Gilbert Milligan JR Tucker

Who was Gilbert Milligan Tucker Jr?

Gilbert Milligan Tucker Jr was an American first-class passenger who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Born on November 3, 1880, in Albany, New York, Tucker was a 31-year-old (thirty-one) single man at the time of the disaster. He came from a prominent publishing family and had worked as circulation manager for The Country Gentleman magazine until its sale in 1911.

Early Life and Family Background

Gilbert Tucker Jr grew up in the shadow of his father, Gilbert Milligan Tucker Sr, a respected figure in Albany’s publishing world. The elder Tucker was the editor-in-chief of The Country Gentleman magazine and had taken over the publication following the deaths of his father and brother. The Tucker family was well-established in Albany, residing for many years at 304 State Street.

Young Gilbert’s education followed a path typical of his social standing:

• Graduated from Albany Academy in 1898
• Studied agriculture at Cornell University, graduating in 1901
• Followed his father into the family business at The Country Gentleman

The Fateful Voyage

In early 1912, Tucker embarked on a Mediterranean vacation with his parents and sister. During their travels in Egypt, he encountered a group of American women, including Margaret Hays, with whom he became enamored. This chance meeting would alter the course of his life.

Boarding the Titanic

Tucker made the fateful decision to cut his vacation short, ostensibly to attend an Albany Academy Alumni Association event. However, it’s widely believed his true motivation was to accompany Miss Hays and her companions back to America. He boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg as a first-class passenger, securing the following accommodations:

• Ticket number: 2543
• Cabin: C53
• Ticket price: £28 10s 9d

The Night of the Disaster

On the night of April 14-15, 1912, Tucker found himself at the center of one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters. His firsthand account provides a chilling glimpse into the events:

“I was in bed and asleep when a bump, nothing more than the banging of a door, roused me. Out of curiosity I got up and went on deck. The engines had stopped, but there was no excitement. There was no looming ice-cliff in sight…”

Tucker was among the first passengers to board a lifeboat, specifically Lifeboat 7. His escape from the sinking ship was not without controversy, as he was one of the few men allowed into the early lifeboats.

Life After the Titanic

Following his rescue by the Carpathia, Tucker returned to New York City, where he briefly cared for one of the Navratil children, French boys who had been separated from their father in the disaster. Despite the shared experience, no romance blossomed between Tucker and Margaret Hays.

Tucker’s post-Titanic life included:

• Service with the New York Food Commission during World War I
• Work with the State Department of Health
• Marriage to Mildred Penrose Stewart in 1922
• Authorship of six books on economics
• Frequent letters to local newspapers on political and economic topics

Final Years and Legacy

In 1965, Tucker and his wife moved to La Jolla, California. His retirement was short-lived, as he passed away on February 26, 1968, at the age of 87 (eighty-seven) in Carmel, California. Gilbert Milligan Tucker Jr’s life spanned from the Gilded Age through two World Wars and into the modern era, with his survival of the Titanic remaining his most notable claim to historical significance.