Cosmo Duff-Gordon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cosmo Duff-Gordon
Bart.
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Duff-Gordon in 1896
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| Born | 22 July 1862 London, England
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| Died | 20 April 1931 (aged 68) South Kensington, London
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| Occupation | Fencer, Landowner |
| Known for | Survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster Olympic silver medalist |
| Spouse(s) | Lucy Duff-Gordon |
| Parent(s) | Cosmo Lewis Duff Gordon Anna Maria Antrobus |
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| Medal record | ||
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| Men's fencing | ||
Representing  Great Britain |
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| Intercalated Games | ||
| Silver | 1906 Athens | Team épée |
Sir Cosmo Edmund Duff-Gordon (born July 22, 1862 – died April 20, 1931) was an important English sportsman and landowner. He is most known for surviving the sinking of the RMS Titanic and for his achievements in fencing.
Contents
Who Was Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon?
Cosmo Duff-Gordon came from a well-known Scottish family. His family had a special title called a Baronet, which was given to them for helping the Crown in the past. They also started a famous sherry company in Spain.
In 1900, Cosmo married Lucy Christiana Sutherland. She was a very famous fashion designer in London, known as "Madame Lucile."
A Talented Sportsman
Sir Cosmo was a talented athlete. He was especially good at fencing, a sport where you use a sword. He even represented Great Britain at the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens. There, he won a silver medal in the team épée event. The King and Queen of England watched some of his matches!
He also helped organize the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He enjoyed other sports too, like pistol dueling and self-defense. Sir Cosmo was a co-founder of the London Fencing League. He also served as a local official and judge in Scotland, where his family's estate was located.
Aboard the RMS Titanic
Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon is most remembered for being a survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster in 1912. He was traveling in first class with his wife, Lucy, and her secretary, Laura Mabel Francatelli. They had a cabin called A16.
When the Titanic hit an iceberg and began to sink, Sir Cosmo, his wife, and her secretary got into Lifeboat #1. This lifeboat was designed to hold 40 people, but only 12 people were in it. Lady Duff-Gordon had refused to get into other lifeboats earlier because she did not want to be separated from her husband.
The Inquiry and Controversy
After the sinking, Sir Cosmo was a witness at the official investigation into the disaster. Some people criticized him. They claimed he gave a sailor in his lifeboat £5 to prevent the boat from going back to rescue more people from the water. Other witnesses confirmed the lifeboat had plenty of space and that he had indeed given the sailor £5.
Sir Cosmo explained that the money was a gift for the sailor to buy new clothes, as the crew members had lost everything. He denied that he disobeyed any orders. He also said there were no other women or children nearby when his boat was launched. The official inquiry looked into these claims. It concluded that the charge that Sir Cosmo bribed the men was "unfounded." The inquiry accepted his explanation that the money was a charitable gift for the crew.
However, the inquiry did say that if the lifeboat had returned, it might have saved more people. Even though he was cleared of wrongdoing, some people continued to have doubts about Sir Cosmo's actions.
Later Life and Legacy
Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon continued to be involved in his social and sporting activities. He lived in Scotland and later in London.
He and his wife lived separately from 1915, but they never divorced and remained friends. Sir Cosmo passed away on April 20, 1931, from natural causes. He is buried in Brookwood Cemetery in England. His wife died exactly four years later.
Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon have been shown in movies and TV shows about the Titanic. In the 1997 film Titanic, they were played by actors Martin Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres. They were also featured in the 2012 TV mini-series Titanic.
In 2012, some of the Duff-Gordons' personal documents and letters about the Titanic were found. These papers included their side of the story from the inquiry. They also showed how much Lady Duff-Gordon lost in the sinking. In one letter, Sir Cosmo wrote that he felt people were upset that an Englishman had been saved. He felt that the joy of surviving was ruined by the harsh things said in the newspapers.
Even though the official inquiry cleared him, some public suspicion about their actions stayed with the Duff-Gordons for the rest of their lives.
See also
- Duff-Gordon baronets
