Miss Lucy Ridsdale

Who was Lucy Ridsdale?

Lucy Ridsdale was a 58 (fifty-eight) year-old English nurse who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Born on March 20, 1854, in Little Ribston, Yorkshire, she embarked on a journey to America that would become one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history. Her story is one of resilience, survival, and a life dedicated to caring for others.

Early Life and Background

What was Lucy Ridsdale’s family background?

Lucy Ridsdale was born into a working-class family in Yorkshire, England. Her parents were:

Father: James Ridsdale (born July 23, 1826), a stonemason
Mother: Mary Theakstone (1827-1891)

She was one of six siblings:

Mary (born 1850)
Martha (1852-1854)
Martha (1857-1941)
Samuel (born 1861)
Annie (born 1865)

How did Lucy Ridsdale’s career develop?

Lucy’s career path took her from domestic service to nursing:

1871: Worked as a domestic servant for a grocer in York
Later moved to London to train as a nurse under Florence Nightingale
1881: Employed as a nurse for a ribbon buyer’s family in Lewisham, London
1891: Resided in a nurses’ house in Mayfair, London
1911: Working as a trained sick nurse for a family in South Kensington

Titanic Journey Details

Why was Lucy Ridsdale traveling on the Titanic?

Miss Ridsdale boarded the Titanic at Southampton with the intention of joining her sister Martha (Mrs. Frederick George Lewis Rohss) in Marietta, Ohio. Her travel plans included:

Staying with her niece, Mrs. J. E. Wickstrom, in Marietta
Eventually moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where another sister lived

What were the details of Lucy Ridsdale’s Titanic ticket?

Class: 2nd Class
Ticket Number: 14258
Fare: £10

Had Lucy Ridsdale traveled to America before?

Yes, this was not her first transatlantic journey. In July 1901, she had visited her sister on Grand Avenue, Milwaukee, sailing on the SS Westernland from Liverpool to Philadelphia.

The Night of the Disaster

What was Lucy Ridsdale’s experience during the Titanic’s sinking?

On the night of April 14, 1912, Lucy Ridsdale’s life changed forever:

She was awake in her bunk when the ship collided with the iceberg
Initially told there was no danger, she and her cabinmate Mary Ann Charlotte Davis were later instructed to prepare and go to the deck
Despite having a club foot, Lucy managed to reach the boat deck with Mary Davis’s help
She was helped into a lifeboat (the specific number is unknown)
The lifeboat began to leak, adding to the passengers’ distress

“I saw officers and passengers manning the lifeboats and loading the women into them, and was soon helped into one myself…..It was cold and with the water in the boat we suffered greatly with cold. After a long time, seemingly many hours, we were picked up by the Carpathia…..” — Marietta Daily Times, April 24, 1912

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic disaster affect Lucy Ridsdale’s plans?

The sinking of the Titanic had significant consequences for Lucy:

She lost all her possessions, valued at $3,146
These included household effects, personal gifts from patients, and family heirlooms
She filed a detailed claim for her losses

Where did Lucy Ridsdale settle after the disaster?

Despite her original plans, Lucy Ridsdale never returned to England:

1929: Became a resident of The Old People’s Home at 4724 Vincennes Avenue, Chicago
Remained at this address for the rest of her life, as evidenced by the 1930 and 1940 US census records

Legacy

How is Lucy Ridsdale remembered?

Lucy Ridsdale’s life was marked by her service as a nurse and her survival of one of history’s most famous maritime disasters:

She lived to the age of 91 (ninety-one), passing away on January 11, 1946, in Chicago
Buried in a communal grave at Oakwood cemetery on January 14, 1946
Her death notice in the Chicago Daily News highlighted her status as a Titanic survivor

Lucy Ridsdale’s story serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, having survived not only the Titanic disaster but also adapting to a new life in America in her later years.