Mademoiselle Louise Laroche

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Mademoiselle Louise Laroche
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When we talk about the Titanic we often think of
England and America, the beginning and intended
end of the Titanics voyage. However, on April 10
1912, the Titanic left Southampton and travelled
first to Cherbourg, France where 274 people
boarded her, before she set sail for the open sea.
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Amongst those, mostly 2nd class passengers
boarding, was Louise Laroche, the smallest child
in the photograph. Louise, her sister Simonne and
her father Joseph were the only black people to
travel on the titanic.

• Juliette standing in the centre of the
  photograph and Joseph had married in 1908. Jospeh
  could not find well paid work as an engineer in
  France, as at this time the colour of his skin
  prevented him from earning a great deal. The
  couple therefore decided to emigrate to Haiti,
  Joseph's native country.

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Haiti was was far from a modern country, there
would be great opportunities for him to find work
and his family could have a better standard of
living. He wasn't sure if Juliette would accept
leaving behind her family, friends and a familiar
country to move where she had never been before.
They talked the matter over and she finally
accepted.
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The crossing was booked on CGT's (French Line)
newest steamship, a four-funneled liner. Her
maiden voyage was April 20, bound for New York
from Le Havre. The company's policy at that time
required children to stay in the nursery
children were not allowed in the ship's
restaurant even with their parents.
This policy annoyed Juliette and Joseph. They
insisted they would not be separated from their
two girls so their tickets were changed,
transferring their passage to White Star's newest
steamship, Titanic, also on her maiden voyage
from Southampton with a stop in Cherbourg to New
York leaving ten days earlier on April 10.
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On sailing day the sky was clear. In the early
hours Joseph, Juliette, Simonne and Louise left
the family home for the train to Paris. The trip
from Paris to Cherbourg was long, the girls were
too excited and could not sleep. The train was a
new world to explore. The train stopped at the
maritime terminal at 400pm.
Luggage was taken from the train and brought to
the quay. Because of her size large liners like
Titanic anchored in the harbour and White Star's
tenders carried passengers from the terminal to
the liner.
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On board R.M.S. Titanic Juliette wrote to her
father. The letter was left in Queenstown,
Ireland where the Titanic stopped before heading
on to New York.My dear Dad The boat set out
when we were eating and we could not believe she
was moving we are less shaken than in a train.
We just feel a slight trepidation. The girls ate
well last night. They only took a nap in the
whole night and the chime of the bell announcing
breakfast woke them up. Louise laughed a lot at
it. At the moment they are strolling on the
enclosed deck with Joseph, Louise is in her pram,
and Simonne is pushing her. They already have
become acquainted with people we made the trip
from Paris with a gentleman and his lady and
their little boy too, who is the same age as
Louise
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During the night of 14 April a steward had come
to their cabin and told them to wear their
lifejackets, Titanic had suffered an accident.
Joseph put everything valuable money and jewels
in his pockets. Unable to understand, Juliette
let Joseph, who spoke English fluently, lead her
to the lifeboats.
Juliette, Simonne and Louise boarded but only
women and children were allowed. Joseph had to
stay behind.
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It became obvious that many would not find safety
in a lifeboat. Each passenger was issued a life
jacket but life expectancy would be short when
exposed to water four degrees below freezing. As
the forward portion of the ship sank deeper,
passengers scrambled to the stern.
The next morning, the liner Carpathia rescued 705
survivors. One thousand five hundred twenty-two
passengers and crew were lost.
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The girls first recollections of April 15th, 1912
were of the Cunard Carpathia, when they were
hauled up in bags. Simonne remembered how
frightening it had been and the image stayed with
her. Onboard their mother already surmised that
Joseph had drowned.
A common problem survivors faced was a lack of
linen. Juliette needed them to make nappies for
the babies, the stewardesses would not give her
any since there were none to spare. However,
Juliette found a way. At the end of each meal she
sat on napkins and with what she was able to
conceal, she used for her girls.
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Juliette and the girls were directed to a
hospital where her frozen feet were treated. The
loss of her husband, personal belongings,
combined with pain and fright made her cancel
continuing to Haiti, instead deciding to return
to the familiarity of France. Passage was on the
liner, Chicago, because she was a French ship.
The Laroches were back in Le Havre in May and
then home to her father.
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Louise Laroche was the last survivor of the
titanic. She died in January 1998 at the age of
87.
Near the quay where her passengers left the Mayor
with Louise Laroche and President Kamuda,
unveiled a handsome stone marker with an engraved
brass plaque remembering those who sailed and
they placed flowers in their memory.