Mrs Juliet Cummins Taylor

Who was Juliet Cummins Taylor?

Juliet Cummins Taylor was a 49 (forty-nine) year-old American first-class passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born on November 30, 1862, in Smyrna, Kent, Delaware, she survived the tragic sinking and lived to tell her harrowing tale of that fateful night.

Early Life and Background

What was Juliet’s family history?

Juliet was born into a family with English roots. Her father, Joseph Wright (1829-1909), was a carpenter who had immigrated from England. Her mother, Elizabeth Carter (1833-1868), passed away when Juliet was just six years old. Juliet grew up with four siblings:

• Lilly (1855-1880)
• Joseph (1857-1922)
• Edgar Samuel (1861-1923)
• Susan Raymond (1865-1924)

How did Juliet’s life unfold after her mother’s death?

Following her mother’s passing in 1868, Juliet and her remaining family continued to live in Smyrna, as evidenced by the 1870 and 1880 census records. In 1886, at the age of 24, Juliet married Elmer Zebley Taylor, an engineer also from Smyrna.

The Taylors’ Life Before Titanic

What was Elmer Taylor’s profession?

Elmer Taylor was a pioneer in the paper container industry. He designed and manufactured automatic machinery for moisture-proof paper food containers. His business ventures included:

• Founding Mono Containers Ltd in England in 1906
• Establishing factories in ten countries
• Opening Mono Service Co. in Newark, New Jersey in 1910

How did the Taylors live their life?

The Taylors were:

• Childless
• Avid globe-trotters
• Residents of England since the 1890s
• Regular summer visitors to East Orange, New Jersey

The Titanic Journey

What were the details of the Taylors’ Titanic voyage?

The Taylors were traveling from London to East Orange, New Jersey, at the time of the disaster. They were accompanied by Elmer’s business partner, Fletcher Lambert-Williams, who unfortunately did not survive the sinking.

The Night of the Disaster

How did Juliet experience the Titanic’s collision?

In her own words, Juliet recounted:

“I had retired to my stateroom for the night, and I was reading a book when there came a bump that seemed to raise the boat about 6 inches. Wondering what happened, we dressed hurriedly, rather out of curiosity then alarm. We were able to see an iceberg that seemed like a mountain of snow close at hand. There seemed to be no excitement and no appreciation of what had happened.”

How did the Taylors escape the sinking ship?

Mr. and Mrs. Taylor were among the first to be rescued, likely boarding either Lifeboat 5 or 7 from the forward end of the starboard boat deck. Juliet initially hesitated to leave the ship, but her husband persuaded her to enter the lifeboat. She described the heart-wrenching scene as they rowed away:

“After we had rowed away from the Titanic we saw the ship suddenly go down, the lights going out on one deck after another, until with a sudden dip, the Titanic was under the water. The screams of the people who remained on board rose in a terrible wail to the sky. The sound of it still lingers in my ears. It was the most horrible thing I ever heard.”

Life After Titanic

How did the Taylors’ lives continue after the disaster?

• Resettled in East Orange, New Jersey in 1914
• Continued to travel extensively
• Sailed on various ships including:
  • Paris
  • Majestic
  • Homeric
  • Several voyages aboard Olympic

Juliet’s Final Years

Juliet Taylor passed away on April 23, 1927, at the age of 64 (sixty-four) in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She was laid to rest in St Peter’s Cemetery, Smyrna, where her husband Elmer joined her upon his death in 1949.

Juliet Cummins Taylor’s survival of the Titanic disaster and her vivid recollections provide a poignant first-class passenger account of one of the most tragic maritime disasters in history. Her story serves as a reminder of both the fragility of life and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy.