Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen: A Titanic Survivor’s Tale

Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen was a prominent Canadian businessman, military officer, and one of the most well-known survivors of the RMS Titanic disaster. Born on April 18, 1859, in Montreal, Quebec, Peuchen’s life was marked by success, controversy, and a fateful journey that would forever change his legacy.

Early Life and Career

Arthur Peuchen was born into a family with strong connections to the railroad industry. His father, Godfrey Peuchen, hailed from Westphalia, Prussia, and had worked as a railroad contractor in South America. His grandfather had managed the London, Brighton and Midlands Railway, instilling in young Arthur a sense of ambition and industry.

After receiving his education in Montreal’s private schools, Peuchen moved to Toronto in 1871, where he would establish himself as a respected businessman and military officer. His career highlights include:

• Enlisting in the Queen’s Own Rifles, rising through the ranks:
  • Lieutenant (1888)
  • Captain (1894)
  • Major (1904)
• Serving as marshalling officer at the coronation of King George V in 1911
• Founding and presiding over the Standard Chemical Company (1897-1914)

A Man of Means and Leisure

By the turn of the century, Arthur Peuchen had become a man of considerable wealth and social standing. His success in business allowed him to enjoy the finer things in life:

• Owned a mansion called “Woodlands” on Lake Simcoe, complete with a marina, tennis courts, and golf course
• Possessed his own yacht, the Vreda
• Held positions as Vice-Commodore and Rear Commodore of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Toronto
• Member of various prestigious clubs, including the National, Toronto; the Hunt, Toronto; the Ontario Jockey; the Albany, Toronto; and the Military Institute, Toronto

The Fateful Voyage

Why was Peuchen aboard the Titanic?

As a successful businessman with company refineries in England, France, and Germany, Peuchen was a frequent transatlantic traveler. The voyage on the Titanic was to be his 40th crossing of the Atlantic. However, he had one reservation about the journey - the ship’s captain, Edward Smith.

“Surely not that man!” Peuchen reportedly exclaimed upon learning of Smith’s appointment, believing the captain to be too old for the job and aware of his checkered career.

Peuchen’s Titanic Experience

• Boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a first-class passenger
• Ticket number: 113786
• Fare paid: £30 10s
• Assigned to cabin C-104

On the night of April 14, 1912, Peuchen dined with Harry Molson and Hudson and Bess Allison in the First Class Dining Room. When he later learned from steward James Johnson that the ship had struck an iceberg, Peuchen, like many others, didn’t believe the Titanic would sink.

The Dramatic Escape

As the situation became dire, Peuchen found himself near Lifeboat 6 as it was being lowered. Noticing it was undermanned, he volunteered his services as a yachtsman. What followed was a dramatic descent:

1. Second Officer Lightoller challenged Peuchen to prove his sailing skills
2. Peuchen grabbed a rope and swung himself off the ship
3. He slithered down 25 feet of rope into the lifeboat

This act of bravery (or self-preservation, as some critics would later claim) secured Peuchen’s survival but also sparked controversy that would follow him for years to come.

Controversy and Criticism

Peuchen’s conduct during and after the Titanic disaster became a subject of intense scrutiny:

1. His behavior in Lifeboat 6 was questioned, particularly his relationship with Quartermaster Robert Hichens.
2. Critics found it odd that Peuchen, a military officer, didn’t challenge Hichens’ controversial leadership in the lifeboat.
3. He was accused of exaggerating his own efforts and failing to acknowledge the leadership of Margaret “Molly” Brown in the lifeboat.
4. Reports suggested Peuchen complained of tiredness and initially refused to row.

The Aftermath

Testimony and Public Opinion

As the only Canadian to testify at the U.S. Senate Inquiry into the disaster, Peuchen’s words carried weight. However, his criticism of Captain Smith and the Titanic’s crew didn’t sit well with everyone:

“They seemed to be short of sailors around the lifeboats,” he testified. “I imagine this crew is what we would call in yachting terms as scratch crew, brought from different vessels. They might be the best, but they were not accustomed to working together.”

In Toronto, public opinion turned against Peuchen. He was maligned as a coward, with the Toronto Mail questioning his motives: “He put himself in the position of a man who had to defend himself before the necessity for the defence was apparent.”

Post-Titanic Life

Despite the controversy, Peuchen’s military career continued:

• Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in the Queen’s Own Rifles on May 21, 1912
• Awarded the Officer’s Long Service Decoration
• Commanded the Home Battalion of the Queen’s Own during World War I

Financial Decline and Later Years

The years following the Titanic disaster saw a gradual decline in Peuchen’s fortunes:

• 1920: Began a dam project along the Oldman River in Alberta, which ultimately failed
• 1920s: Lost much of his wealth due to bad investments
• 1924: Recorded as residing in Queen Anne’s Mansions, St James Park, London, and his old summer residence ‘Woodlands’ in Ontario
• Late 1920s: Believed to have lived in a company dormitory in Hinton, Alberta

The Final Chapter

Arthur Godfrey Peuchen passed away on December 7, 1929, at the age of 70 (seventy) years old. He died at his home at 105 Roxborough Street East in Toronto and was laid to rest in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

A Titanic Legacy

In a fascinating epilogue to Peuchen’s Titanic story, a salvage team in