Aboard the "Titanic" With Julie Hedgepeth Williams

The Titanic sank 110 years ago in April 1912, yet it has remained one of the most talked-about ships in history. For me, the voyage of the Titanic has always intersected my memories in one way or another. 

I have read several fiction and non-fiction books on the subject, toured the Titanic Museum, and even attended a 13th birthday party where we all went to the movie theatre to see James Cameron's Titanic. As you are reading this, memories of your own are floating through your head (pun intended) or maybe you are bursting into song, singing Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." 

All these experiences do not compare to meeting a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic and hearing firsthand what it was like the night of its sinking. Julie Hedgepeth Williams grew up hearing her great-uncle, Albert Caldwell, recount his story of survival, which becomes the basis of her book, A Rare Titanic Family. 

The Caldwells were missionaries to Siam (now Thailand) returning home and booked passage on the Titanic. Albert Caldwell took several photos onboard and asked a stoker to take a staged photo of him holding a shovel. That chance encounter ultimately saved the Caldwell family's lives. 

Join us on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Springville Road Regional Branch Library to hear Julie Williams tell us the fascinating story of the Caldwell family and how they survived the sinking of the Titanic. For more information, contact the Adult Department at 205-226-4083.

By Laura Gentry | Librarian Ⅱ, Springville Road Regional Branch Library