Imagine being in icy water, your chest tight, unable to breathe deeply. People are yelling around you, and it’s late at night. The sea and the starry sky seem to blend into one. You’re scared and cold because the ship you were just on is sinking into the ocean. Many people who experience a shipwreck stay afraid of water forever. But not Violet Jessop. She survived not one, not two, but three ship disasters and continued to work on cruise liners as a stewardess. Meet Violet Jessop, also known as Miss Unsinkable.
Violet’s childhood was tough. She was the oldest of nine children and had to grow up quickly to help take care of her siblings. Life got even harder when she became very ill, and doctors thought she wouldn’t survive. But she did. As a young girl, she moved to England with her mother, took care of her sisters, and went to a convent school. Her mother worked as a stewardess at sea, and when she fell sick, Violet decided to follow in her footsteps.
At first, no one wanted to hire Violet because she was young and beautiful, and they thought she would distract passengers and crew. But Violet didn’t give up. She went to an interview in her worst clothes and messy hair to show she was ready for hard work. She got the job! For the first two years, everything was calm, but then things got interesting.
In 1910, Violet got a job on the luxurious ship, the Royal Mail Ship Olympic. It sailed from England to America. On September 20, 1911, while sailing through the Solent Strait, the Olympic collided with a British military cruiser called the Hawk. The crash left a huge hole in the ship, but luckily, both ships stayed afloat, and no one was hurt. Violet wasn’t scared and continued working as a stewardess.
In April 1912, Violet took a job on the Titanic, the “unsinkable” ship. On April 10, 1912, the Titanic set sail from Southampton. Everything was fine until the fourth day when the ship hit an iceberg. Violet was resting in her cabin when she felt the jolt. She was called to help with the evacuation. Women and children were evacuated first, and Violet was ordered to get into a lifeboat to show it was safe. Someone handed her a baby, which she held onto until they were rescued by another ship, the Carpathia. A woman took the baby from her without saying a word, and Violet assumed she was the mother.
In 1916, Violet worked as a nurse on the hospital ship Britannic. On November 21, the ship hit an underwater mine and began to sink quickly. Violet didn’t have time to get into a lifeboat, so she jumped into the water. She swam to a lifeboat, but the ship’s propellers were still spinning, pulling the boat toward them. Violet jumped off just in time, but hit her head. Her thick hair saved her from losing consciousness. She was eventually rescued, but suffered from headaches for years. A doctor later discovered she had a skull fracture from the incident.
Despite surviving three shipwrecks, Violet continued to work on cruise liners until 1950. She traveled the world twice on the luxury liner Belgian Land. Fortunately, she never experienced another shipwreck. In 1950, she retired to a cottage in Suffolk County. A year later, she received a mysterious phone call from a woman asking if she had saved a baby on the Titanic. Violet said yes, and the woman laughed and hung up. Violet had never told anyone about the baby before, and it’s still a mystery who the baby was.
Violet Jessop’s incredible story of surviving three shipwrecks earned her the nickname “Miss Unsinkable.” Her courage and determination are truly inspiring!
Research and create a timeline of Violet Jessop’s life events. Include her early life, career milestones, and the three ship disasters she survived. Use images and dates to make your timeline visually appealing and informative.
Imagine you are Violet Jessop. Write a diary entry describing your feelings and experiences during one of the ship disasters. Focus on the emotions and thoughts you might have had during the event.
Based on Violet Jessop’s experiences, design a safety poster for passengers on a cruise ship. Include tips on what to do in case of an emergency and how to stay calm during a disaster.
Pair up with a classmate and role-play an interview with Violet Jessop. One of you will be the interviewer, and the other will be Violet. Prepare questions and answers about her life and experiences at sea.
Research how ship safety has improved since the time of Violet Jessop. Create a presentation to share with the class, highlighting key advancements and how they might have impacted Violet’s experiences.
Violet – A shade of purple often associated with royalty and nobility in historical contexts. – In medieval literature, the violet color was often used to describe the robes of kings and queens.
Shipwreck – The destruction or loss of a ship at sea, often used in historical accounts of maritime disasters. – The shipwreck of the Spanish Armada in 1588 was a turning point in European history.
Ocean – A vast body of salt water that covers most of the Earth’s surface and is crucial in historical exploration and trade. – The explorers of the Age of Discovery bravely sailed across the ocean to find new lands.
Stewardess – A female attendant on a ship or aircraft, responsible for the care of passengers, historically significant in the context of luxury ocean liners. – The stewardess on the Titanic was known for her bravery during the ship’s tragic sinking.
Disaster – A sudden event causing great damage or loss, often referenced in historical events like wars or natural calamities. – The Great Fire of London in 1666 was a disaster that led to significant changes in the city’s architecture.
Titanic – A British passenger liner that sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, becoming one of the most famous maritime disasters in history. – The sinking of the Titanic highlighted the need for better safety regulations on ships.
Olympic – Relating to the Olympic Games, a series of international athletic competitions with historical roots in ancient Greece. – The revival of the Olympic Games in 1896 marked a significant moment in modern sports history.
Britannic – The name of a British ship, sister to the Titanic, which also met a tragic fate during World War I. – The Britannic was converted into a hospital ship during the war before it sank in the Aegean Sea.
Life – The existence of an individual human being or animal, often explored in literature and history through various narratives and biographies. – The life of Anne Frank, as depicted in her diary, provides a poignant insight into the experiences of those hiding during World War II.
Courage – The ability to face fear or adversity, a common theme in historical accounts and literary works. – The courage of Harriet Tubman in leading enslaved people to freedom is celebrated in both history and literature.
