Elizabeth Watt

Who was Mrs Elizabeth Watt?

Mrs Elizabeth “Bessie” Watt was a Scottish Titanic survivor who demonstrated remarkable resilience and resourcefulness during one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters. Born in 1871 in Edinburgh, she embarked on the ill-fated Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912 as a second-class passenger with her young daughter, surviving the sinking and going on to live a long life until 1951.

Early Life and Family

A Scottish Upbringing

Born as Elizabeth Inglis Milne on September 21, 1871, in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, Bessie came from a working-class family. Her father, Joseph Milne, was a comb maker, while her mother, Ann Margaret Adams Paterson, was a homemaker. The couple had married on June 10, 1864, in Aberdeenshire before settling in Edinburgh to start their family.

Bessie grew up with several siblings:

James Paterson (born 1865)
Margaret Jane (born 1866)
William (born 1868)
Robert (born 1870)

An Intriguing Childhood

Interestingly, Bessie’s childhood took an unusual turn. While her family resided in the St. Cuthbert’s area of Edinburgh, census records from 1881 and 1891 show Bessie living away from her immediate family. Instead, she was found residing with her childless maternal aunt, Mary Ann Shanks, and her husband Robert Gray Shanks, a basket maker, in Aberdeen.

This arrangement raises questions about Bessie’s early life. Why was she separated from her parents and siblings? Was this a common practice in Scottish families of the time, or were there specific circumstances that led to this living situation?

Early Career and Marriage

By the 1891 census, Bessie, still living with her aunt and uncle, was described as a dressmaker. This skill would later prove invaluable during her Titanic ordeal. In 1896, at the age of 25, Bessie married James Reid Watt, an architect from Forfarshire (now known as Angus). The couple welcomed their only child, Robertha Josephine “Bertha” Watt, in 1899.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

A New Life in America

In 1911, the Watt family made the life-changing decision to immigrate to Portland, Oregon. James Watt traveled ahead of his wife and daughter, departing from Glasgow on the Anchor Line’s Caledonia on October 21, 1911. Bessie and 12-year-old Bertha followed a few months later, boarding the Titanic at Southampton on April 10, 1912.

Life Aboard the Titanic

As second-class passengers, Bessie and Bertha shared a cabin with two other ladies, Ellen Toomey and Rosa Pinsky. Their social circle on board also included Marion Wright, Kate Buss, and William Mellors. Bessie’s experience on the Titanic is vividly captured in a letter she wrote on April 10, which was posted from Queenstown and later published in the Portland Oregonian:

“W.S.L. Titanic Wednesday, April 10th, 7.05 p.m.
At last you will see we have started to cross the Atlantic. We have just taken on passengers at Cherbourg (France) and tomorrow we go to Queenstown (Ireland). Oh dear. The style is awful. It seems it is not a fast boat, it is built for comfort, not speed, and they say we won’t be in till Wednesday night (the 17th).
There are two other ladies in our stateroom, but it is nice and big; two wardrobes in one, with a large mirror door and four drawers, two wash basins, besides the lavatory and bathroom.”

This letter provides a fascinating glimpse into the initial impressions of the Titanic from a second-class passenger’s perspective.

The Night of the Sinking

On the night of April 14, Bessie was in bed but unable to sleep when she felt the ship collide with the iceberg. Her actions in the following hours demonstrate her quick thinking and maternal instincts:

She immediately got up and investigated, despite being told by crew members not to worry.
After learning from a fellow passenger that the ship had hit an iceberg, she returned to her cabin to fetch a heavy coat.
Bessie and Bertha were eventually rescued in lifeboat 9, alongside their newfound friends Marion Wright, Kate Buss, Ellen Toomey, and Rosa Pinsky.

Survival and Later Life

The Carpathia and Arrival in New York

Aboard the rescue ship Carpathia, Bessie’s resourcefulness shone through. With Bertha in shock and refusing food, Bessie focused on keeping her daughter warm and clothed. Using a blanket provided by the Carpathia’s crew, she fashioned a skirt for Bertha, demonstrating her dressmaking skills and motherly care.

Life After the Titanic

Following their rescue, Bessie and Bertha were reunited with James in Portland, Oregon. The family settled there, with Bessie maintaining a lifelong friendship with fellow survivor Marion Wright, who became like a grandmother to Wright’s children.

Despite her remarkable experience, Bessie was known to dislike discussing the Titanic disaster. This reluctance to revisit the traumatic event is common among survivors and speaks to the profound impact the sinking had on her life.

Final Years

Later in life, Bessie and her husband moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, to be closer to Bertha and her family. Widowed in 1937, Bessie lived for another 14 years. She passed away on September 18, 1951, just three days shy of her 80th birthday. She was laid to rest in Mountainview Cemetery, Vancouver.

Bessie Watt’s story is a testament to the resilience of Titanic survivors. From her early life in Scotland to her harrowing experience on the Titanic and her later years in North America, she demonstrated strength, adaptability, and maternal devotion. Her life offers a unique perspective on one of history’s most famous maritime disasters and the long-lasting impact it had on those who lived through it.