Joseph Abraham Hyman

Who was Joseph Abraham Hyman?

Joseph Abraham Hyman was a Lithuanian-born Jewish immigrant and Titanic survivor who became a prominent figure in Manchester’s Jewish community. Born in 1878, he survived the Titanic disaster in 1912 and went on to establish a successful kosher deli in Manchester, earning him the nickname “Mr. Titanic” among locals.

Early Life and Immigration

Joseph Abraham Hyman was born on February 15, 1878 (fifteen February eighteen seventy-eight) in Kaunas, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire. He was born into a family of Polish Jews, with his parents being Barnett Hyman, a grocer, and Fannie Rosengrass.

The Hyman family immigrated to England sometime before 1889, settling in Manchester’s thriving Jewish community. Young Joseph grew up in the Red Bank district of Manchester, where his father initially worked as a traveling jewelry salesman before operating his own kosher grocery store.

Family Life and Early Career

In 1902, at the age of 24 (twenty-four), Joseph Hyman married Esther Levy, also a native of Manchester born to Polish-Jewish immigrants. The couple moved to Glasgow, Scotland, where they started their family. Over the years, they had seven children:

• Julius (born 1902)
• Annie (born 1904)
• Lilian (born 1906)
• Morris (born 1907)
• Eva (born 1909)
• Jonas (born 1913)
• Rachel (born 1915)

The family lived in Glasgow’s Gorbals district for several years before relocating back to Manchester, settling in Cheetham Hill sometime before 1909. By 1911, the Hyman family was residing at 45 Stocks Street in Cheetham, where Joseph was described as a shopkeeper.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

Why did Hyman board the Titanic?

Seeking new employment opportunities, Joseph Hyman decided to migrate to the United States. On April 10, 1912, he boarded the RMS Titanic in Southampton as a third-class passenger. His ticket (number 3470) cost £7 17s 9d, equivalent to about £950 in today’s currency.

Hyman was traveling alone, with plans to join his brother Harry in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the time of his journey, he was described as a picture frame maker, indicating a possible career change from his previous shopkeeping role.

Hyman’s Titanic Experience

On the night of April 14-15, 1912, Hyman shared a cabin with David Livshin, a watchmaker from Strangeways, Manchester. In a 1953 interview, Hyman recounted his experience:

1. He was asleep when the Titanic struck the iceberg
2. The impact woke him, but he initially felt no immediate danger
3. He noticed an unusual silence as the ship’s engines had stopped
4. Hyman dressed warmly, including a heavy overcoat with a flask of whiskey
5. His cabinmate, David Livshin, refused to leave their cabin
6. Hyman ventured out onto the open decks alone, wandering for over an hour

The Lifeboat Controversy

There is some confusion about which lifeboat Hyman boarded. In his 1953 interview, he made several claims:

• He was beckoned into lifeboat 14 by an officer
• Bruce Ismay was among the occupants (which would place him in Collapsible C)
• He shared a lifeboat with a woman who credited her survival to a lucky pig (likely Edith Rosenbaum in lifeboat 11)

Some researchers believe he may have been in one of the aft starboard boats, possibly boat 13. The exact details of his rescue remain a subject of debate among Titanic historians.

Life After the Titanic

Return to England and Business Success

After reaching New York aboard the Carpathia, Hyman was met by his brother and gave several newspaper interviews. Though initially hesitant to cross the Atlantic again, his experiences in New York, with its diverse ethnicities and religions, inspired him to pursue his own business venture back in England.

Upon returning to Manchester, Hyman opened his own kosher deli and grocery store, J. A. Hyman Ltd, on Waterloo Road. The store quickly became known as “Titanics,” and Hyman himself earned the nickname “Titanic Man” among locals. This establishment remained in business for over a century, finally closing its doors in 2016.

Family Life and Later Years

Hyman and his wife Esther welcomed two more children after his return from New York:

• Jonas (intentionally named after the Old Testament figure saved from a shipwreck)
• Rachel

The family settled at 230 Waterloo Road in Cheetham. Tragically, Esther passed away on September 14, 1927, at the age of 46 (forty-six).

Hyman remarried on June 29, 1929, to widow Esther Libbert (née Rosengrass) in the New Kahal Chassidim Synagogue. His second wife had two children from her previous marriage: Jack and Fanny.

Legacy and Final Years

In 1953, at the age of 75 (seventy-five), Hyman was invited as a special guest to a screening of the Fox movie “Titanic.” Despite his nervousness about reliving the experience, this event underscored his status as a living link to the historic tragedy.

Joseph Abraham Hyman passed away on March 6, 1956, at the age of 78 (seventy-eight) in The Victoria Memorial Jewish Hospital in Manchester. He was laid to rest in Blackley Jewish Cemetery (section G, plot 172) under an impressive Hebrew-adorned headstone.

His obituary in the Manchester Evening News referred to him as “Mr. Titanic,” cementing his place in local history not just as a survivor of the infamous maritime disaster, but as a beloved community figure who built a successful life and business in the aftermath of tragedy.

Joseph Abraham Hyman’s story serves as a testament to human resilience, entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to forge a positive legacy from even the most harrowing of experiences.