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The Baker Who Survived The Sinking Of The Titanic By Getting Drunk
A crew member aboard the doomed ship was able to make it to safety in large part thanks to the stiff drink he took in the middle of the chaos
The sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912 remains one of the most devastating losses of individual life outside of war in recent times. More than 1,500 perished once the vessel that was boastfully deemed “unsinkable” struck an iceberg. Fortunately, there were some survivors. This included the ship’s baker, Charles Joughin, who is believed to be the last person who survived the ordeal to leave the ship, and made his improbable escape to safety in part because he got drunk.
Joughin was born in England in 1878 to parents of modest means. He first went to sea as a boy of 11 and liked it enough that he decided to make it his career. As he grew into adulthood, he moved into becoming a mariner baker, working on a number of steamships, including the Titanic’s sister ship, the RMS Olympic.
By the time the Titanic set its hull into the water, Joughin was the ship’s Chief Baker. He was paid 12 pounds per month, worth approximately $1,750 in modern value — a modest wage for the man who supervised a staff of 13 bakers who were responsible for providing all…
