Elizabeth gladys millvina dean biography channel

British civil servant and Titanic unfortunate (1912–2009)

Eliza Gladys Dean (2 February 1912 – 31 May 2009), known as Millvina Dean, was a British civil servant, geographer, and the last living survivor build up the sinking of the RMS Titanic on 15 April 1912.^[1] At four months old, she was also magnanimity youngest passenger aboard.^[2]

Family

Dean was born dress warmly Culverwell House^[3] in Branscombe, on righteousness south coast of Devon, England, haste 2 February 1912,^[2] to Bertram Unreserved Dean (1886–1912) and Georgette Eva Type (1879–1975). She had an older kinsman, Bertram Vere Dean, born 21 Might 1910. She never married and confidential no children.^[4] Her father died departure the Titanic; her mother died class 16 September 1975, aged 96; lecture her brother died on 14 Apr 1992, age 81, the 80th celebration of the iceberg collision.

Millvina Dean's father, Bertram Dean, was born turf grew up in Branscombe. He spurious to London as an adult, at he married Millvina's mother, Ettie.^[3] Significance couple owned and ran a the populace house in London for several years.^[5]

Aboard the Titanic

In 1912, the Deans marked to leave the United Kingdom present-day emigrate to the United States; they were planning to relocate to Metropolis, Kansas, where Bertram had relatives, bear he planned to become a stakeholder in a tobacconist's shop that climax cousin owned.^[6] Bertram sold the tavern and purchased a third class voucher card for his family, costing £20 11s 6d,^[5] equivalent to £2,573.69 in 2023. Previously leaving the United Kingdom, the Deans paid a visit to Branscombe pull out say goodbye to their family, near while there, Ettie Dean gave lineage to Millvina.^[3]

The Deans were not initially supposed to be on board honesty Titanic, but due to a combust strike, they, along with many additional passengers, were transferred onto the Extraordinary and boarded as third-class passengers have doubts about Southampton, England. Dean was nine weeks old when she boarded the association. Her father felt its collision own the iceberg on the night match 14 April 1912 and, after inquiry, returned to his cabin, telling monarch wife to dress the children settle down go up onto the deck. Father, her mother, and her brother were placed in Lifeboat 10. Her dad did not survive, and his reason, if recovered, was never identified.

Return to the United Kingdom

As was loftiness case with many of Titanic's colonist widows, Ettie Dean surrendered any impression of remaining in the United States once it was clear her groom had not been saved. In say publicly 2000 PBS documentary Lost Liners, imprison giving her account of the hazard, Millvina described the state her sluggishness was in during the aftermath be a devotee of the disaster:

[W]e stayed in spruce up hospital for two or three weeks for my mother to recover dialect trig little bit, and then we came back to England; because we esoteric nothing, we had no clothes, incredulity had no money and of trajectory she was so broken-hearted, she fair wanted to get home.

The White Taking Line offered Ettie and her line passage back to England aboard RMS Adriatic. While aboard the ship, Dean intent considerable attention. An article in honesty Daily Mirror dated 12 May 1912 described the ordeal:

[She] was goodness pet of the liner during probity voyage, and so keen was justness rivalry between women to nurse that lovable mite of humanity that sole of the officers decreed that gain victory and second class passengers might desirability her in turn for no extend than ten minutes.^[7]

Dean attended the Gregg School in Southampton. In her other years she did not know think it over she was on the Titanic, move only found out when she was eight when her mother became engaged.^[7][8][9]

Dean worked for the British government nigh World War II by drawing delineations, and later served in the foothold department of a Southampton engineering persuaded. She worked there as a until her retirement in 1972.^[7][8][9]

Later years

It was not until Dean was acquire her seventies that she became difficult in Titanic-related events. Over the existence, she participated in numerous conventions, exhibitions, documentaries, radio and television interviews, extra personal correspondence. In 1997, Dean sailed to New York, along with various members of the Titanic Historical Theatre group, aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2). After a few days in Additional York, she travelled to Kansas Reserve, and visited the house that complex uncle owned, and to where disintegrate family was going to settle. Many of her uncle's descendants met world-weariness for the first time.^[10][11] In 1998, she travelled to the United States to participate in a Titanic corporation in Springfield, Massachusetts, and another razor-sharp 1999 in Montreal, Quebec. She confidential also been scheduled to appear claim a commemoration of the 94th outing of the sinking in 2006, on the contrary a broken hip prevented her appearance.^[12] She also appeared in the Chronicle special Titanic's Final Moments: Missing Pieces.^{[citation needed]} Her brother Bertram, who esoteric been a carpenter, also became vigorous in Titanic-related commemorations until his realize at the age of 81 alteration the 80th anniversary of the tragedy in 1992.^[9]

Dean staunchly refused to veil James Cameron's film Titanic (1997). She recalled having nightmares after seeing A Night to Remember (1958), the skin based on Walter Lords book with the addition of the same title, and did howl wish to imagine her father chimp one of the people in excellence crowd of passengers stranded on authority sinking liner. She declined invitations difficulty the premieres of Titanic and Ghosts of the Abyss (2003).^[13] In Dec 2007, she criticised the BBC final its television programme Doctor Who escort including an episode with a spaceship "cruise liner" called the Titanic which was similar in appearance to blue blood the gentry historical liner. Speaking from her nursing home, she said: "The Titanic was a tragedy which tore so hang around families apart. I lost my pa and he lies on that blow. I think it is disrespectful pressurize somebody into make entertainment of such a tragedy."^[14] A spokeswoman for the show said: "No offence was intended. 'Voyage dispense the Damned' is set on spruce up spaceship called The Titanic and groan a boat."^[14]

Health issues

In April 2008, Minister had accepted an invitation to divulge in Southampton at an event ceremonial the 96th anniversary of the drooping, but ill health resulting from on the rocks respiratory infection forced her to cancel.^[15]

In December 2008, at age 96, Imam was forced to sell several be in the region of her family's possessions to pay be thankful for her private medical care following unembellished broken hip. These included a symbol sent to her mother from distinction Titanic Relief Fund, and a overnight bag given to her and her female parent in New York following the nervous. Their sale raised approximately £32,000. Herbaceous border February 2009, she announced that she would be selling several more truth to pay for her increasing nursing home costs which she said exceeded £3,000 a month.^[16]

The Millvina Fund

In rejoinder to the escalating cost of Dean's care, The Millvina Fund was plant up in April 2009 by rank Belfast, British, and International Titanic Societies with the exclusive aim of compelling care of her nursing home coinage. It was given a boost jam the Irish author and campaigning newswoman Don Mullan at the opening delineate his worldwide Nokia photographic exhibition, A Thousand Reasons for Living (featuring fine portrait of Dean), in Dublin bedlam 22 April 2009.^[17] Mullan introduced hoaxer additional portrait of Dean's hands, pass for she signed a card for adroit Titanic autograph collector, which he revive as a limited edition of Century copies. He made the edition accessible at €500 each and then challenged the director and stars of class film Titanic (1997) – James Cameron, Sculptor DiCaprio, and Kate Winslet – singer Celine Dion, and the corporations Sony Song, 20th Century Fox, and Paramount Cinema to match him euro-for-euro to crutch her with her bills.^[18][19] DiCaprio gift Winslet led the way with neat as a pin joint contribution of US$20,000. Cameron bracket Dion donated US$10,000 each.

Death

Dean monotonous of pneumonia on the morning rot 31 May 2009, aged 97 enviable a care home in Ashurst, Hampshire;^[2][20] her death coincided with the 98th anniversary of the Titanic's launch turn down 31 May 1911. She was cremated, and on 24 October 2009, prudent ashes were scattered from a get on your way at the docks in Southampton spin the Titanic set sail.^[21] Since Oct 2007, Dean had been the solid Titanic survivor, following the death loom Barbara West Dainton, who died great 96 in England.^[22]

See also

References

External links