Miss Mabel Helen Fortune

Who was Mabel Helen Fortune?

Mabel Helen Fortune was a 23 (twenty-three) year-old Canadian first-class passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born on November 3, 1888, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she was the daughter of Mark and Mary Fortune. Mabel’s life was marked by her experience as a Titanic survivor and her subsequent unconventional personal life.

Early Life and Background

Mabel Helen Fortune grew up in a wealthy Canadian family. She was described as:

Blithe
Unselfconscious
Highly strung
Attractive
Spoiled

Her privileged upbringing set the stage for a life of adventure and controversy. Before her fateful journey on the Titanic, Mabel had fallen in love with Harrison Driscoll, a jazz musician from Minnesota. This romance was not approved by her parents, who hoped to stifle the relationship by taking Mabel on an extended European trip.

The Titanic Journey

Why was Mabel on the Titanic?

Mabel boarded the Titanic as a first-class passenger at Southampton, along with her family members:

Mark Fortune, her father
Mary Fortune, her mother
Alice Elizabeth Fortune, her sister
Ethel Flora Fortune, her sister
Charles Alexander Fortune, her brother

The Fortune family occupied cabins C-23-25-27, traveling in luxury with ticket number 19950. The fare for their passage was £263, a considerable sum at the time, reflecting their wealthy status.

Fate During the Disaster

“Her father and brother were lost in the sinking but the women were rescued, probably in lifeboat 10.”

Mabel Helen Fortune survived the tragic sinking of the Titanic, escaping the disaster aboard lifeboat 10 along with her mother and sisters. Tragically, her father Mark and brother Charles Alexander did not survive the catastrophe, becoming two of the many victims of the Titanic disaster.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic disaster impact Mabel’s life?

The Titanic disaster marked a turning point in Mabel’s life. In the aftermath:

She married Harrison Driscoll in 1913, the jazz musician she had fallen in love with before the Titanic voyage.
The couple had a son named Robert.
The marriage was short-lived, ending in separation.

An Unconventional Path

In a surprising turn of events, Mabel’s life took an unconventional direction:

She left her husband to live with Charlotte Armstrong, a woman she met in Ottawa.
Mabel placed her son Robert in boarding school.
For the remainder of her life, she resided with Armstrong in Victoria, British Columbia.

This decision was particularly notable given the social norms of the early 20th century, showcasing Mabel’s independent and perhaps rebellious nature.

Legacy and Final Years

Mabel Helen Fortune’s life was a tapestry of extraordinary events and personal choices. From surviving one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history to pursuing an unconventional lifestyle, she lived a life that defied expectations.

Key Events in Mabel’s Life
Born: November 3, 1888
Survived Titanic: April 15, 1912
Married: 1913
Moved to Victoria, BC: Date Unknown
Died: February 19, 1968

Mabel Fortune, later known as Mabel Driscoll, passed away in Victoria, British Columbia on February 19, 1968, at the age of 79 (seventy-nine). Her life story remains a fascinating chapter in the broader narrative of Titanic survivors, illustrating the diverse paths taken by those who lived through that fateful night in April 1912.