station and Commercial Road...
. She was 28 and single at the time and as a stewardess she was paid monthly wages of £3 10s. She assisted also as a nurse for the First Class passengers. There is mention of Evelyn in a letter by Mary Sloan to her sister on 27 April 1912, stating that they both were taken to Dr. Simpson's room for a little whiskey and water during the disaster. Dr. Simpson then hurried away and was never seen by them again. Evelyn and Mary escaped on Boat 16 which was lowered at 1.35 a.m. from the Port side by 6th Officer Moody. This boat held about 40 people with no incidents recorded while loading. They were in this boat all night until the RMS Carpathia
RMS Carpathia
RMS Carpathia was a Cunard Line transatlantic passenger steamship built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson. Carpathia made her maiden voyage in 1903 and became famous for rescuing the survivors of after the latter ship hit an iceberg and sank on 15 April 1912...
picked them up, at about seven in the morning. George Robinson, the uncle of Evelyn Marsden was also noted as being aboard the Titanic.
Youth
During her youth she learnt to row a boat against the tides and currents of the Murray RiverMurray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
whilst visiting a farm at Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge is the fourth most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. It is located east-southeast of Adelaide and north of Meningie....
. After the Titanic disaster she returned to that farm to thank the family for teaching her to row and handle a boat properly.
Later years
Following the Titanic tragedy she married Dr William Abel James, who had also worked for White Star LineWhite Star Line
The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British shipping company, today most famous for its ill-fated vessel, the RMS Titanic, and the World War I loss of Titanics sister ship Britannic...
. Arriving back in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the Semaphore, South Australia
Semaphore, South Australia
Semaphore is a north-western seaside suburb of Adelaide of the LeFevre Peninsula 14km from the CBD, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Semaphore South, Glanville, Exeter and Largs Bay. The postcode for Semaphore is 5019...
anchorage on November 1912, her husband took up residence as a doctor at the Royal Adelaide Hospital
Royal Adelaide Hospital
The Royal Adelaide Hospital is Adelaide's largest hospital, with 680 beds. Founded in 1840, the Royal Adelaide provides tertiary health care services for South Australia and provides secondary care clinical services to residents of Adelaide's city centre and inner suburbs.The hospital is situated...
and they moved into a new apartment in Ruthven Mansions on Pulteney Street. Later they moved to Wallaroo, South Australia
Wallaroo, South Australia
Wallaroo is a port town on the western side of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, 160 kilometres north-northwest of Adelaide. It is one of the three Copper Triangle towns famed for their historic shared copper mining industry, and known together as "Little Cornwall", the other two being Kadina ...
, living and working there for 15 months before finally moving to Bondi
Bondi
Bondi could refer to:-Places in Australia:* Bondi Beach, New South Wales, a beach and suburb in Sydney, Australia* Bondi Junction, New South Wales, a suburb and commercial centre in Sydney, Australia* Bondi, New South Wales, a suburb in Sydney, Australia...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, where her husband continued work as a Doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. Everlyn died on 30 August 1938, with her husband passing away soon after and they were both buried at Waverley Cemetery
Waverley Cemetery
The Waverley Cemetery opened in 1877 and is a cemetery located on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. The cemetery contains the graves of many significant Australians including the poet Henry Lawson and...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. They had no children.
Their grave was unmarked until 5 October 2000, when a headstone was finally erected on their gravesite.