Mrs Mary Fortune

Who was Mary Fortune?

Mary Fortune was a 60 (sixty) year-old Canadian first-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic. Born as Mary McDougald on May 12, 1851, in Chinguacousy Township, Peel County, Ontario, she was one of the fortunate survivors of the tragic maritime disaster. Her remarkable story of survival and resilience has become a part of the Titanic’s enduring legacy.

Early Life and Family Background

A Large Canadian Family

Mary grew up in a bustling household in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. She was one of 15 children born to John MacDougald and his wife Mary. This large family setting likely instilled in her the values of adaptability and perseverance that would serve her well later in life.

Marriage and Family

Mary married Mark Fortune and settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Together, they raised a family of four children:

Alice Elizabeth Fortune
Ethel Flora Fortune
Mabel Helen Fortune
Charles Alexander Fortune

Their lives seemed prosperous and content until fate intervened with their fateful journey aboard the Titanic.

The Titanic Journey

Why did the Fortune family board the Titanic?

The Fortune family boarded the Titanic at Southampton as first-class passengers. While the exact reason for their journey isn’t specified in the available information, many wealthy North Americans traveled to Europe for business or pleasure during this era.

Titanic Accommodations

The family’s status as first-class passengers afforded them luxurious accommodations on the ship. They occupied cabins C-23-25-27, which were some of the most opulent quarters on the vessel. Their ticket number was 19950, and they paid a fare of £263 (two hundred and sixty-three pounds), a substantial sum at the time, indicating their affluent status.

The Night of the Disaster

How did Mary Fortune survive the Titanic sinking?

On the fateful night of April 14-15, 1912, when the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to sink, Mary Fortune and her three daughters managed to secure places in a lifeboat. They were most likely rescued in lifeboat 10, which was one of the last to be launched from the starboard side of the ship.

The fortune family’s fortune split that night, with the women surviving and the men perishing.

A Family Torn Apart

While Mary and her daughters survived the disaster, tragedy struck the family as her husband, Mark Fortune, and son, Charles Alexander Fortune, did not survive. They were among the many men who followed the “women and children first” protocol, sacrificing their lives in the process.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic disaster impact Mary’s later life?

After the Titanic disaster, Mary Fortune, like many survivors, had to rebuild her life in the shadow of the tragedy. She did not remarry, perhaps due to the profound loss of her husband in the sinking.

Mary’s Children

Mary’s surviving children also carried on with their lives:

Each of them had their own unique experiences as Titanic survivors, which undoubtedly shaped their lives in the years following the disaster.

Mary Fortune’s Final Years

Mary Fortune spent her remaining years in Canada. She passed away on March 8, 1929, in Toronto at the age of 77 (seventy-seven). Her life spanned from the mid-19th century to the roaring twenties, encompassing a period of immense social and technological change, not least of which was exemplified by her experience on the Titanic.

Legacy of a Titanic Survivor

Mary Fortune’s story is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy. As one of the first-class passengers who survived the Titanic disaster, her account contributes to our understanding of that fateful night and its aftermath. Her experience, along with those of other survivors, continues to fascinate historians and the public alike, ensuring that the memory of the Titanic and its passengers lives on more than a century later.