Sponsored by
Extraordinary Titanic survival story has Louth connection
Titanic.
WITH the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic coming up this week, we look at one man with a Louth connection’s extraordinary survival story.
Louth resident Julia Baron informed us that her late husband, Jeremy Barkworth, also of Louth, had a relative on board the doomed ship.
Jeremy’s father-in-law’s second cousin, Algernon Henry ‘Algy’ Barkworth, was a 47-year-old Justice of the Peace from Hessle, near Hull, and was bought a £30 ticket for cabin A23 by his mother, who told him it was ‘about time you did something with your life’.
Algy had enjoyed five days on board with new-found friends Arthur Gee of Blackpool and American Charles C Jones, and on the night the iceberg hit the trio were in the bar putting the world to rights over a few drinks. When the other two decided to call it a night, Algy opted to stay up for a nightcap, and was still in the bar when disaster struck at 11.40pm on April 14.
It is said that when the mass panic was taking place around him, Algy retired to his room and drank a full bottle of Crème de Menthe.
Only then did he decide to head for the exits, clutching his fur coat and briefcase.
Algy recalled that upon his arrival on deck that even the violin players had fled for the lifeboats, and he would have been one of the last to escape the sinking giant.
He threw his briefcase into the sea and dived on top, calmly swimming through the freezing waters in search for help.
After a while Algy came across a group of survivors floating on top of the upturned lifeboat B, and clambered aboard until they were rescued by lifeboat 12.
Hours later Algy and 704 other Titanic survivors were rescued by the Carpathia, and while onboard he was able to write home to let his family know he was safe.
Unfortunately, his two friends Arthur and Charles, along with over 1,500 others, were claimed by the sea that night 100 years ago.
Algy went on to return to his role as Justice of the Peace in Hessle and lived until January 7 1945, reaching the age of 80.
He is buried at Mill Lane Cemetery in Kirk Ella, Yorkshire.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Narrow one-way street in Louth leaves lorry driver red faced
- Police release e-fit of suspect after indecent exposure in Mablethorpe
- Video: Anger as Hubbard’s Hills bridge is damaged by ‘boozed up’ vandals
- VIDEO: WOOLWICH MURDER INVESTIGATION: Police raid Lincolnshire home
- Fears Louth’s economy is already being hit by controversial car parking charge increases
- Fears Louth’s economy is already being hit by controversial car parking charge increases
- Video: Anger as Hubbard’s Hills bridge is damaged by ‘boozed up’ vandals
- Councillor accuses East Lindsey District Council of abandoning Louth Cattle Market
- £3.5m fine for EMAS after failure to meet target for life-threatening calls
- ‘Gifted land’ siting former Louth Swimming Pool to be sold off to make way for 29 new houses
- Market Rasen 1971-1980
- ‘We should all be grateful to Margaret Thatcher’ - Local reaction to former Prime Minister’s death
- Narrow one-way street in Louth leaves lorry driver red faced
- Video: Councillor explains why Louth cattle market could be put up for sale
- ‘Extremely rare’ bird spotted on the coast near Louth
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Louth
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 36 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 39 mph
Wind direction: North east
