Chief Purser - Hugh McElroy

Hugh McElroy - Chief Purser 

Employed by White Star since 1901 
Born:  October 28, 1874 (age 37) in Liverpool, England
Married: Barbara Mary Ennis on July 9, 1910, no children 

Died: April 15, 1912 at sea

Body Recovered:  #157 by the CS Mackay-Bennett

Buried at sea on April 22, 1912 at 8pm

Hugh McElroy, Chief Purser

Hugh McElroy's father, a Merchant Seaman, died in 1888 at the age of 44. The family were devout Catholics and the boys were encouraged to a life of service. For Hugh that mean becoming a student for the priesthood. At the age of 16, he studied with "The Canons Regular of the Lateran" order. His brother Richard was later ordained in the same order. For two years, Hugh was at the Priory at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Cornwall, England when he suddenly realized that the priesthood was not his calling and decided to change careers.  

In 1892, Hugh McElroy left the Priory, returned home to Cheshire and joined the Merchant Navy.   Hugh served on the Cymric, Germanic, and the Britannic when they were commissioned as troopships during the Boar War (1899-1902). Hugh received the Transport Medal and the South Africa Clasp.

He mustered out of the Merchant Navy in 1900 and was employed as a Purser by the White Star Line in 1901. He served with Chief Steward Andrew Latimer and Ship Surgeon Dr. William O'Loughlin on the Majestic, Cedric, and the Adriatic. All were under the command of Titanic's Captain Edward J Smith and they would go with him when he took command of the Olympic. 

Hugh met Barbara Ennis in 1909, when he was 35 and she was 32 and they married in 1910. Her father, John Ennis, was the manager of the Allan Line Steamship Company until he became ill and was confined at home with a full complement of servants, farmhands, and nurses.  

When the RMS Olympic made her maiden voyage on June 14, 1911, Captain Smith was again in command with Hugh serving as the Captain Smith's Chief Purser.  Hugh was on board when the RMS Olympic collided with the HMS Hawke on September 20, 1911.  Also on board were future Titanic employees: Stewardess Violet Jessop, Fireman Arthur Priest, Chief Steward Andrew Latimer and the Ship's Surgeon Dr. William O'Loughlin.   When Titanic was completed, they were already informed they would be assigned to the new ship.

According to Assistant Surgeon Dr. Beaumont, he was consulted: "When Purser McElroy was on the Olympic, he had woken on several occasions due to suffocating nightmares which gave way to some premonitions about sailing on Titanic. He had nightmares of being in a dark tunnel with no means of escape."

Hugh McElroy, left, and Captain Smith, right

Hugh McElroy was transferred to the RMS Titanic on April 9, 1912, just two days before the Titanic set sail. His salary was increased to £ 20 per month.  As with many of the crew who were hired that day, there wasn't much time to get acclimated to such a big ship or to some of the new equipment.  

On most luxury ships, the Chief Purser was much in demand by guests to conduct personal business and as a dinner companion. Other requested dinner companions were the owner of the shipping line (Mr. J. Bruce Ismay), the Ship's Captain (Captain Edward J. Smith) and the Ship's Surgeon (William O'Loughlin).

Chief Purser's staff:

• Assistant Purser Reginald Barker, age 40 - body never recovered
• Assistant Purser Ernest Waldron King, age 28 - Body tagged #321
• John Reginald Rice, clerk, age 26 - Body Tagged  #64
• Austin Aloysius Ashcroft, clerk, age 26 - body never recovered
• Donald S Campbell, clerk, age 25 - body never recovered
• Ruth Bowker, cashier, age 27 - Lifeboat #6
• Margaret E "Mabel" Martin, cashier, age 20 - Lifeboat #6

On the evening of April 14, 1912, Hugh McElroy had dined with a few invited First Class passengers in The Parisien, Titanic's First Class French restaurant.   He left the restaurant around 10pm, stopped at each bar location to pick up the day's receipts, checked in at the wireless room, and went back to his office to work for a short time before retiring for the night. There were many sightings of Hugh McElroy by passengers during the evacuation, some of which were not true.

Purser's Office 

Last Sightings of Hugh McElroy

Just after midnight, Steward Samuel Rule said he saw ChiefPurser McElroy on "A" deck, talking to Second Steward George Dodd. 

Other passengers said they saw McElroy on C Deck. As water was filling up at C Deck, Chief Purser McElroy, Dr. O'Loughlin, Assistant Purser Reginal Barker and Second Officer Lightoller were talking to each other.  The group were seen shaking hands goodbye. 

Another passenger said they saw Chief Purser McElroy talking with Mail Clerk William Logan Gwinn, standing on the Boat Deck near the Gym.

At 12:15am, Stewardess Annie Robinson said she saw Hugh McElroy with Captain Smith walking in the direction of the mailroom as they inspected the amount of water that Titanic was taking on. She noted that the water was within six stair steps of coming up onto E Deck.

Second Steward Joseph Wheat said he saw McElroy when he looked over the banisters near Lifeboat #9. McElroy told him in the presence of three other officers: "get the men up, and get lifebelts on the passengers, then get them up on Boat Deck."   

At 12:45am, Wheat said McElroy gave him a second order: "get all the crew to their lifeboat stations."

Hugh McElroy was next seen by passengers at Lifeboat #9 station where he was loading passengers. First Officer Murdock was supervising the operation.  Nearby J. Bruce Ismay and Hugh McElroy were having a heated conversation. 

Bathroom steward Isaac Widgery stated that he was asked by Purser McElroy if he understood anything about lifeboats.  Widgery stated:

"I said that I understood a little. Just then the biscuits arrived and each storekeeper put a box in the bottom of the lifeboats. They had taken the canvas off Lifeboat #9 and lowered it down so it was level with the Boat Deck. A sailor came along and threw a bag into the boat saying that he had been sent by the Captain and told to take charge. The Boatswain's Mate didn't believe him and ordered the man to get out of the boat. The man stayed there for 3 or 4 minutes when the McElroy took my arm and said "Get in the boat and help the Boatswain's Mate to pass the ladies in."  When the last of the women and children were in the lifeboat, the Purser called out: "Are there any more women?" There weren't, so our lifeboat was sent on its way."

Jack Thayer said he saw Hugh McElroy at the Collapsible C.  When two men jumped on the boat, First Officer Murdock ordered them to get out of the boat. 

But water was filling up at C Deck while standing around talking to each other were Purser McElroy, Dr. O'Loughlin, Assistant Purser Reginal Barker and Second Officer Lightoller.  The group shook hands and said goodbye. Purser McElroy was last seen with mail clerk William Logan Gwinn standing on the Boat Deck near the Gym.

A few days after the sinking, McElroy's body was pulled from the sea. On the body were keys tagged "Linen Locker No.1 on C Deck" and the address of McElroy's sister, Mary, in Spottisbury, Dorset.

Hugh McElroy was tagged with #157 and further identified by the contents of his pockets and two postcards. 

"No. 157 - Male - Estimated age 32 - Hair, Dark.  Clothing - Ship's uniform; white jacket; ship's keys; 10 pence; 50 cents; fountain pen. Identified as Chief Purser - Herbert W. McElroy."

Hugh McElroy was buried at sea at 8pm on April 22, 1912.

McElroy's estate was worth £4330 (about $5980 in today's money.

Barbara McElroy married again on June 3, 1914 to John Clancy.  She lived in Ireland for the rest of her life and died on December 18, 1953 at the age of 77.

Interesting Reading

Video - Frank Prentice, his last minutes on Titanic (7 minutes long)

Bio of Captain Edward Smith 

Real Newspaper Articles

  

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