What Happened To The Titanic Captain's Daughter?

Captain Edward Smith (above, right) nearly missed the birth of his only child on April 2, 1898. While his wife Eleanor was pregnant, he made multiple trips commanding the White Star Line passenger ship the RMS Majestic back and forth across the Atlantic to the U.S. as he continued to rise through the ranks, according

Captain Edward Smith (above, right) nearly missed the birth of his only child on April 2, 1898. While his wife Eleanor was pregnant, he made multiple trips commanding the White Star Line passenger ship the RMS Majestic back and forth across the Atlantic to the U.S. as he continued to rise through the ranks, according to "Titanic Captain: The Life of Edward John Smith" and Titanic's Officers.

Helen Melville "Mel" Smith was born in Liverpool, and luckily, Captain Smith was there for the event. Although he was often at sea, he adored his daughter, spoiling her when home and giving her several pet names, including "Babs" and "Gillie." He wrote to her often when traveling. One letter touchingly reveals the depth of the sea captain's affection for his daughter, as Smith wrote alongside a bird illustration (via "Titanic Captain"), "I could not catch a bunny to send you on my letter so send you this card by this little bird." 

Mel was nearly 14 when her father's new ship the Titanic, billed as "unsinkable," set sail on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. Mel would never see her father again. While there were several versions of what befell the captain as his ship broke in two and sank into the icy North Atlantic in the early morning of April 15, a crewman who survived recalled seeing Smith swept off the deck before swimming back and going down with his ship, per "Titanic Captain."

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