Mrs Pauline Caroline Gibson

Who was Pauline Caroline Gibson?

Pauline Caroline Gibson (née Boeson) was an American first-class passenger and survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster. Born on June 30, 1866, in Hoboken, New Jersey, she lived a life marked by tragedy, adventure, and controversy. Her story intertwines with the glamour of early Hollywood, the horror of the Titanic sinking, and the dark shadows of World War II.

Early Life and Family Background

What was Pauline’s childhood like?

Pauline was born into a family of immigrants in Hoboken, New Jersey. Her father, James Peter Boesen (1832-1905), was a clothing manufacturer from Denmark, while her mother, Pauline Heinzel (1839-1921), hailed from Germany. Pauline grew up with two older siblings:

William (1861-1941)
Gussie (b. 1864, later Mrs. Alfred William Todd)

The family resided at 198 Bloomfield, West Side, Hoboken, as recorded in the 1880 census.

How did Pauline’s early marriages shape her life?

Pauline’s personal life was marked by two marriages:

First Marriage: On November 22, 1887, she married John A. Brown, a Scottish-born stone worker. They had one daughter, Dorothy Winifred, born on May 17, 1889. Tragically, John died on February 23, 1890, at the young age of 25, leaving Pauline a widow.
Second Marriage: On February 8, 1893, Pauline remarried to John Leonard Gibson, an advertising salesman and publisher born to Irish parents in New York.

The Titanic Journey

What brought Pauline to the Titanic?

In 1912, Pauline and her daughter Dorothy Winifred Gibson embarked on a European vacation. Dorothy, by then a rising star in the silent film industry, had just completed work on the film “The Easter Bonnet” for Éclair Film Studios. For their return to the USA, they boarded the RMS Titanic at Cherbourg as first-class passengers.

Titanic Ticket Details
Ticket Number: 112378
Fare: £59 8s
Class: First Class

Who did Pauline meet aboard the Titanic?

During their voyage, Pauline and Dorothy became acquainted with fellow passengers William Sloper and Frederick Seward.

The Night of the Disaster

How did Pauline survive the Titanic sinking?

On the fateful night of April 14, 1912, Pauline was alone in her cabin when the Titanic struck the iceberg. Her daughter Dorothy, who had been playing bridge with Sloper and Seward, felt “a long drawn, sickening crunch” and rushed back to fetch her mother.

Pauline and Dorothy were among the first to board Lifeboat 7, pleading with Seward and Sloper to join them. Their quick action likely saved their lives, as they were among the survivors of the tragic sinking.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic experience affect Pauline’s life?

Following their return to New York, Pauline and Dorothy seemed undeterred by their harrowing experience. They continued to make frequent trips across the Atlantic, visiting various European countries including France, Switzerland, Britain, Italy, and Gibraltar.

What was Pauline’s life like in later years?

As time passed, Pauline and Dorothy began to lose touch with friends and family in the USA. When Pauline’s husband died on September 20, 1932, she did not return for his funeral, having been away from the USA for at least four years.

Pauline preferred living in Florence, Italy, while her daughter favored Paris. Despite the distance, the two remained close.

Controversial Later Years

How did World War II impact Pauline’s life?

During the Great Depression and the lead-up to World War II, Pauline and Dorothy became involved with subversive political elements in Europe. As war broke out, they did not return to the USA like many of their countrymen. Instead, they reportedly became entangled with fascist elements and Nazi sympathizers.

The war years brought tragedy to the family:

Dorothy was arrested by the Gestapo in Italy as a resistance agitator
She was imprisoned at San Vittore in Milan but escaped in 1944
Dorothy later ended up in Switzerland, implicated in espionage for the Nazis
She died two years after her escape

What happened to Pauline after the war?

Following the war, Pauline remained in Florence. However, her pro-Nazi sentiments eventually led to her exile from Italy. She then settled in Paris, where she spent her final years.

Pauline’s Final Days

Pauline Caroline Gibson died in a Paris hotel on March 20, 1961, at the age of 94 (ninety-four). Her life, spanning nearly a century, was marked by extraordinary events, from the sinking of the Titanic to the tumultuous years of World War II.

Despite her controversial later years, Pauline’s story remains a fascinating glimpse into the life of a Titanic survivor whose journey continued long after that fateful night in April 1912.