Titanic (Over-Reaction) - Appalling "sacking" of surviving employees

Lone Wolf "An explanation is not the same as an excuse. "
Posts: 4352 Joined: 01-03-06 Location: E. London UK
Submitted by Lone Wolf on 24 July, 2008 - 18:38.

Hey

This has gotta be a quickie as should be elsewhere right now, but a new document came to light recently in respect of the ever on-going saga of the events surrounding the sinking of the Titanic.

A letter sent to a steward is coming up for auction. It was sent from the shipping company to all surviving employees of the disaster and was sent as soon as the news of the disaster hit port. It unequivocally "sacks" all surviving employees as per the day the ship sunk - April 15 1912 - and was sent in order to avoid paying out any wages whatsoever to survivors after this date. angry The wording and whole attitude is truly appalling and proves political spin has always been with us: the steward, whose first name was Alexander, was deemed to have "disembarked" on the 15th. Disembarked!!!!! What a way to describe being pitched into the icy Atlantic and struggling to survive as people around you are dying! twisted

Could someone who has a bit more time on their hands post eg the surname of the steward and name of the shipping company as i was reading a paper in a cafe and would have felt mean nicking it and didn't have time to take notes!

NB

The beginning of the thread title is a 999 track. smile

Love

LW XX

PS I know this shouldn't come as a surprise - but it still pissed me off!!

RPG "resist much, obey little"
Posts: 274 Joined: 08-08-05 Location: Kent
24 July, 2008 - 21:30

Ooooo...one of my fav 999 songs along with Alright With The Crew. Sorry that's my contribution!

Lone Wolf "An explanation is not the same as an excuse. "
Posts: 4352 Joined: 01-03-06 Location: E. London UK
24 July, 2008 - 22:28
RPG wrote:
Ooooo...one of my fav 999 songs along with Alright With The Crew. Sorry that's my contribution!

Your contribution is nonetheless valued! tongue Don't know anyone else on lc who knows anything of 999 except - perhaps surprisingly, Tacks.

Maybe "Alright With The Crew" is not the most tactful song choice for this thread tho... neutral

dee
Posts: 1284 Joined: 24-04-08
24 July, 2008 - 22:58

Um - not getting any of the music references. (hangs head in shame) embarrassed
But the surname of the steward was Littlejohn, and the company was White Star Line. White Star Line eventually merged with the Cunard shipping comapany (of Lusitania fame)
the summary of the article:[http://a2to.info/?p=521]

Lone Wolf "An explanation is not the same as an excuse. "
Posts: 4352 Joined: 01-03-06 Location: E. London UK
25 July, 2008 - 00:40

Thanks Dee - just what i didn't have time to do earlier..the name of the shipping co was on the tip of my tongue..

wow the letter is now valued at £1m!!! eek If only that amount had been paid to the survivors and relatives of the deceased crew members..

No worries about not getting the music refs - hardly anyone will... (tho jambo1 might..)

jambo1 "anarchy in the far north?"
Posts: 232 Joined: 02-06-07 Location: invergordon, ross-shire
25 July, 2008 - 05:39

as usual LW you are completely right!!! good band 999 and still gigging, i think they are playing at rebellion in a couple of weeks in blackpool. i saw the titanic story in one of the rags yesterday and it is shocking how callous they were, although i probably shouldnt be too shocked.

LauritzTheAgitator
Posts: 14 Joined: 15-05-07
25 July, 2008 - 05:59

Saw 999 years ago at The Rusty Nail in Sunderland, Mass.

Udo_Bukowski
Posts: 372 Joined: 07-03-08
25 July, 2008 - 14:36

999 of "Emergency" fame? The 1970s punk band?

Lone Wolf "An explanation is not the same as an excuse. "
Posts: 4352 Joined: 01-03-06 Location: E. London UK
25 July, 2008 - 16:41
Udo_Bukowski wrote:
999 of "Emergency" fame? The 1970s punk band?

Yes that's right. And "Homicide" fame.

"Better believe it.. that's the truth of it..." smile

Lone Wolf "An explanation is not the same as an excuse. "
Posts: 4352 Joined: 01-03-06 Location: E. London UK
25 July, 2008 - 16:44
jambo1 wrote:
as usual LW you are completely right!!! good band 999 and still gigging, i think they are playing at rebellion in a couple of weeks in blackpool. i saw the titanic story in one of the rags yesterday and it is shocking how callous they were, although i probably shouldnt be too shocked.

cool the whole post.

Yeah like i said in the OP, felt i "shouldn't" be shocked but still was.

Lone Wolf "An explanation is not the same as an excuse. "
Posts: 4352 Joined: 01-03-06 Location: E. London UK
25 July, 2008 - 16:47
LauritzTheAgitator wrote:
Saw 999 years ago at The Rusty Nail in Sunderland, Mass.

Would like to hear how that was. There has been a surprising amout of interest in the band on this thread following on from my casual referencing... smile enough, i think, to justify starting a thread in libcommunity.