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- Arthur
Lee - Titanic Survivor?
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- Arthur Lee was a seaman in
the early decades of the twentieth century, who posted a series
of postcards of the ships he worked on to his mother, Mrs E Lee,
of Peckham Rye, London. He sent these cards from Southampton,
on his arrival home, or just before taking a new ship. The Titanic
connection is that he was supposed to have been aboard, but under
a different name (I believe the name Arthur Lee is not listed
in the relevant texts as a survivor). He posted a Titanic
"In Memoriam" card from Southampton to his mother
on 12th May 1912, with the message: "Am just writing
you a few lines to let you know that I am alive and kicking.
I am keeping well and hope all at home are." - I suspect
it is this card which generated the family legend that Arthur
Lee was actually on board the Titanic. There is no direct
reference to being on the Titanic, and I strongly doubt that
the story is true, but the collection is of sufficient other
interest to reproduce here in its entirety.
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- Olympic
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- Arthur's
first card home was posted from Southampton on 4th March 1912.
It is an extremely interesting card by A.Rapp of Southampton,
showing the damage incurred to the Olympic after a collision
with HMS Hawke on the 20th September 1911. The message reads:
"Just a note to let you know that I am back. I may be
able to come and see you Saturday afternoon. I will not be able
to stop long because I have to get back here on Saturday night."
Olympic actually arrived back on February 28th, having lost
a propeller blade on this crossing. She left for Belfast on 1st
March for repairs, resuming Atlantic service from Southampton
on March 13th. The card does not state that Arthur was actually
on the Olympic, he may have just thought it an interesting
card.
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- Titanic
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- The next
card home is the aforementioned card of Titanic, posted
12th May 1912 (Titanic was lost on 14th April 1912). The message
read: "Am just writing you a few lines to let you know
that I am alive and kicking. I am keeping well and hope all at
home are."
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- Philadelphia
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- Arthur Lee's
next ship was the Philadelphia, and he sent this card
home on 11th September 1912. His message reads:- "Just
a lines to ask you if you will send me on urgently my cottons
and shirt which I want most urgently. I am sailing on this boat
on Saturday, so you may just have the time."
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- Arthur
was obviously still on the Philadelphia at Christmas, because
part of the collection his mother retained had the following
breakfast menu from Christmas Day, 1912.
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- Edinburgh
Castle
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- Arthur Lee's
next ship was the Edinburgh Castle, and the following
card was sent on 22nd October 1913. the message is very similar
to his Titanic card, leading one to doubt whether the message
on that was particularly significant: "Just a line to
let you know that I am back again alright and am keeping well
which I hope you and all are."
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- Aquitania
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- The next
card of the Aquitania, as a WW1 hospital ship, was not
posted, but is annotated by his mother: "This is the
ship that he is working on".
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- Kenilworth
Castle
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- The next
card in the collection is the Kenilworth Castle, posted
Southampton on 13th July 1924. The message reads: "Hope
all are well. We leave here on Sunday."
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- Majestic
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- The final
card in the collection is the Majestic. This card was
not posted and has no message, so I presume it was kept by his
mother as just another ship he had worked on.
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