RMS Titanic Images - Lifeboats

Twenty of the lifeboats with a maximum accommodation, if everyone were loaded to its total capacity, of something over one thousand, for a ship's company numbered 2,223 in all.

Lightly Loaded Titanic Lifeboat Nears the Carpathia. This photograph shows the insufficient loading of one of the lifeboats. It could have carried double the number of passengers. All but the rowers are women and children. Collier's Magazine (4 May 1912) p. 12a. GGA Image ID # 109835ab35

Unloading Survivors from a Lifeboat at the Side of the Carpathia, Collier's Magazine (4 May 1912) p. 12c. GGA Image ID # 1098511494

One of Titanic's Lifeboats Alongside the Carpathia. © Underwood & Underwood, New York. Marine News (May 1912) p. 161. GGA Image ID # 10ad1fa08e

Collapsible Lifeboat of Survivors from the Titanic. These photographs were» taken by a passenger on the Carpathia as that steamship was picking up the Titanic's lifeboats on Monday morning, April 15 the boat in the lower photograph is one of the collapsibles, and its passengers are chiefly men. This was one of the last lifeboats off but is not the damaged one to which swam many of those who jumped at the last minute before the Titanic sank. The men on that boat were picked up by other lifeboats before the Carpathia appeared. Collier's Magazine (4 May 1912) p. 12c. GGA Image ID # 109835ab35.

Some of the Pitiful Seven Hundred. A Boatload of the Titanic's Survivors Just Before They Were Succored by the "Carpathia." Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 3. GGA Image ID # 109c192dc9

Out of the Jaws of Death. Lifeboat Along Side of the Carpathia. Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 31. GGA Image ID # 109c1c02aa

A Handful of Survivors Nearing the Carpathia. They Are Wearing Life-Preservers. Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 32a. GGA Image ID # 109c48cced

Four Boat-Loads of the Titanic’s Passengers at the Carpathia’s Side. Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 32b. GGA Image ID # 109c506357

One of the Titanic's Collapsible Lifeboats with Its Human Freight. Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 32c. GGA Image ID # 109ccc70ee

Some of the Titanic's Lifeboats on the Deck of the Carpathia. Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 36a. GGA Image ID # 109dd0500d

In the Foreground May Be Seen Some of the Lifeboats That Bore the Few Hundred Survivors to Safety. Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 36b. GGA Image ID # 109ddb281a

The Carpathia Docking, with Two of the Titanic's Lifeboats in the Foreground. Harper's Weekly (27 April 1912) p. 38b. GGA Image ID # 109efe0e43

“To the Boats!”—In Port. Sailors and stewardesses of a North German Lloyd liner practicing lifeboat drill at the company’s pier on the North River. This drill has been ordered by the officials of all transatlantic lines and will be participated in by all members of ships crews before every voyage. Harper's Weekly (11 May 1912) p. 15. GGA Image ID # 10a03c931c

Titanic Survivors on Way to Rescue Ship Carpathia - 15 April 1912. © Bain News Service. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (LC-USZ62-93570). GGA Image ID # 10d6191d55

Titanic Lifeboats on Way to Carpathia - 15 April 1912. © Bain News Service. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (LC-USZ62-33430). GGA Image ID # 10d6207305

Lundin Decked Lifeboat with 60 Persons, Under the Welin Davits. Marine News (July 1912) p. 246. GGA Image ID # 10ad506a6d

Titanic Survivors Photographed from the Carpathia. The Outlook (27 April 1912) p. 898. GGA Image ID # 10e6d908cd

Where the RMS Titanic Could Have Carried Fifty Lifeboats. The arrows indicate the lifeboats of the Titanic, eight on a side, sixteen in all, exclusive of four collapsible canvas boats. The crosses show where extra lifeboats could have been placed, making fifty boats in all, twenty-five on a side. The Outlook (27 April 1912) p. 900-901. GGA Image ID # 10e73b557e

One of the Sixteen Lifeboats from the Titanic. The Outlook (27 April 1912) p. 903. GGA Image ID # 10e73f80be

Survivors in One of the Lifeboats At the Side of the Carpathia. The Outlook (27 April 1912) p. 904. GGA Image ID # 10e7a8f025

The Arrival of the "Carpathia," in New York Harbor, with Survivors of the "Titanic," Showing the Lifeboats of the Latter Slung from the Davits. This Photograph was Taken from a Tug, Hundreds of Pounds of Powder Being Used. © Underwood and Underwood. Popular Mechanics Magazine (June 1912) p. 805-b. GGA Image ID # 108292d164

Lifeboats from the Ill-Fated RMS Titanic Being Lowered from the Carpathia After Reaching New York - 18 April 1912. Public Domain Image. GGA Image ID # 10ee2ba9f4

Titanic Lifeboat # 12 Being Hoisted Aboard the Carpathia. Public Domain Image. GGA Image ID # 10edbf7b15

Suggestion for Handling a Full Complement of Lifeboats. The Boats are loaded Amidships and Moved on Tracks to the Davits. Scientific American (27 April 1912) p. 373a. GGA Image ID # 10a2e6c20f

Lifeboat Drill on a German Liner. Note Cork Jackets on the Crew. Scientific American (27 April 1912) p. 380d. GGA Image ID # 10a49c7fcb

The Swinging Davit is Designed to Handle Two Rows of Boats Expeditiously. Scientific American (4 May 1912) p. 404a. GGA Image ID # 10a4a6e36d

Testing a davit before delivery. Scientific American (4 May 1912) p. 404b. GGA Image ID # 10a4adcc2c

An Interesting Type of Life-Raft. Mounted on Inclined Ways. Launched by the Turn of a Lever. Scientific American (1 June 1912) p. 501a. GGA Image ID # 10a7497c93

The Life-Raft Thrown from the Argentine Battleship Rivadavia. Scientific American (1 June 1912) p. 501a. GGA Image ID # 10a810609d

Titanic Survivors on Lifeboats. Scribner's Magazine (March 1913) p. 356. GGA Image ID # 105f27631d

Titanic's Second Officer Lightoller's Lifeboat. Scribner's Magazine (March 1913) p. 357. GGA Image ID # 102f846575

The Canvas Collapsible Lifeboat from the Titanic. Scribner's Magazine (March 1913) p. 357. GGA Image ID # 102f8796cb

Lifeboat Pulling up along Side the Carpathia. An Unloaded Lifeboat Is on the Right. Scribner's Magazine (March 1913) p. 358. GGA Image ID # 102fb37c7b

Close-Up View of a Lifeboat of TitanicSurvivors Unloading. Scribner's Magazine (March 1913) p. 358. GGA Image ID # 102fb459db

Bringing Survivors On Board the Carpathia. Scribner's Magazine (March 1913) p. 359. GGA Image ID # 10300dc14e

The Titanic’s boats were too far from the water. Had the sea been rough, it is questionable whether any of the lifeboats of the Titanic would have reached the water without being damaged or destroyed. The point of suspension of the boats was about seventy feet above the level of the sea. Had the ship been rolling heavily the lifeboats, as they were lowered, would have swung out from the side of the ship as it rolled toward them and on the return, roll would have swung back and crashed against its side. The Illustrated London News (11 May 1912) p. 688. GGA Image ID # 100aab983f

Liners and Their Life-Saving Craft before the Disaster: White Boats to Represent the Number of Persons for Whom Boats Were Carried; Black to Represent the Boats Required for the Ships' Full Complements. The Illustrated London News (11 May 1912) p. 689. GGA Image ID # 100814f3ab

The Lesson Learnt after the Greatest Maritime Disaster: Fitting-Up a Collapsible Boat Aboard the Olympic. The Illustrated London News (11 May 1912) p. 691. GGA Image ID # 1008a4f2da

As It Should Be on Every Liner: Life-Boat Drill on a Steam-Ship. The Illustrated London News (11 May 1912) p. 698. GGA Image ID # 1008b55b11

Survivors Aboard a Collapsible from the "Titanic", the Boat Being Rowed Slowly Towards the "Carpathia", Immediately before the Rescue of the Passengers. The Illustrated London News (18 May 1912) p. 734. GGA Image ID # 1008b6f007

Drawing Alongside the "Carpathia" to Be Picked Up, Survivors of the "Titanic" Disaster, Mostly Women, in One of the Ill-Fated Liner's Less Crowded Life Boats. The Illustrated London News (18 May 1912) p. 734. GGA Image ID # 10091c4c07

Saved by S.O.S. "Titanic" Survivors in the Life-Boats. The Illustrated London News (18 May 1912) p. 735. GGA Image ID # 100a01e0ea

A Seaman, a Foreigner — and Women: The Crew and Passengers of One of the "Titanic's" Life-Boats after the Disaster. Drawn from Material Supplied by Mrs. Cornell, a Survivor. (Proof of the Discipline Aboard the Sinking "Titanic ": A Boat 'Load of Women.) The Illustrated London News (18 May 1912) p. 754. GGA Image ID # 100a0cd3ea

Our Artist informs us, as we have noted, on the authority of Mrs. R. C. Cornell, that women rowed the boat seen in the foreground of the picture. With them was one seaman, and a foreign man who remained huddled up in the bottom of the lifeboat. From various accounts it is evident that women helped in the rowing of several of the boats, and Miss Alice Farman Leader, a New York lady doctor, has said, for instance, that the Countess of Rothes practically took command of the boat in which she was, while several women assisted, rowing in turn.

Numerous other cues of the valuable work done by women have been mentioned, and there is no doubt that many would have stayed behind, as did Mrs. Isidor Straus, had they been permitted. It has been reported, for example, that physical force alone got Mrs. Astor, Mrs. George Widener, Mrs. Jacques Futrelle, Mrs. John Thayer, and others into the boats. Mrs. Cornell was in the lifeboat which carried, amongst others, Mrs. Appleton. Their niece, Miss Edith Evans, gave up her place in an overcrowded boat and stayed on the ship.

After the Order "All Men Stand Back Away from the Boats, All Ladies Retire to the Next Deck below ", Women Entering a Life-Boat from B Deck of the "Titanic." The Illustrated London News (18 May 1912) p. 755. GGA Image ID # 100acff1a2

The Lifeboat and Its Story - Invented by a Coach-Builder of Long Acre, Lionel Lukin's Insubmersible Boat. The Illustrated London News (25 May 1912) p. 790. GGA Image ID # 1069f62e9b

The Hurricane Deck of the Carpathia as It Appeared After Taking on Some of Titanic's Lifeboats. The Independent (2 May 1912). p. 941. GGA Image ID # 10a1bb2be9

The Titanic's Lifeboats Tied up at the New York Pier After Carpathia's Return. The Independent (2 May 1912). p. 943. GGA Image ID # 10a1ced173

A Test of the "Kaiser Wilhelm II's" Life-Boats at Hoboken Before the Ship Left Port Last Week—Stewardesses Playing the Part of Passengers. The Independent (2 May 1912). p. 944. GGA Image ID # 1be5af2f85

One of the "Titanic's" Life-Boats Approaching the "Carpathia," Barely Half Full. © Underwood & Underwood. The Literary Digest (4 May 1912) p. 919. GGA Image ID # 1085e15b3a

A Life-Raft to Form Part of the Deck. This device proposed by the London Sphere would be part of the deck ordinarily, but in case of wreck it would float oft as a raft holding hundreds of the passengers and crew. © London Sphere. The Literary Digest (25 May 1912) p. 1096. GGA Image ID # 1087a33f99

Folding Lifeboats on the Olympic. This type may be constructed much more strongly than the collapsible boats on the next page and may be launched from Davits, as shown. © Motor Boating, New York. The Literary Digest (22 June 1912) p. 1293. GGA Image ID # 10883bc9d4

A Collapsible Boat of the Kind Used on the Titanic. The bottom is of wood and the sides are canvas. © Motor Boating, New York. The Literary Digest (22 June 1912) p. 1294. GGA Image ID # 108848707b

The Collapsible Lifeboat When in Use. The cross members swing down to keep the boat extended. The large cork-filled fenders will support the crew if the boat capsizes. © Motor Boating, New York. The Literary Digest (22 June 1912) p. 1294. GGA Image ID # 10887703c2

Old Life-Boat Davits Made Obsolete. The Welin davit greatly facilitates the launching of lifeboats, as they are swung clear of the ship's side by merely turning a crank. Although equipped with these davits, the Titanic had but one boat to each set, whereas she might have had two. As shown here. © Motor Boating, New York. The Literary Digest (22 June 1912) p. 1295. GGA Image ID # 1088b358b2

Diagram IV: The Lowering of the Lifeboats of the Titanic. How the Boats were lowered Down the Steel Wall of the "Titanic" Compared with a City Office Building. The Sphere (27 April 1912) p. 8 of the Supplement. GGA Image ID # 10fff777b1

The Mechanism by Which the Boats were Lowered. A Pair of Welin Davitts on Board the "Titanic. The Sphere (27 April 1912) p. 10 of the Supplement. GGA Image ID # 11007ae4db

How the "Titanic" Survivors were Picked Up by the "Carpathia." Direct Photographic Pictures by Mr. J. W. Barker, a Passenger on the "Carpathia." The Sphere (4 May 1912) p. 90-91. GGA Image ID # 110125999a

Suggest Lifesaving Devices at Sea. The Sphere (4 May 1912) p. 111. GGA Image ID # 11027e176c

Overturned Engelhardt Lifeboat. The Truth About the Titanic (1913) p. 110. GGA Image iD # 10716a2d9c

Fifth Officer Lowe Towing Canvas Collapsible Lifeboat Towards the Carpathia. The Truth About the Titanic (1913) p. 158-a. GGA Image iD # 1071d50494

Titanic Survivors in the Canvas Collapsible Lifeboat. The Truth About the Titanic (1913) p. 158-b. GGA Image iD # 1072198dc8

Provisioning the Ship During a Lifeboat Drill. The Unsinkable Titanic (1912) p,. 43-a. GGA Image ID # 1075057dcc

Loading and Lowering Lifeboats During a Drill. The Unsinkable Titanic (1912) p. 43-b. GGA Image ID # 1075178d21

Taking the Titanic's Survivors on Board the Carpathia, Photographed from the Deck of the Carpathia. The World To-Day (May 1912) p. 2216c. GGA Image ID # 10960f75a1

The Unsinkable Lifeboat. The novel lifeboat, the invention of a young Norwegian is actually in use. It can be steered from inside or outside. The ballast tanks are filled with fresh water. The collapsible mast is seen lying horizontally, amid-ship, across the conning tower. Should the sea be too rough for the craft to be launched from davits, the idea is that passengers should be embarked, the latches fastened down, and the lashing undone. Then, if the ship sinks, the lifeboat may go down with it, but will certainly rise to the surface again. The World To-Day (June 1912) p. 2376j. GGA Image ID # 1096389f51

Artist Interpretation of the Chaotic Scene of Lifeboats Being Lowered from the RMS Titanic. GGA Image ID # 107eac5ab9

At Dawn, the Lights of the Carpathia Appeared on the Horizon - As Told by the Survivors. Wreck and Sinking of the Titanic (1912) p. 17. GGA Image ID # 1089a16d89

Hoisting Titanic Lifeboat Filled with Rescued Aboard the Carpathia. © Underwood & Underwood, NY. Wreck and Sinking of the Titanic (1912) p. 49. GGA Image ID # 108a9f4058

The Last Goodbyes - Placing Women in the Lifeboats. Wreck and Sinking of the Titanic (1912) p. 177. GGA Image ID # 108e86a1fa

All Eyes in the Lifeboat on the Carpathia. Survivors of the Titanic in one of her collapsible lifeboats, just before being picked up by the Carpathia—Women may be seen at the oars. © Underwood & Underwood, NY. Wreck and Sinking of the Titanic (1912) p. 241. GGA Image ID # 10943c9837