Mr Joseph Bruce Ismay

Chairman and managing director of the White Star Line of steamships. He came to international attention as the highest-ranking White Star official among the 706 survivors (vs. 1,517 fatalities from crew and passengers totaling 2,223) of the maiden voyage of his company's marquee ocean liner, the RMS Titanic.

~• "In 1912, he came to international attention as the highest-ranking White Star official to survive the sinking of the company's brand new flagship RMS Titanic, for which he was subject to severe criticism." (wikipedia)

Joseph Bruce Ismay was born near Liverpool in 1862 to Thomas Henry Ismay and Margaret Bruce. His father was a senior partner in the firm of Ismay, Imrie & Company and founder of the White Star Line.

Joseph was educated at Harrow and was then tutored in France for a year before being apprenticed to Thomas Ismay's office for four years. He travelled the world for some time and upon his return was posted to New York where he worked at the White Star Line office. After a year he was appointed the company agent for New York.

In 1888 Joseph married Julia Schieffelin and together they had four children. The family returned to England in 1891, where Joseph was made a partner in Ismay, Imrie & Company. After his father’s death in 1899 Joseph became head of the business.

In 1907, Ismay met Lord Pirrie of the Harland and Wolff shipyard to discuss White Star's answer to the Lusitania and the Mauretania, the recently unveiled marvels of the Cunard Line. Ismay's new type of ship would not only be fast, but luxurious, with huge steerage capacity. Three ships were planned and built, the second of which was White Star Line's pride and joy, the RMS Titanic.

On 10 April 1912 Joseph boarded Titanic with his valet Richard Fry and his secretary William Henry Harrison. Ismay was rescued from the Titanic in collapsible lifeboat C.

During his life, Ismay launched the cadet ship Mersey used to train officers for Britain’s Merchant Navy, gave £11,000 to institute a fund to benefit widows of lost seamen and in 1919 gave £25,000 to establish a fund to recognise the contribution of merchant seamen in the war.

Joseph Bruce Ismay died on 17 October 1937, leaving an estate worth £693,305.

See Encyclopedia Titanica (2017) Joseph Bruce Ismay (ref: #171, last updated: 18th August 2017, accessed 21st September 2023 07:33:51 AM)
URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/j-bruce-isma...

Titanic Passenger Summary

Name: Mr Joseph Bruce Ismay
Titanic Survivor
Born: Friday 12th December 1862 in Crosby, Merseyside, England
Age: 49 years 4 months and 3 days (Male)
Nationality: English
Marital Status: Married to Julia Schieffelin
Last Residence: in Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Occupation: Shipowner
1st Class Passengers
Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 112058
Cabin No. B52/54/56
Rescued (boat C)
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
Died: Sunday 17th October 1937 in Westminster, London, England aged 74 years
Cause of Death: Cerebral Thrombosis
Buried: Putney Vale Cemetary, London, England