Herbert James Haddock
(27 January 1861 – 4 October 1946
) was an English
naval reserve officer
and ship's captain, and was best known as the captain of the
RMS ''Olympic'' at the time of the
sinking of the ''Titanic''.
He was the first person to captain ''
Titanic
RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United ...
,'' overseeing the ship at Belfast while her delivery-trip crew was assembling there from 25 to 31 March 1912.
A 1911 story in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' described Haddock as the "only skipper in the Atlantic trade who wears the mid-Victorian
mutton chop whiskers without a beard or mustache".
Early life
Haddock was born to Herbert James Haddock (born 1825) in
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in eastern Warwickshire, England, close to the River Avon. In the 2021 census its population was 78,125, making it the second-largest town in Warwickshire. It is the main settlement within the larger Borough of Rugby whi ...
on 27 January 1861.
He joined the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
, serving as a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
aboard
HMS ''Edinburgh''.
In 1902, Haddock was appointed a
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Companion may refer to:
Relationships Currently
* Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance
* A domestic partner, akin to a spouse
* Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach
* Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...
. He was later ''
aide de camp'' to
King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...
.
White Star Line
After his Royal naval service, Haddock joined the
White Star Line
The White Star Line was a British shipping company. Founded out of the remains of a defunct packet company, it gradually rose up to become one of the most prominent shipping lines in the world, providing passenger and cargo services between t ...
, where he captained a number of liners including the
RMS ''Britannic'',
SS ''Germanic'',
RMS ''Cedric'', and
RMS ''Oceanic''.
Haddock was also nominally the first commander of
RMS ''Titanic''. He signed on as her master at Southampton on 25 March 1912, and then travelled to Belfast to oversee the crew that was assembling there for the ship's delivery trip to Southampton. He was relieved by
Edward J. Smith at Belfast on 31 March and then returned to Southampton to take command of Smith's previous ship,
RMS ''Olympic''.
On 3 April he began ''Olympic''s tenth Southampton-New York-Southampton roundtrip, arriving in New York on 10 April, the day ''Titanic'' left Southampton. ''Olympic'' was given the radio
call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigne ...
''MKC''.
At the time of ''Titanic''s sinking Haddock was sailing ''Olympic'' easterly from New York to Southampton, approximately
west by south
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, Radius, radially arrayed compass directions (or Azimuth#In navigation, azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east ...
of ''Titanic''s location.
Haddock was informed of the disaster by
wireless operator
A radio operator (also, formerly, wireless operator in British and Commonwealth English) is a person who is responsible for the operations of a radio system. The profession of radio operator has become largely obsolete with the automation of ra ...
Ernest James Moore
at 2250
ET on 14 April. After receiving a
CQD
CQD (transmitted in Morse code as ) is one of the first distress signals adopted for radio use. On 7 January 1904 the Marconi International Marine Communication Company issued "Circular 57", which specified that, for the company's ins ...
call from ''Titanic'', Haddock calculated a new course and headed directly to her. He also sent for an engineer to set the ship's engines to full power.
When from ''Titanic'', at approximately 1600 ET on 15 April, Haddock received a message from
Captain Rostron of
RMS ''Carpathia'', explaining that continuing on course to ''Titanic'' would gain nothing, as "All boats accounted for. About 675 souls saved
..Titanic foundered about 2.20 am."
Rostron requested that the message be forwarded to White Star and
Cunard
Cunard () is a British shipping and cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its three ships have been registered in Hamilton, Bermu ...
. He said that he was returning to harbour in New York, and recommended that other ships do the same.
Subsequently, the wireless room aboard the ''Olympic'' operated as a
clearing room for radio messages.
In the
United States Senate inquiry into the sinking of the ''Titanic'', Haddock was interviewed by
William Alden Smith
William Alden Smith (May 12, 1859 – October 11, 1932) was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan. After the 1912 sinking of the ''Titanic'', Smith chaired the Senate hearings into the disaster. The audience ...
on 25 May 1912. Haddock gave his residence as Southampton, and his employment as a "
Master Mariner
A master mariner is a licensed mariner who holds the highest grade of seafarer qualification; namely, an unlimited master's license. Such a license is labelled ''unlimited'' because it has no limits on the tonnage, power, or geographic location of ...
".
Seven weeks after the ''Titanic'' disaster, Haddock steaming at night almost ran the ''Olympic'' aground on rocks near
Land's End
Land's End ( kw, Penn an Wlas or ''Pedn an Wlas'') is a headland and tourist and holiday complex in western Cornwall, England, on the Penwith peninsula about west-south-west of Penzance at the western end of the A30 road. To the east of it is ...
. Fortunately lookouts spotted waves breaking at the base of the rocks in time and another disaster was averted. The error was attributed to faulty navigation, and Haddock was under strict observation for his next few voyages.
On 9 October 1912 White Star withdrew ''Olympic'' from service and returned her to her builders at Belfast to have modifications added to incorporate lessons learned from the ''Titanic'' disaster six months prior, and improve safety. This refit lasted until mid 1913 and while ''Olympic'' was laid up Haddock commanded other White Star ships.
WWI
With the start of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, in October 1914, Haddock was back in command of ''Olympic'' during her attempt to assist the battleship
HMS ''Audacious'' after she had collided with a German
mine
Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to:
Extraction or digging
* Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging
*Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine
Grammar
*Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun
...
off the western coast of Scotland.
''Olympic'' was subsequently
laid up
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed; they are partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; a ...
until being converted to a
troopship
A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable land troops directly on shore, typicall ...
at the outbreak of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Haddock was redeployed to command a dummy fleet of wooden dreadnoughts and battle cruisers, and was stationed in Belfast.
In 1915,
Harold Sanderson
Harold may refer to:
People
* Harold (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name
* Harold (surname), surname in the English language
* András Arató, known in meme culture as "Hide the Pain Harold"
Arts a ...
, head of
International Mercantile Marine
The International Mercantile Marine Company, originally the International Navigation Company, was a trust formed in the early twentieth century as an attempt by J.P. Morgan to monopolize the shipping trade.
IMM was founded by shipping magnates ...
, tried to reassign Haddock to captain
''Britannic'' when she was converted to a
hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. ...
. However, the
Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
*Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Traf ...
refused to release Haddock from his assignment in Belfast and by 1916 Haddock had resigned from the White Star Line.
From 5 to 14 May 1917, Haddock sailed from
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
to New York City as a passenger aboard the
SS ''Saint Paul'',
six months before she was taken over for wartime service. The voyage's manifest shows that Haddock's trip was funded by the Admiralty,
and states that his final destination was
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...
, where he would be received by the British Navy.
According to the 1917 ship's manifest, Haddock had not been back to the United States since 1914. Later that year he made a second trip to the United States arriving in New York on 31 August 1917 as a passenger aboard the White Star liner
RMS ''Adriatic'' with his occupation listed on the manifest as "naval offcer" and a final destination of
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
. His passage on this trip was paid for by his former employer, the White Star Line. The purpose of these two trips is unknown.
Post War
After the armistice that ended World War I, Haddock continued to serve as Royal Naval Reserve aide-de-camp to King George V until he was succeeded in that role by White Star commander
Charles A. Bartlett on 16 July 1919. On 8 December 1919, Capt. Herbert J. Haddock was placed on the Royal Naval Reserve's retired list. It is not thought that Haddock who would have reached the age of 60, the mandatory retirement age for White Star officers, in 1921 returned to the White Star Line after the war.
Personal life
Haddock married Mabel Eliza Bouchette, in
Rock Ferry
Rock Ferry is an area of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Administratively it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the county of Cheshire. At the 2 ...
,
Merseyside
Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan county, metropolitan and ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England, 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Merse ...
on 13 May 1893.
Bouchette was born in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
in and lived with her father, Francis, at 91 Townsend Lane,
West Derby
West Derby ( ) is an affluent suburb of Liverpool, England. It is located East of the city and is also a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2011 Census, the population was 14,382.
History West Derby
Mentioned in the ''Domesday Book'', West ...
, Liverpool.
Other sources state that Bouchette was from
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
.
Haddock and Bouchette had four children – Geoffrey (10 January 1895 – 17 September 1916), Ruth (1896 – 26 October 1958), and
twin
Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...
s
Herbert (21 October 1903 – 1988) and Joan (21 October 1903 – 21 November 1920).
Geoffrey was a Lieutenant in the
Victoria Rifles of Canada
(For hearth and home)
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = "Huntsmen's Chorus" and '' Lutzow's Wild Hunt''
, mascot =
, equipment = ...
. He was
killed in action on 27 September 1916 at the age of 21, and was commemorated on the
Canadian National Vimy Memorial
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a war memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First ...
.
In the 28 May 1935 edition of the ''
London Gazette
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
'', Ruth was described as a
spinster
''Spinster'' is a term referring to an unmarried woman who is older than what is perceived as the prime age range during which women usually marry. It can also indicate that a woman is considered unlikely to ever marry. The term originally den ...
.
UK census
Coincident full censuses have taken place in the different jurisdictions of the United Kingdom every ten years since 1801, with the exceptions of 1941 (during the Second World War), Ireland in 1921/Northern Ireland in 1931,https://www.nisra.gov. ...
es and
civil registers show that the family lived in Rock Ferry until at least 1904.
They later moved to Southampton, living in the suburb of
Bitterne
Bitterne is an eastern suburb and ward of Southampton, England.
Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the bittern, but probably from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words ''byht'' and ''ærn'' together mean ...
.
Bouchette died on 11 March 1935.
Death
Haddock died in Southampton on 4 October 1946 at the age of 85.
References
Footnotes
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Haddock, Herbert
1861 births
1946 deaths
English sailors
RMS Titanic's crew and passengers
Steamship captains
White Star Line
Companions of the Order of the Bath
British Merchant Navy officers
British Merchant Service personnel of World War I
Royal Navy officers
People from Rugby, Warwickshire
Royal Naval Reserve personnel