by Christopher Ward
Heroism, cowardice, betrayal, love and madness: it’s all here in this story of the life of Jock Hume, a native of Dumfries, and one of the Titanic’s 1,497 victims. This is also the story of his family and of the wider community of Dumfries through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And then again it is a fascinating account of the tragedy of the Titanic, from her building to her sinking. Christopher Ward (grandson to Jock Hume) has clearly undertaken a lot of detailed historical research and has put it together into a very readable and engaging book.
Ward recounts the sinking of the ship, but focuses more on the subsequent impact of the event, illustrating how tragedy can bring out the best and the worst in humanity. In an era when life could already be very tough for the less than wealthy (and the lower classes) the death of Jock – a violinist in the ship’s orchestra – has far-reaching consequences for his family, his fiancé, his unborn child, and even for his grandson, for whom the writing of this book has been a journey through his family’s extraordinary history.
©Julia Welstead 2011
Julia Welstead 