Mrs Leah Aks

Who was Leah Aks?

Leah Aks was a 21 (twenty-one) year old third-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic. Born on March 20, 1891, in Warsaw, Poland, she survived the tragic sinking and went on to live a long life, passing away at the age of 76 (seventy-six) on June 22, 1967. Her remarkable story of survival and reunion with her infant son has become one of the most memorable tales from the Titanic disaster.

Early Life and Background

What was Leah’s family background?

Leah was born to Morris Rosen (b. 1851) and Annie Rosen (b. 1856), who married in 1875. She had two older brothers:

Abe (b. 1887)
Marks (b. 1888)

In 1910, at the age of 19 (nineteen), Leah married Sam Axman, a tailor from Łódź, Poland. The couple settled in London, where they anglicized their surname to Aks. Their first child, Philip (also known as Frank or Filly), was born on June 7, 1911.

The Journey to America

Why did the Aks family decide to emigrate?

In January 1912, Sam Aks left England for America, sailing from Liverpool to New York aboard the Cymric. He found work as a tailor in Norfolk, Virginia, and saved money to bring his wife and son to join him.

Leah and her infant son boarded the Titanic as third-class passengers on April 10, 1912, at Southampton. Their ticket (number 392091) cost £9 7s, a significant sum for a young immigrant family.

The Titanic Disaster

What happened to Leah and Frank during the sinking?

The events of the fateful night of April 14-15, 1912, are shrouded in conflicting accounts. What is known is that Leah and her son Frank became separated in the chaos of the sinking. Two main versions of their separation exist:

Frank was taken from Leah’s arms during the ascent from the third-class areas to the lifeboats.
Frank was pulled from Leah and tossed into a lifeboat, which was then lowered without her.

While the exact lifeboat numbers are uncertain, it’s suggested that:

Frank may have been placed in lifeboat 11
Leah may have been rescued in lifeboat 13

However, an interview with Leah in the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch on April 24, 1912, hints at her possible presence in lifeboat 4.

How were Leah and Frank reunited?

Aboard the rescue ship Carpathia, Leah frantically searched for her son. In a dramatic turn of events:

Whilst out on deck one day she heard a baby cry and, recognising the cry as belonging to her son ran up to a lady who was carrying baby Frank in her arms.

The woman, described as “Italian,” refused to give up the child. It was only through the intervention of Captain Rostron that Frank was returned to Leah after she was able to prove the child was hers by disclosing that he had been circumcised.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Aks family rebuild their life in America?

Upon hearing of the Titanic’s sinking, Sam Aks fell off his porch and received a concussion. He was eventually reunited with his wife and son in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Aks family grew in the following years:

Child	Date of Birth	Notes
Sarah Carpathia	March 12, 1913	Named after the rescue ship
Harry	January 21, 1915

Sam found work as an auto salesman and later managed his own garage. The family lived at various addresses in Norfolk:

552 Church Street (1920 census)
1021 Weston Avenue (1930 and 1940 census)

What were Leah’s community involvements?

Leah was an active member of her local community, participating in various organizations:

Beth El Temple
Norfolk Chapter of Hadassah
The Golden Age Club
Beth El Temple Sisterhood
Ladies Hebrew Charity Society
Ladies Auxiliary of Jewish War Veterans

She often recounted her Titanic story to local media and became acquainted with other survivors, including Thelma Thomas, May Futrelle, Selena Cook, and Salini Yazbak Decker.

Legacy and Later Years

How did Leah commemorate her Titanic experience?

The renewed interest in the Titanic during the 1950s saw Leah reliving her experiences. She attended special screenings of Fox’s “Titanic” and “A Night to Remember” as a guest of honor.

Leah Aks passed away on June 22, 1967, at the Norfolk General Hospital, aged 76 (seventy-six). She was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Her husband Sam died on November 11, 1970.

What became of the Aks children?

Philip Aks (Frank) died in 1991.
Sarah became Mrs. Sidney Weinraub and passed away in Norfolk on February 18, 2001.
Harry became a dentist, married a woman named Hilda from Maryland, and settled in Chevy Chase. He died on January 24, 2002.

Leah Aks’s story of survival, separation, and reunion remains one of the most poignant tales from the Titanic disaster, exemplifying the human drama and resilience in the face of tragedy.