1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of I Heart Radio. Welcome 2 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: to the show Ridiculous Historians. Thank you so much for 3 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: tuning in. We do hope you enjoyed our previous episode 4 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,279 Speaker 1: on the mysterious not so mysterious story of the Mary Celeste. 5 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: Why do we hope you enjoyed it because this story 6 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 1: is also about the ocean and ships and unfortunate things 7 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: occurring related to those two Hi, I'm betting, Hi'm no. Yeah, 8 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: we're continuing in a bit of a nautical theme here. 9 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: We're doing themed episodes. Yeah, we're getting it together. It's 10 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: definitely gonna happen. We're gonna get to the rest of 11 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: those states that we never covered. We might do that 12 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: Nixon episode, assuming super producer Casey Pegram lets us. It's 13 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: a little tough sell. Can I do a little disclaimer 14 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: here at the top of the show, not a disclaimer, 15 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: disclaim I don't know whatever exclamation Perhaps I don't know 16 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: the order of the twelve days of Christmas. This does 17 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: this bother you? It bothers me? Then, Because um, my 18 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: name is Noel often mispronounced as Noel. It is a 19 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 1: Christmas e name. I should be a Christmas expert Uh. 20 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: And on that episode, I'm gonna blame the noog, the 21 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: very strong knog. I kind of sounded like a blithering 22 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,559 Speaker 1: idiot when it comes to the chronology of the Twelve 23 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: Days of Christmas? Am I really bothered by it? Did 24 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: I lose sleep over the holidays? Yes? Absolutely? Okay, well 25 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: I thought I did. Think it was weird because you 26 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: you said, I'm going to quiz myself and this will 27 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: be fun, and I didn't know what Casey and I 28 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: were supposed to do, but try to help you. It's 29 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: just weird because it was like it was like a 30 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: little bit of I think you doing your own thing. Well, 31 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: it was a little bit of me trying to flex 32 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: my Christmas chops, which apparently are non existent. I was impressive. 33 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: You just remembered what the gifts were. The order doesn't 34 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: really whatever. The thing that I got so fundamentally wrong 35 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: is I claimed that they do not go in chronological order. Uh. 36 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: And that is just absolutely false. That there's you know, 37 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: the first day is one thing, the second day you 38 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: get two things, third day you get three things. So 39 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: there's not like five on the third day or something 40 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: like that. On the fifth day you get five golden rings. Okay, okay, 41 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: Well that that would probably bother me if I made that. 42 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: I I made this claim that they were not chronological, 43 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: that they they were willy nilly, and that's just not 44 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: the case. So now I've got it off my chest. 45 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: I feel so much better. So thank you guys for 46 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: indulging me in that. I like that we're doing things 47 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: out of order again because this comes out second, but 48 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: we're talking about the episode that came before. Yeah, but 49 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: that's okay. That starts edition. It's it's a new tradition. 50 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: It is on the case. Well, well, I'm glad you 51 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,399 Speaker 1: feel better, and hopefully you'll also make you feel better 52 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: to know that I think you're you're the only one 53 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: who was upset about that. I think everybody was fine. 54 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: It was endearing. Reports of my upsetted nous have been 55 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: much exaggerated by myself. Okay, I suspected as much. Uh 56 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 1: have you guys ever been in a in a accident 57 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: of any sort, like a vehicular accident, I mean not 58 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: like a accidental switchero of of of a name or 59 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: something like that, but like a car accident that would 60 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: be the most common for people in the US, right 61 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: or a bicycle accident. Do you have any stories about that? Yeah? 62 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: If I once, uh had a bird scooter accident, I 63 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: jacked my wrist up pretty bad for quite a few months. 64 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: I've been in a couple of fender benders and cars, 65 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: but that's about the bird scooter was the most dramatic 66 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: by far. Though. The bird scooters are also leaving the city, 67 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: thank god, Yeah they are. What about the lift scooters? 68 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: I think all of the scooters of that variety. You're kidding, 69 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: that's the rumor coup. Well, we'll see, we'll see how 70 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: it how it works out, Uh, probably because of some 71 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: of the things you've mentioned, you know, and I know 72 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: you're a careful scooterist. Casey, what about you? Do you 73 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: have any accidents? Nothing too serious? Um, just a few 74 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: times like minor finner binner's kind of getting like tapped 75 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: in the bumper at a stoplight or something, but thankfully 76 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 1: nothing too U too drastic. Guys. Now, I feel a 77 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: little bit awkward because I have been in tons of 78 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: accidents and tons of near misses. I was almost in 79 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: a plane crash, by which I mean I was in 80 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: a plane that almost crashed. I was in a school 81 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: bus that almost went careening off a cliff and did 82 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: actually get some air on the front right tire. I 83 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: have been in numerous car accidents, uh, numerous bike accidents. 84 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: I have not yet been in a boating or maritime accident. 85 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: And and I think we're talking about here, neither none 86 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: of us have been. Right, Casey had my favorite line. Yeah, 87 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: I was asking myself, have I been on a ship? 88 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: Have I been on a boat? Because I really wasn't sure. 89 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: I know, I've been on some ferries, and uh, I've 90 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: been on some like small boats like you know, Lake 91 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: Lanier scale kind of stuff, just like four or five 92 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: people kind of thing. But I don't think I've ever 93 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: been on like a big ship, like a cruise ship 94 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: kind of thing. But I did have to kind of 95 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 1: ask myself that I didn't really know off end, Wait, 96 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 1: have you ever taken like a tour of a battleship 97 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: that was moored, like that was docked. Yeah, I've done that. 98 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: I have done that, but I feel like that doesn't 99 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 1: count because it's anchored and stationary and you're not out 100 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: on the open water. I could absolutely say that is 101 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: the only scenario where I've set foot on a large 102 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,720 Speaker 1: scale ship. I think I've walked around a submarine even 103 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: in that same capacity, you're a real man of mr. 104 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: It's because when I was a kid like that, that 105 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: was the kind of stuff my dad would always want 106 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: to do when we're on vacation. It's like go see 107 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: the boat or whatever, and uh, you know, it didn't 108 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: interest me that much. But yeah, I feel like vaguely 109 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: that I've I've done some of that stuff. A bit 110 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: of a history buff Huh. Yeah, please in the navy. 111 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: So there you go. That makes sense that that that 112 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: makes sense I've had. I've had similar experiences. I've been 113 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: on large boats that haven't wrecked while I was on them. 114 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: But even if you have been in uh in a 115 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: record unfortunate incident on the high seas, you probably haven't 116 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: had the experience of today's protagonist, Violet Jessup, who has 117 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: as Gabe likes to call her, a research associate. Gabe 118 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: likes to call her the unsinkable Stewardess. Consider this, like, 119 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: if the if the four of us or five of us, 120 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: you know, the three of us recording you listening, if 121 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: we were all on a boat together, Let's say, through 122 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: some weird series of circumstances, you ended up on a themed, 123 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: ridiculous history cruise, which I have a I have a 124 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: tough time saying that with a straight face. But what 125 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: if we were on this ridiculous history cruise and the 126 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: cruise ship crashed and not everybody got out, but you survived. 127 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: Wouldn't you consider yourself very lucky? Absolutely? Wouldn't you also 128 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: never go on a boat again. I don't think I 129 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: would know. And and maybe there's a reason that I 130 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: am not a cruise type person, because it seems kind 131 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: of like being part of a weird herd that just 132 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: goes to like, you know, it's being like in prison, 133 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: like on a on the sea, where you have to 134 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: go eat at a certain time, go play shuffle board 135 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: at a certain time. Hey, correct me if I'm wrong, folks, 136 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: if I'm mischaracterizing what is perhaps a very enjoyable experience. Um, 137 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: you know, and the Titanic was meant to be a 138 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: pleasure cruise. That was the idea. It was very very 139 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: high class. Only the best of the best, high society 140 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: folks were able to get a ticket and violate. Jessup 141 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: was one of the attendants on that voyage, that doomed voyage, right, 142 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: Violet called since Jessup enjoyed incredible luck she had. She 143 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: had a really stressful existence. She actually survived not one, 144 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: but three different shipwrecks. She was born in eighteen seven 145 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: in Argentina. Her parents were Irish immigrants, and as a child, 146 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: she unfortunately contracted tuberculosis and was officially diagnosed with just 147 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: a few months to live. However, obviously she survived. However, 148 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: six of her eight siblings died young, and her father 149 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: also died when she was relatively young, and the family 150 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 1: returned to Britain. Her mother became a stewardess for the 151 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: Royal Male Line while Violet attendant school at a convent, 152 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:51,959 Speaker 1: and then her mother's health declined, so Violet gave up 153 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 1: school to become a stewardess herself. Yeah, she followed in 154 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: her mother's footsteps seven, joining the Royal Male Line and 155 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: then White Star, the apparent company of the Titanic. But 156 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: it wasn't easy. Um. She was twenty one. She didn't 157 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: really have much experience experience at all, um, and most 158 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 1: of the folks that were in this industry were seasoned 159 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: veterans in their you know, thirties to early forties. Um, 160 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: And she was very green and was trying to get 161 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 1: into this industry, following in her mother's footsteps, and she 162 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: was rejected quite a bit. Yeah, get a get a 163 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: lotat of the sexism here. People who might be her 164 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: future employers said that her youth and good looks would 165 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: be disadvantageous and they were worried this would cause problems 166 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: with the crew and the passengers. And it is true 167 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: that over the course of her career, Jessup got at 168 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: least three marriage proposals that we know of while she 169 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: was working on one ship or another. Uh, and one 170 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: was from a very well healed gentleman. So Violet takes 171 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 1: this quote unquote problem into her own hand. She decides 172 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:06,479 Speaker 1: to make herself look frumpy. And in this this description 173 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: reminds me of you know, all those rom com movies 174 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: where someone is uh supposed to be mousey and they're 175 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: a librarian for like the first two thirds of the movie, 176 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: but they're clearly a movie star level attractive person. They 177 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: just wear different. They wear like a cardigan and classes 178 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: or something. Well, we were talking about like the reverse 179 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: of that, because the trope is like the very the 180 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: secretly attractive person um just doesn't understand her inner beauty 181 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: and then you know, when she takes off the glasses 182 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: and lets down the nerdy hair bun or all of 183 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:43,079 Speaker 1: a sudden, you know, the hot football guy sees her 184 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: for who she truly is beautiful. Exactly what she's doing 185 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 1: here is almost a Mulan style situation where she's trying 186 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: to pass for unattractive and old um, which is really 187 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: interesting that she would have had to do that, especially 188 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: knowing what we know about the other side of the 189 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: sexism that would ultimately become like, you know, we're talking 190 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: about pan Am and you know the age of the swinging, 191 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 1: you know, sky lounges and attractive stewardesses in many skirts. Stewardesses, 192 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: by the way, not an okay term to use. Flight 193 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:23,199 Speaker 1: attendant if you please this or steward the head steward 194 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: I believe I think that's probably finding stewardess recalls these 195 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: sexist days. I was listening to an interview on NPR 196 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: with someone who's the head of that particular union, and 197 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: the interviewer asked if that term was okay to use, 198 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: and she very much was like no, because it's hearkens 199 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: back to these these times and then the future times 200 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: where you know that kind of uh attractive dress was encouraged, 201 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: if not required, mandatory. It was mandatory, and they also 202 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: couldn't be married, and they also had to be below 203 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: a certain age. Yeah, I got real nasty, I would say, though, 204 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: I'm what I'm arguing here is that the same way 205 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: that Romcom troops like resting differently, don't fool the audience. 206 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:07,359 Speaker 1: This also clearly did not fool the real life passengers 207 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: with whom she interacted, hence the marriage proposals, but it 208 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: did fool the people she interviewed with because she said, 209 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna wear makeup. I'm gonna try to wear old, 210 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: out of style, ill fitting clothing and it works. She 211 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: gets hired. She has a brief stint on a Royal 212 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: mail line steamer the Orinoco, and in she's hired by 213 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: the White Star line. She originally did not want to 214 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: work for White Star because she didn't like the idea 215 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 1: of the North Atlantic run. She had a problem with 216 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:43,199 Speaker 1: the weather, and she had heard stories about the passengers 217 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: they were notorious for being real pills. But she decided 218 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 1: to do it anyway. She worked seventeen hours a day. 219 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: She was paid two dollars and ten shillings per month. 220 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: So after UM, you know, some some struggles and finding 221 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: a situation that she like, she um ultimately found herself 222 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: on the RMS Olympic, which was at the time the 223 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:18,839 Speaker 1: largest civilians called passenger liner. Um. She's twenty three at 224 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: the time, and that is also when she would have 225 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: her very first shipwreck situation. Right in nineteen eleven, the 226 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: Olympic collided with the h MS Hawk, and the Hawk 227 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: was not a passenger liner. It was a ship that 228 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: was designed to sink other ships by ramming them. Both 229 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: of the ships had pretty substantial damage. The Olympic had 230 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: its whole breach below the waterline, but through some miracle, 231 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,719 Speaker 1: it did not actually sink and was able to make 232 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: it back to port. Violet survived the shipwreck. She wasn't 233 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: even injured. Both ships were later repaired put back into service. 234 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: So no harm, no foul. A frightening event for for sure, 235 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: but not a fatal one and as as we know, 236 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: UM there weren't deaths involved there. There was no fatality crash, 237 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: but still for many people that would be more than 238 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: enough to put you off of put you off a boat, 239 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: to make you a land lubber. For life. This was 240 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: not the case with Violet. A few years later, the 241 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: White Star Line was looking for a crew to uh 242 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: to serve the very important people aboard their premiership, the 243 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: jewel in their crown, a ship that they, along with 244 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: all the media by the way, called unsinkable, and that 245 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: ship was the Titanic. Violet didn't really want to join 246 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: the Titanic, but her friends were talking to her and 247 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: they were like, you know, Violet, this is gonna be 248 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: a wonderful experience. Is one of the kind ship. It's unsinkable. 249 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: Bo bo bo bo boo. Her friends spoke with echoes 250 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: and the really dramatic parts. Uh So she said, all right, 251 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'm gonna join up. It was a big deal. 252 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 1: It was an event. You know. It was sort of 253 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: like the Boeing Dreamliner or something of the time. You know, 254 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: a lot of fuss being made out of this technological marvel. 255 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: Everyone who was anyone was going to be on the 256 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: maiden voyage. It was absolutely a cultural event. And her 257 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: friends are probably like, you gotta be a part of this. 258 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: It's a big deal. You're gonna see so many famous people. 259 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 1: It's going to be part of history. You do not 260 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 1: want to pass this up, So she didn't really care. 261 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: I don't think it didn't seem like from her history, uh, 262 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: to be super drawn to any of this glitz and glamour. 263 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: She just wanted to work right. Yeah, And we have 264 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: we have a little bit of firsthand reporting from her 265 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: via her memoirs, and we know that she was initially happy. 266 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: I see, in no small part she was surprised by 267 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: the nature of her life on the ship. She loved 268 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: that the designer, Thomas Andrews, appeared to have paid attention 269 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: to the cruise request for better quarters. She said. Often 270 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: during our rounds we came upon our beloved designer going 271 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: about unobtrusively with a tired face but satisfied air. He 272 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: never failed to stop for a cheerful word, his only 273 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: regret being that we were getting further from home. We 274 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: all knew the love that he had for that Irish 275 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: home of his, and suspected that he loaned to get 276 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: back to the piece of its atmosphere for a much 277 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: needed rest and to forget ship designing for a while. 278 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: And she also, you know, we learned about her day 279 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: to day on the on the Titanic Um she claims 280 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: to be friends with notable characters who were on the 281 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: boat at the same time. We even know some stuff 282 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: about her roommate. We know that she found solace in 283 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: walking around on deck at night, taking a little I 284 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: guess nightcap walk to get some of that fresh air. 285 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: And then we know something a little bit I would 286 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: say ominous. Her roommate brought along a copy of a 287 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: translated Hebrew prayer that she said an elderly Irish woman 288 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 1: had given her, and it was strangely worded as nearest 289 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: she in. Her roommate, Elizabeth Leather could tell it was 290 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: supposed to protect her against fire and water. We should 291 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,679 Speaker 1: mention at this point Violet was a devout Catholic. She 292 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: carried rosary in her apron she you know, she was 293 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: a person given to praying as as she deemed it necessary. 294 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: Which brings us to the night of that fateful collision 295 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 1: April of nineteen twelve, when Violet was kind of dozing 296 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:54,640 Speaker 1: off in her bunk. She claims to have not been 297 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: fully asleep, but kind of just in a drowsy state. 298 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: Um when that collision and with an iceberg took place. Yeah, yeah, 299 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: she is ordered up on deck. She says. Passengers are 300 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: strolling out calmly. She and her co workers watch watch 301 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 1: the women and children being put into life boats, and 302 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: then a ship's officer orders them into a boat, um first, 303 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: just to show some funeral passengers it's safe. And then 304 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: as the boat is being lowered, she recalls this officer 305 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: in question says, here, miss jessup, look after this baby 306 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: and just hands him a baby. I don't want to 307 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,120 Speaker 1: be that's a that's a very intense situation to be in. Yeah, 308 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: And the quote from her actually describes it even more intense. 309 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: It says, and a bundle was dropped onto my lap. 310 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: That implies I guess the boat was being lowered down 311 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: and somebody just dropped a baby off the edge of 312 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: the ship into the lifeboat, which would have been a 313 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: little way as beneath. I mean, good thing. He caught it, Violet. 314 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: Good catch. So they survive. They're only in the boat 315 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: for about eight horrifying hours before they and other survivors 316 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 1: are picked up by the Carpathia into Her life was 317 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: saved entirely because that officer asked her to get in 318 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: a lifeboat. Because there were other passengers who didn't speak 319 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: English and couldn't communicate very well, and seeing her get 320 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: in the lifeboat would persuade the other people to to 321 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: follow her example. So when they were rescued by the Carpathia, 322 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: the person that Jessup thought might be the baby's mother 323 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:39,679 Speaker 1: found Violet Jessup and took the baby away, literally grabbed 324 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: it out of her arms and ran off. She says, 325 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,440 Speaker 1: I was still clutching the baby against my hard cork 326 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:47,719 Speaker 1: life belt I was wearing when a woman leaped at 327 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: me and grabbed the baby rushed off with it. It 328 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: appeared that she put it down on the deck of 329 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: the Titanic while she went off to fetch something. When 330 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,360 Speaker 1: she came back, the baby had gone. I was too 331 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: frozen and numb to think. It's strange that this woman 332 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: had not stopped to say thank you. And we also 333 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,199 Speaker 1: don't know if that was really the baby's mother or 334 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: if it was just, uh, somebody who had put a 335 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,239 Speaker 1: child down earlier and just grabbed a baby because they 336 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: thought it was there. Totally, I mean, this would have 337 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: been like absolutely, you know mayhem um, so right, she 338 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 1: definitely survived her second pretty catastrophic um ship collision. Yeah, 339 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: So again, you would think most other people. I don't 340 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: want to pay with the broad brush, but I feel 341 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: comfortable saying this. Most other people after Big shipwreck number 342 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: two would probably say, I don't know, maybe I'll maybe 343 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: I'll get into uh, you know, like gardening, or maybe 344 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: I will become an interior designer. One would think, Um, 345 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: there's a Gizmoto article about Jessup that has a pretty 346 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: interesting almost when you read it makes it seem a 347 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: little flippant where she says it was only after a 348 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,439 Speaker 1: little while passed after the wreck that she real she 349 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: had left her toothbrush on board, and then she was 350 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 1: she was a little upset about that. That's a that's 351 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: an odd thing to worry about. I mean, that's how 352 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: shock happens. Though, if you if you have ever been 353 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 1: in catastrophic situations or seeing people in shock, it's it's 354 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: easy to find one specific thing and worry about just that. 355 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: And it doesn't have to even be a traumatic, physically 356 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: dangerous situation. You can see people freak out at social 357 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 1: events like weddings, you know, or or or funerals. Um, 358 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: it's it's a it's a fascinating thing about psychology. And 359 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 1: although many people lost their lives and Violet Jessup tragically 360 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: lost her toothbrush. She found another, and she said, you 361 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: know what, maybe the sea got me last time, but 362 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 1: I didn't sink, and I'm not gonna let my career 363 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 1: sink either. So as we're in the lead up to 364 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: World War One, she says, I'm going to serve as 365 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: a nurse on board the Britannic, which was a sister 366 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: of the Titanic, operating the G and C. And the 367 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: Britannic was a white star liner that had been converted 368 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: to a hospital ship during World War One. It's so 369 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:21,920 Speaker 1: interesting that she would not only continue working on ships, 370 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: but work with the same company. Uh. Maybe it was 371 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: like not fully realized right away what an absolute catastrophic 372 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: failing the sinking of the Titanic was, you know that 373 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,920 Speaker 1: it was. I don't know what what was the post 374 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: mortem for the Titanic. Wasn't there a flaw in the 375 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: design because they had this whole like these compartments that 376 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: kept filling up with water. Wasn't there something more to 377 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: it than? I mean, like it was. It's also a 378 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 1: lot of human error, human error, that's right. I think 379 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: it was more human error than it was the design 380 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,400 Speaker 1: was a pretty decent one, but it just failed miserably 381 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: because of the extent to which the ship was just 382 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: like breached, right, the whole was breached by that very 383 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: pointy iceberg. Um. So yeah, she not only did she 384 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: stay working for the same company, she goes aboard the 385 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:12,199 Speaker 1: sister ship of the ship that just sank in an 386 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 1: absurdly traumatic fashion. Um. But she seems like a really 387 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: good person because she's very much just wants to help. 388 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:21,439 Speaker 1: Like she decides she's going to become a nurse and 389 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: put any of these, uh, these fears aside so that 390 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: she can, you know, get back to work and help people. Uh. 391 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:32,439 Speaker 1: And that's when in nineteen sixteen, the Britannic hit a 392 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,959 Speaker 1: mine that had been planted by one of those infamous 393 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: German U boats um that were so tricky with their 394 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: kind of covert operations out there in the oceans. Um. 395 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: And it was damaged pretty significantly and started to sink 396 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: and violate. Uh. This time wasn't quite as lucky as 397 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: she was when she was on the Titanic. She didn't 398 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 1: get a spot on one of those lifeboats, did she? No, no, 399 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: not at all. We shallso did did we? Did we 400 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: mention how long the boat was in action the britic No, 401 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 1: it was less than an hour. It was it was 402 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: a hospital ship to World War one for about fifty 403 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: five minutes. Uh at least in this in this iteration, 404 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: and you're right, Noll. Violet did not get on a lifeboat. 405 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: She jumped overboard. She almost got sucked into the propellers, 406 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: which would spell certain death. They were sticking up out 407 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: of the water, they were still running. She hit her 408 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: head on the ship's keel, and she probably would have died. 409 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: This was one of her most extreme shipwrecks. However, as 410 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: luck would have a passengers of a nearby lifeboat saw 411 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,679 Speaker 1: her body and were able to pull her in. We 412 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: have her own words about this experience. She says, I 413 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 1: leapt into the water, but was sucked under the ship's keel, 414 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 1: which struck my head. I escaped, but years later when 415 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: I went to my doctor because of a lot of headaches, 416 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 1: he discovered I had once sustained a fracture of the skull. 417 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 1: And and she even kind of joked that the only 418 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 1: reason she survived was because she had a very thick 419 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: head of hair, which she characterized as having um kind 420 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: of helped soften the blow a bit, but she wouldn't 421 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: know for years that she actually fractured her skull hitting 422 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: her head there. And there's a Mental Floss article about 423 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:30,919 Speaker 1: the Unsinkable Violet jessup Um that mentions something that she 424 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: has said in an interview um where when she um 425 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: abandoned the Titanic and she was so concerned about missing 426 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 1: her toothbrush. With this one, she really was a big 427 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:43,400 Speaker 1: stickler for oral hygiene. It would seem because she grabbed 428 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 1: her toothbrush on the rapidly sinking Britannic. Um, I'm assuming 429 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: clutching it in her fist. Do you think do you 430 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 1: think she made it? Do you think she do you 431 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: think it like I like to think of her pirate 432 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: style with it in between her teeth like a like 433 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: a knife. But she probably grabbed it or put it 434 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 1: in a pocket or something. But yeah, you know, you 435 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: if he can say anything about Violet jessif it's that 436 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: she got her priorities straight. And also imagine if you're 437 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:16,160 Speaker 1: a fervently religious person, a devoutly religious person, then this 438 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:19,439 Speaker 1: feels like proof of a higher power. Right, It's the 439 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: third shipwreck that you've survived. The odds are against you, right, 440 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 1: And you know, we talked about the top of the show, 441 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,679 Speaker 1: this idea of her being really really lucky. You could 442 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 1: say that you could also say that she wasn't particularly lucky. 443 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 1: She was in three shipwrecks. She did survive, but almost 444 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,360 Speaker 1: like you know, bad luck kind of followed her and 445 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: she luckily was able to kind of dodge the blow. 446 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 1: Um it's it's a glass half full is but this 447 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 1: was finally, um reason enough for her to seek alternate employment, 448 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 1: but still in the ship business. She left the White 449 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: Star line. She went to the Red Star Line. She 450 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: did she worked as an attendant on cruises. Still seems 451 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 1: to be tempting star right. Well, I guess after your 452 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: three shipwreck you decide you're going to change at least 453 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: the color. Luckily, she was never involved in a shipwreck 454 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: of catastrophic sort again. After World War Two, she worked 455 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 1: as a clerk for a while, but then she went 456 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 1: back to working on Royal male ships for a while, 457 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 1: and then when she retired at the age of sixty one, 458 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: she spent her time gardening and raising chickens. Uh. We 459 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 1: do know that she got married once in her late thirties, 460 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: but all we know about the marriage is that she 461 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: described it as brief and disastrous. She did a lot 462 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: of interviews. She was interviewed for Woman magazine when the 463 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: film A Night to Remember was released in nineteen fifty eight, 464 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: and her home was filled with mementos of her time 465 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: at sea. Yeah, and you don't really think of the 466 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,639 Speaker 1: world looking for a ship attendance. I don't want to 467 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: use stewarts. We said that was a bad one on 468 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 1: the top, but I guess at the time that was 469 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 1: what they were called. You don't really think of stewardesses 470 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:12,199 Speaker 1: in these days writing very noteworthy memoirs. But if you 471 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: think about it, Um she had a complete insiders perspective 472 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: on the Titanic and everything that took place. In fact, 473 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 1: some people think that the character of Lucy in the 474 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: John Cameron Titanic film was based on on jessup Um. 475 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: She also had just I mean, you know that being 476 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: in that position on all of these different ships is 477 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 1: pretty interesting from a historical perspective, just to talk about 478 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: the way things happened, not to mention some pretty significant 479 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: maritime disasters. So she wrote a memoir Um very soon 480 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: after retiring at the age of sixty three, and she 481 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: wrote quite well by all accounts, um it was very 482 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 1: articulate and was able to really give a look at 483 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: life at sea from that vantage point and saw a 484 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: lot out of things that the average passenger or the 485 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: captain wouldn't see, because a cabin attendant moves through all 486 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: the hierarchies of the ship and is familiar with everything 487 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: before the curtain and behind it. So we get a 488 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,959 Speaker 1: little bit of a of a downton abbey vibe, you know, 489 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: where they have the downstairs people in the upstairs people. 490 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: And here our tail draws to a close. Is Violet 491 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 1: just up the only person to survive multiple shipwrecks? Absolutely not. 492 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: Is she one of the most well known people to 493 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 1: survive multiple shipwrecks? Absolutely But this made us think off 494 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: air about other strange, you know, close brushes with death, 495 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: like the people, Uh I think, Casey, you may have 496 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier people getting struck by lightning multiple times. That happens. Yeah, 497 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: there's been a few, uh well known cases I guess 498 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: of that happening. And no, contrary to what uh certain 499 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: films may have you believe, it does not give you superpowers. 500 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: I'm also thinking what would be the weirdest vehicle to 501 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: wrect Maybe a blimp nowadays, that'd be a weird one 502 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: to wreck. Well, yeah, I mean we've got the Hindenburg. 503 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: That's so it's been done. It's been done. Maybe. Yeah, 504 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 1: I've already got the bird scooter thing on. Yeah, you've 505 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 1: got that one hot air balloon maybe, But I feel 506 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: like those sort of wreck anyway. Do you guys remember 507 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 1: balloon boy? Whose balloon Boy? It was a fake story, 508 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 1: but it was reported as real for a while that 509 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,239 Speaker 1: there's some kid who like got into a hot air 510 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: balloon and it took off without his parents, and so 511 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: they were like, we gotta get the kid down. And 512 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 1: you know, there's like news cameras following this hot air 513 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: balloon just floating around, and uh turns out the family 514 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:47,680 Speaker 1: was in on it. The kid was hiding at home, 515 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 1: and uh they just did it for like reality show 516 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: publicity kind of stuff. Wow, terrible parents. Uh okay, well, 517 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: let let us know what what vehicle we should try 518 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: to be involved. I don't that sounds weird when I 519 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 1: say it that way. Oh, A Chrono blonds, you know 520 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: about those? They're these weird half boat half plane things. 521 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,479 Speaker 1: E k R A n O plan. Look it up 522 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: when you have time. Folks. It's it's very strange. I've 523 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 1: always wanted to to be in one, and if I 524 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: were driving or piloting, I would probably wreck it. But 525 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: this concludes our story. We know that everybody has had 526 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: these close brushes with disaster and it can it can 527 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: fundamentally alter your worldview. But how would you feel after 528 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 1: shipwrecked number one? How would you feel about shipwrecked number two? Great? 529 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: About either? Right? Right? And I think, uh, here in 530 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 1: the studio, at least the three of us are pretty 531 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,000 Speaker 1: unanimous that at least after shipwrecked number two, we would 532 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: give some serious consideration to staying on land. But you know, 533 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: three people, that's a small sample size. Give us your thoughts. 534 00:31:58,320 --> 00:31:59,960 Speaker 1: We would love to hear from you. You can finds 535 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: on Instagram, you can find us on Facebook, you can 536 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: find us on Twitter. We especially love to recommend our 537 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: community page Ridiculous Historians on Facebook. Yeah, how you do 538 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: have have to invoke one or both or uh the 539 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,640 Speaker 1: three of our names and you're in like Flynn, or 540 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: just say something, make make any of us laugh, or 541 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,320 Speaker 1: just make a make a silly reference to a topic 542 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: on this show, just to let us know that You're 543 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: not Russian Bach. You can also find us in our 544 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: poisonal lives on on the internet. I am at Ben 545 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: Bullen on Instagram and I'm at Ben Bullin hs W 546 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 1: on Twitter. You can find me exclusively on Instagram at 547 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: how Now Noel Brown. Huge thanks to our super producer 548 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: Casey Pegram, Alex Williams, who composed our theme. Research associate 549 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 1: Extraordinary Gabe Big, Big thanks of course to Christopher Hasiotis. 550 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: Big thanks also to Eve's Jeff Coat and Jonathan Strickland, 551 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:56,600 Speaker 1: a k a. The Quister, who shall be returning soon. 552 00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: I do also want to say is you know the 553 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: three of us travel quite frequently, and I'm a person 554 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: who travels all the time. I want to say thank 555 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: you so much to everyone who works in the travel industry, 556 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 1: whether you are moving goods from one place to another 557 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 1: for people, whether you are working as a flight or 558 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 1: cabin attendant, which I could never do, whether you are 559 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 1: a pilot so on, thank you, thank you very much. 560 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 1: And I do want to say for everybody who is 561 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: traveling as a passenger, whether on a plane, train, or 562 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: a boat or an automobile, uh please please just behave yourselves. 563 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: People get crazy in planes. We should do something about 564 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 1: that at some point, as an episode or as a society. Absolutely, Ben, 565 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:49,719 Speaker 1: have you ever seen the film Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Yeah, 566 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:51,720 Speaker 1: I recently watched it for the first time and which 567 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:55,840 Speaker 1: found it heartwarming, funny and and just an all around delight. 568 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: How about you. Oh yeah, that's a that's a great 569 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 1: monologue that we can't quote here. Yeah, there's there's one 570 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 1: scene that makes it an R rated movie. It is 571 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:08,440 Speaker 1: a a very soft PG thirteen prior to this one 572 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 1: scene where uh, Steve Martin um goes ham on a 573 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: rental car attendance. Uh. And it's it's one of the 574 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:18,759 Speaker 1: best uses of the F word I have seen in 575 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,320 Speaker 1: a film because it actually they earn it, and it's 576 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 1: definitely for shock value because you don't get anything like that. 577 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:28,480 Speaker 1: But he has worked his way up to being this 578 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 1: enraged and it absolutely does feel earned. Also, Steve Martin 579 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:35,839 Speaker 1: is an amazing banjo player, one of the best, one 580 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 1: of the best. It's a true story. You see you 581 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 1: next time, folks. For more podcasts from My Heart Radio, 582 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:52,320 Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever 583 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.