Titanic couples: Edward and Ethel Beane

Titanic couples: Edward and Ethel Beane by ric gustafson


Edward Beane was one of ten children born to George and Mary Beane outside of Norwich England. When he proposed to Ethel Clarke, she was only fourteen to his twenty seven. They married in Norwich six years later and Edward saved enough money for a second class ticket on the Titanic.
On the morning of Sunday April 14, they attended a church service that was led by Captain Smith. After the evening dinner, there was a hymn sing in the second class dining room that was attended by more than one hundred passengers.
At the time of the collision, they noticed a slight jolt and thought nothing of it. A woman in their next cabin banged on their door and told them what had happened. They put on warm clothing and went up to the Boat Deck. Ethel was ushered onto Lifeboat 13 and it was lowered at 1:25 am. Ethel watched as the great liner tipped up on it's end and then slipped down under the black cold sea.
The fate of Edward Beane is still a mystery. One theory is that he was able to jump into the water and swim until he joined Lifeboat 13. The other theory is that Edward was picked up from the water by another lifeboat. In any case, Edward claimed that he swam for hours and was then rescued. Back in New York, Edward and Ethel started a new life with nothing to their name. They settled in Rochester New York and only gave one interview about their experiences years later.
Both vowed never to set foot on a ship ever again.


research help: ' Titanic Love Stories' by Gill Paul


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric