Product Description

'I did not like big ships...I was secretly afraid' admits Violet Jessop in this unique eyewitness account of the most written about disaster of the twentieth century. Joining the Royal Mail Line in 1908 at the age of twenty-one, Violet Jessop spent her entire career at sea, travelling on more than 200 voyages. She was a stewardess for first-class passengers on the Titanic when it sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Her description of the sinking is chilling as she sees to the needs of the passengers before finding a warm coat for herself. While in the lifeboat, someone threw her a 'forgotten baby', and she watched, fascinated as the ship went down 'as if by looking I could keep her afloat'. Four years later, she was a wartime nurse aboard the hospital ship, Britannic, when it struck a mine and sank to the bottom of the Aegean. These memoirs give us a unique glimpse of life below decks aboard one of the great ocean liners. From Jessop's unusual vantage point, we learn what life was like for those who worked on the ships: hilarious fellow stewardesses, cramped quarters, wartime alerts, impossible passengers ('the haughty, gimlet eyes of a certain well-known society woman'), philandering shipmates, exotic ports, unrequited love and tragic deaths.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #104238 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 290 pages

About the Author
Violet Jessop was a stewardess on the Titanic.

Customer Reviews

An excellent insight into life at sea
I couldn't put this book down. Violet Jessop was an incredible woman, surviving not just one but three accidents at sea. Her attitude is admirable and as you read more and more, you come to admire and respect her.

Violet Jessops intimate account of a life at sea
V.J was born October 2nd, 1887 of Irish parents in Argentina. Her health was very poor during childhood, but eventually she and her parents returned to the u.k in poverty. She had to forgo a valuable scholarship to support her beloved family. Her life at sea has a well written, intelligent restraint feel about it. She served on the all three of the Olympic class ships; the Titanic, the Britanic and the Olympic, amongst others. The first one you know about, but the second was hit by a mine in WW1 and sunk in less than 40 mins. She had a cracked skull from the accident but continued to nurse! The main interest, that of the Titanic, is very low key and only occupies 20 pages or so. Don't let this put you off, however. This is typical of the woman; suppressing large tragic events and magnify romatically low key events. The life of a maid was very hard and poorly paid and all sacrificed their home and family life for the rigid task masters of the cruise liners. The love of her life-Ned-drifts in and out of the picture as they span the worlds oceans in toil & labour. She was a handsome, practical, intelligent and caring women. I liked her character and she weaves a saga of another age. We will not see her like again.

AMAZING WOMAN
I DID NOT WANT THIS BOOK TO END, IT WAS SO ENJOYABLE.VIOLET JESSOP WAS SUCH A STRONG MINDED WOMAN.I HAVE NOTHING BUT ADMIRATION FOR HER.THIS BOOK WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT FILM,IT,S REALLY AMAZING HOW MUCH SHE PACKED INTO HER LIFE.I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO HER.