At a recent meeting of the Edwinstowe Historical Society, members applauded Bob Massey after listening to his talk about Violet Constance Jessop, an ocean liner stewardess, World War One nurse, and survivor of the sinkings of the SS Titanic and SS Britannic.
Emulating her mother, Violet’s first position as a stewardess was on board the RMS Orinoco. She was on board when the vessel collided with another boat. Undaunted, she transferred to the Titanic, which sank in 1912. While in a lifeboat, she was tasked with caring for a baby. When aboard the rescue ship Carpathia, a woman – presumably the baby’s mother – grabbed the baby from her arms and ran off crying, without saying a word.
During WWI, Violet served as a British Red Cross nurse on board the hospital ship Britannic, and once again fate intervened when the vessel struck a German mine in the Aegean Sea, sinking within 55 minutes.
Jumping out of the lifeboat, she narrowly avoided being shredded by the ship’s propellers and survived a traumatic head injury in the process.
Violet retired in 1950 and passed away in 1971 at the age of 83.
The current photographic display at the Sherwood Forest Art and Craft Centre focuses on aerial views of Edwinstowe, highlighting how small parcels of land have been utilised for car parking and housing.
November’s talk, delivered by Kasia Wosiak of Bassetlaw Library, was entitled ‘The Mayflower Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Nation’. There are no meetings in December and January. Adrian Gray’s talk at the meeting on 19th February will be ‘Worksop, Witches and an American Legacy: The Life of Richard Bernard’.
Meetings are held in the Church Rooms, Mansfield Road, Edwinstowe NG21 9NJ on the third Wednesday of the month, starting at 2.00pm and lasting for approximately two hours. Tea, coffee, and biscuits are available. The annual membership subscription is £15.00, and a welcome is extended to all at a charge of £3.00.
More information is available at www.edwinstowehistory.org.uk, and enquiries may be made to EdwinstoweHistorySoc@gmail.com.