Mrs Laṭīfah AL-BA’QLĪNĪ

Who was Laṭīfah AL-BA’QLĪNĪ?

Mrs Laṭīfah AL-BA’QLĪNĪ was a 23 (twenty-three) year-old Syrian-Lebanese passenger who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. As a third-class passenger, she embarked on the ill-fated voyage with her three young daughters, demonstrating remarkable resilience during one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters.

Early Life and Background

Born on May 18, 1888, in Al Shwayr, Syria (now part of modern-day Lebanon), Laṭīfah al-Haj Qurbān was the daughter of Khalīl Qurbān and Malaki Sawaya. At the young age of 17 (seventeen), she married Sulaymān Dāwūd al-B’aqlīnī, a pharmacist from her hometown, on November 21, 1905. The couple had three daughters:

• Mārīyā (born 1906)
• ʾUwjīnīyā (born 1908)
• Hilānah (born 1909)

Why did the family decide to emigrate?

In late 1908, Laṭīfah’s husband left for America with a neighbor, Najīb Qiyamah, intending to establish a pharmacy in New York. However, their decision to migrate was not solely financially motivated. As Mr. Baclini later explained:

“I left Turkey some time ago because I was in danger of death at the hands of Mohammedan Turks, who were secretly sworn to exterminate all Christian Turks.”

This statement reveals the complex religious and political tensions that influenced their decision to seek a new life in America.

The Journey to America

What route did the family take to reach the Titanic?

Laṭīfah’s journey to America was fraught with challenges and unexpected detours:

1. Departed from their village to Beirut
2. Sailed from Beirut to Marseille
3. Traveled from Marseille to Cherbourg
4. Originally planned to board a different vessel in Cherbourg
5. Delayed due to daughter Mārīyā’s conjunctivitis diagnosis
6. Finally boarded the Titanic as the next available ship

The family embarked on the Titanic at Cherbourg as third-class passengers, holding ticket number 2666, which cost £19 5s 2d.

The Fateful Night

How did Laṭīfah and her family survive the Titanic disaster?

On the night of April 14-15, 1912, when the Titanic struck an iceberg, Laṭīfah demonstrated extraordinary courage and determination. Despite being a third-class passenger, she managed to navigate her way to the upper decks with her three young children and their teenage neighbor, Adāl Najīb Qiyāmah, in tow.

The group successfully entered a lifeboat and escaped the sinking ship, making the al-B’aqlīnī family a rare example of a larger third-class family group surviving intact. This remarkable feat highlights Laṭīfah’s resourcefulness and maternal instinct in the face of unimaginable danger.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic disaster impact Laṭīfah’s life in America?

Upon arrival in New York, Laṭīfah and her children were met by Adāl Qiyāmah’s father, as her own husband was out of the country and unaware of their journey on the Titanic. The family settled in Brooklyn, where they Americanized their names:

• Laṭīfah became known as Latify
• Sulaymān Dāwūd became Solomon David
• Their surname changed to Baclini

Tragically, the family faced further hardships in the years following the disaster:

• Daughter ʾUwjīnīyā “Eugenie” died on August 30, 1912, from meningitis
• Daughter Hilānah “Helen” passed away in 1939 due to breast cancer

Despite these losses, Latify and Solomon had two more children:

• David (born January 28, 1913) - speculated to be the first child conceived by a Titanic survivor
• Isabel (born March 28, 1914)

Later Years and Legacy

Latify lived in New York for the rest of her life, residing at various addresses in Brooklyn. Her husband worked as a dry goods salesman rather than a pharmacist, reportedly due to US pharmaceutical licensing issues.

Interestingly, Latify never discussed the Titanic disaster, perhaps as a way of coping with the traumatic experience. She was widowed when Solomon died on July 25, 1952, and passed away herself on May 10, 1962, at the age of 73 (seventy-three). She was buried with her husband in Saint John Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens, New York.

What became of Latify’s children?

• Mārīyā al-Ba’qlīnī (Marie) survived and married, becoming Marie Khanisur
• David was active with the YMCA and died in Brooklyn on April 1, 1986
• Isabel never married and passed away in Brooklyn on October 30, 1990

Latify AL-BA’QLĪNĪ’s story is a testament to the resilience of Titanic survivors, particularly those from third-class who faced significant obstacles during the disaster. Her ability to save her entire family and build a new life in America, despite the trauma and subsequent losses, showcases the extraordinary strength of this remarkable woman.