Mr. Robert Hichens

By: Dylan Naugle

Robert Hichens was born September 16^th, 1882 in Newlyn Cornwall, England to Phillip and Rebecca Hichens. He was married to Florence Mortimer on October 3^rd, 1906. His dad was a fisherman, so Robert grew up around boats and his mom was a housewife. They lived on 43 James ST. Southampton with his wife and his 2 kids. Hichens signed on to the Titanic on April 6^th, 1912 as the 6^th quartermaster.

 He embarked on the ship in Southampton. On the night that the Titanic hit the iceberg, Robert Hichens was at the wheel. When he heard the lookout, he turned the wheel away from the iceberg as far as it would go. His attempts were futile because 40 seconds later the ship hit the iceberg. Hichens was relieved of the wheel a couple of minutes later by the captain.

 Robert was put in charge of lifeboat 6. Molly Brown was also in the same lifeboat. On the lifeboat he criticized the rowers constantly for not rowing enough, and kept on yelling at them. Finally, Molly Brown threatened to throw him overboard and she took control of the lifeboat. After Molly did this, Hichens kept on saying that they would be at sea for days. When the Carpathia came in site of the lifeboat, Robert said that the ship was only there to pick up the bodies.

 When the Carpathia got to shore, Hichens was arrested because he was accused of running the Titanic into the iceberg and for purposely not going back for other people that were in the immediate area of the lifeboat. He was proven not guilty of those charges because of lack of evidence and lack of witnesses.

 Robert Hichens then retired to Africa and worked on a dock for the rest of his life. He died and was buried at sea.

Works Cited

Lynch, Donal. Titanic. New york, NY U.S.A: The Madison Press Limited, 1992.

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