Additional Coverage:
In the annals of maritime history, the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 stands as a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the indomitable spirit of curiosity that leads us to explore the unknown, often at great peril. Among the narratives that have emerged from the tragedy, one of the most intriguing involves the notable figures who were slated to board the ill-fated vessel.
These stories of near-misses and last-minute changes of plans add a fascinating layer to the Titanic saga, underscoring the capriciousness of fate. While the Titanic disaster continues to captivate the public imagination through books, movies, and underwater expeditions to the wreckage, a recent event echoed the tragedy’s ominous past: an OceanGate submersible, on its way to the Titanic’s final resting place, went missing, leading to a tragic outcome.
Several celebrities were set to embark on the Titanic’s maiden voyage, adding to the allure and prestige of what was touted as the safest and most luxurious ship of its time. However, fate intervened in various ways for a handful of these individuals, rendering them absent when the Titanic made its doomed journey across the Atlantic.
Among the most prominent figures to skip the voyage were financier J. Pierpont Morgan and chocolate magnate Milton Hershey, both of whom had reasons that, in hindsight, seem fortuitously serendipitous.
Morgan, who had his very own personal suite and promenade deck on the Titanic, opted to extend his stay at a French resort, blissfully unaware of the disaster he would avoid. Hershey, on the other hand, decided to return to the United States earlier than planned due to pressing business matters, thus cancelling his passage on the Titanic.
Other notable individuals who narrowly missed becoming part of the Titanic’s tragic story include Guglielmo Marconi, the celebrated inventor of the radio, who chose the Lusitania over the Titanic for his transatlantic journey. Henry Clay Frick and his wife were also set to sail on the Titanic, but an unforeseen ankle injury to Mrs.
Frick led to a change in their plans. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, scion of the Vanderbilt dynasty, cancelled his ticket, only to meet his fate on the Lusitania three years later in another maritime disaster.
Renowned author Theodore Dreiser avoided the Titanic due to his publisher’s advice, opting for a cheaper passage that arguably saved his life. Similarly, Nobel Peace Prize laureate John Mott elected to travel on a different ship, narrowly escaping the disaster.
The story also touches upon other celebrities such as J.C. Penney and Frank Seiberling, who had planned future voyages on the Titanic, unknowingly avoiding the tragic fate that awaited the ship on its maiden journey.
The ongoing fascination with the Titanic is not only limited to the stories of those who survived or perished but also extends to those who, by some stroke of luck, never made it aboard. This curiosity continues to fuel expeditions to the Titanic’s watery grave, such as the ill-fated voyage of the OceanGate submersible, serving as a stark reminder of the mysteries that still lie beneath the waves and the ever-present danger of underestimating the powerful forces of nature.