RMS TITANIC SURVIVOR CAROLINE BONNELL'S CARPATHIA CUSTOMS CARD RP 1912

Description

CAROLINE BONNELL OF YOUNGSTOWN OHIO HAD BEEN VACATIONING WHEN SHE BOOKED PASSAGE HOME ON BOARD THE RMS TITANIC:
Leaving for a vacation in Europe in February 1912, Caroline was travelling with her cousins, George Dennick Wick, his wife
Mary
and daughter
Mary Natalie
. They spent time in Naples, Venice, Paris and lastly London. In France they met Washington Roebling and Stephen Weart Blackwell who would also be aboard the
Titanic
on the voyage home. The family boarded the
Titanic
at
Southampton
as First Class passengers (joint
ticket number 36928
which cost £164, 17s, 4d). Also joining them at
Southampton
was her English aunt
Elizabeth Bonnell
, her father's sister. She occupied
cabin C-7
with Mary Wick.
Caroline and Natalie were in bed the night of the 14 April. After feeling the collision with the iceberg, they went up on deck. Caroline said to Natalie, "Well, thank goodness, Natalie, we are going to see our iceberg at last!" They found the sea "smooth as glass" and were amazed at the number of stars. Finding nothing wrong, they decided to return to their cabins when a crew member told them to go and put on their life belts.
Caroline and Natalie went to the cabin of Mr and Mrs Wick. George Wick did not believe anything could be wrong. The young women then went back to their cabin, only to have a crewmember knock on their door and tell them to go to
A Deck
. Once there, they found Mr and Mrs Wick. Caroline went to find her aunt, Elizabeth Bonnell. When they reached A Deck they found crowds of people standing about. "Nobody seemed very excited; everybody was talking and it seemed to be the general idea that we would soon be ordered back to bed." They were then ordered up to the Boat deck. They saw
Mrs Astor
sitting on a steamer chair with her husband,
John Jacob Astor
, next to her.
Mrs Astor's maid
was helping her to finish dressing.
Caroline returned to the
Boat Deck
and saw
Captain Smith
in the
First Class Smoke Room
, talking with
Stephen Weart Blackwell
. She reported this to Blackwell's sister after the disaster.
The Bonnell and Wick women were put into
lifeboat 8
. When they reached the water they found the cold to be terrible, especially for the women who were poorly dressed. There was a lamp in the boat, however it was difficult to keep it lit, so instead Mrs J. Stuart White waved a cane, which had an electric light in its end.
In the morning boat 8 reached the
Carpathia
and the passengers left the lifeboat by climbing onto a wooden seat about two feet long and a foot wide. The waves made it difficult to get onto the seat, but everyone was successful. After everyone was picked up, Caroline reported that the
Carpathia
moved about looking for other survivors. She saw some wreckage, a baby's bonnet and a man's glove in the water.
THIS LISTING IS FOR A NICE REPLICA PRINT OF CAROLINE BONNELL'S CUSTOMS CARD.
SHE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS WHEN SHE DISEMBARKED FROM THE CARPATHIA AT
NEW YORK CITY.
I HAVE CLEANED UP THE COPY AND IT IS VERY PRESENTABLE.
IT LOOKS LIKE HER INFORMATION WAS WRITTEN WITH A BLUE GREASE PENCIL BY THE CARPATHIA OFFICER WHO COMPLETED THE CARD.
MISS BONNELL'S PICTURE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS AUCTION & IS SHOWN PURELY FOR HISTORICAL REFERENCE.
I WILL CAREFULLY AND SECURELY PACKAGE & SHIP YOUR CARD VIA USPS WITH TRACKING!
THANKS FOR LOOKING & CHECK BACK OFTEN AS I AM ADDING NEW ITEMS EVERY DAY!