Mrs Rhoda Abbott

Mrs Rhoda Abbott was a resilient 39 (thirty-nine) year old English woman who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. Her story is one of tragedy and perseverance, as she lost her two sons in the disaster but managed to survive against all odds.

Early Life and Background

Where did Rhoda Abbott come from?

Rhoda Abbott was born as Rhoda Hunt on January 25, 1873, in Ludgershall, Buckinghamshire, England. She was the daughter of Joseph Hunt, a labourer, and his wife Sarah. Rhoda grew up with two siblings: Thomas William and Lizzie.

What was Rhoda’s early adult life like?

In 1892, at the age of 19 (nineteen), Rhoda settled in Providence, Rhode Island. Shortly after her arrival in America, she met and married George “Stanton” Abbott, a London-born boxer who had been the lightweight champion of England. The couple had two sons:

• Rossmore
• Eugene

Both boys were born in Rhode Island, cementing the family’s roots in America.

Life Before the Titanic

How did Rhoda’s life change before boarding the Titanic?

Rhoda’s life took several turns in the years leading up to her fateful Titanic journey:

1. By 1910, Rhoda and George had divorced
2. Rhoda supported herself and her sons through dressmaking and sewing
3. She became active as a soldier in the Salvation Army
4. In August 1911, Rhoda decided to move to England with her sons to live with her mother in St. Albans, Hertfordshire
5. The family made the crossing to England aboard the Olympic

The Titanic Journey

Why did Rhoda Abbott board the Titanic?

After a short time in England, Rossmore and Eugene became homesick for Providence. Rhoda decided to return to the United States for her sons’ benefit. In April 1912, she booked passage for her family as third-class passengers aboard the Titanic.

What was Rhoda’s experience on the Titanic?

Rhoda’s cabin was close to that of fellow passenger Amy Stanley. The two women formed a close bond during the voyage, which would prove crucial in the aftermath of the disaster.

The Fateful Night

How did Rhoda Abbott survive the sinking?

As the Titanic took her final plunge, Rhoda and her two sons jumped from the deck. In a heartbreaking turn of events, Rhoda managed to get into Collapsible A, but her boys were lost. The lifeboat had been swamped during launch, and its occupants were left balancing precariously in knee-deep water.

Amy Stanley later recalled Rhoda’s experience:

“We were very close since we were on the Titanic together. And her stateroom had been near mine. I was the only one that she could talk to about her sons because I knew them myself. She told me that she would get in the lifeboat if there hadn’t been so many people around. So she and her sons kept together. She was thankful that the three of them had stayed with her on that piece of wreckage. The youngest went first then the other son went. She grew numb and cold and couldn’t remember when she got on the Carpathia. There was a piece of cork in her hair and I managed to get a comb and it took a long time but finally we got it out.”

Aftermath and Recovery

How did Rhoda Abbott cope after the disaster?

The ordeal took a severe toll on Rhoda’s health:

• She suffered badly damaged legs from the effects of cold water
• During the voyage to New York, she stayed in a makeshift bed on a padded sheet in the smoking room of the Carpathia
• Her injuries were so severe that she didn’t stir from her cot until reaching New York
• She spent at least two more weeks hospitalized after arrival

Rhoda was cared for by her church, Grace Episcopal Church in Providence, Rhode Island, where her son Rossmore had once been in the boy’s choir.

Life After the Titanic

How did Rhoda rebuild her life?

Despite the immense tragedy she had endured, Rhoda found ways to move forward:

1. On December 16, 1912, she married her former lodger, George Charles Williams, in Swansea, Massachusetts
2. The couple settled in Jacksonville, Florida, where George worked as a bookbinder
3. In 1928, they moved back to England, initially planning to return to Florida
4. After George suffered a debilitating stroke, they decided to remain in Barnes, Surrey

What became of Rhoda in her later years?

Rhoda outlived her second husband, George, who passed away in 1938. She continued to live in their home in Barnes until her own death on February 18, 1946, at the age of 73 (seventy-three).

Rhoda Abbott’s Legacy

Rhoda Abbott’s story stands as a testament to human resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy. As one of the survivors of the Titanic, she carried with her the memory of that fateful night and the loss of her beloved sons, Eugene Joseph Abbott and Rossmore Edward Abbott. Her experience serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of the disaster and the strength required to rebuild a life in its aftermath.