Violet Jessop: The Woman Who Survived the Titanic, Britannic, and Olympic Disasters

Violet Jessop was an Argentine woman who became famous for surviving several maritime disasters, including the sinkings of two of the most famous ships in history: the RMS Titanic and its sister ship, the RMS Britannic, as well as the HMHS Olympic, another ship from the same company, the White Star Line. Her life is one of the most remarkable survival stories. Here's her story.

Early Years

Violet Jessop was born on October 2, 1887, in Argentina, in a place called La Plata, although her family was of Irish descent. Her family moved to England when she was very young, and Violet grew up there. Despite her family's economic difficulties, Violet became a strong and determined woman.

Working as a Stewardess on Ships

At the age of 22, Violet began working as a stewardess on ships for the White Star Line. Her first ship was the HMHS Olympic, which, although it suffered some minor accidents, was not as infamous as its sisters, the Titanic and the Britannic.

The Titanic Disaster (1912)

• People aboard: Approximately 2,224 people (passengers and crew).
• Deaths: Around 1,514 people died in the Titanic disaster, which represents about 68% of those on board.

Violet Jessop became part of history due to her survival of the most famous maritime disaster, the sinking of the Titanic. On April 10, 1912, Violet boarded the Titanic as part of the crew. On the night of April 14, the ship collided with an iceberg and began sinking, ultimately sinking completely on April 15 in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Violet was aboard the ship as part of the crew when the tragedy occurred. After the impact, she was evacuated on a lifeboat. However, Violet was one of the lucky ones who survived, although the trauma and distress of the events were overwhelming.

The Britannic Disaster (1916)

• People aboard: Approximately 1,065 people (passengers and crew).
• Deaths: 30 people died when the Britannic sank after being struck by a mine in 1916, during World War I. This was a very low percentage of casualties due to the quick evacuations and the number of lifeboats available.

After the Titanic sinking, Violet continued working as a stewardess for the White Star Line. In 1916, while working on the RMS Britannic, the ship also suffered a disaster. The Britannic, which was used during World War I as a floating hospital, suffered an explosion when it hit a mine in the Aegean Sea.

Violet Jessop was aboard at the time. Although the ship suffered severe damage, she managed to escape and survived again, repeating the incredible feat of saving her life in a shipwreck.

The Olympic (1911)

• People aboard: Approximately 1,000 people on its maiden voyage (although the maximum capacity on later voyages was higher).
• Deaths: The Olympic never suffered a shipwreck but had some accidents, all without fatalities. The Olympic was retired from service in 1935 and scrapped in 1937.

Before these shipwrecks, Violet also worked on the HMHS Olympic, the older sister of the Titanic. Although the Olympic was never involved in a tragedy as severe as the others, it did suffer an accident in 1911 when it collided with another ship, the HMS Hawke, at sea. Violet also survived this incident, although it was not as dramatic as the other two.

After the Shipwrecks

Despite the tragedies she was involved in, Violet Jessop continued working on ships for many years after these events. Her career did not stop because of the shipwrecks, and she continued to serve as a stewardess and nurse for the White Star Line until well into her 40s. Violet went on to live a relatively peaceful life after retiring from life at sea. She dedicated herself to helping others, sharing her experiences, and living a quiet life.

Death

Violet Jessop passed away on May 5, 1971, at the age of 83. Despite having been involved in three historic and nearly fatal shipwrecks, she died of natural causes, making her one of the most famous survivors in maritime history. Her involvement in the disasters of the Titanic, Britannic, and Olympic makes her a remarkable figure in history.