LOCAL LEGENDS (4)
CAPTAIN SIR ARTHUR HENRY ROSTRON

Arthur Henry Rostron came to live in West End in 1927, just before he retired from the Cunard-White Star Line as fleet Commodore. His moment of glory came on the night of 14th/15th April 1912, when as Captain of RMS Carpathia, he rescued over 700 survivors from the ill-fated White Star liner RMS Titanic.
Whilst on a normal journey, his radio operator happened to tune in and hear the CDQ/SOS message from Titanic which had earlier collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Despite the danger of ice floes, he immediately turned his ship around and raced to the rescue of the Titanic passengers, carrying out the rescue in a  most exemplary manner.

CAPTAIN SIR ARTHUR HENRY ROSTRON

He was honoured with a knighthood, and feted by both the American and British Governments and the survivors. He came to live in a house built by Haines Brothers at the top of Chalk Hill in West End and on his death in 1940 was buried in the Old Burial Ground. There is also a joint memorial to Captain Rostron and Seaman James Jukes (a crew member of Titanic who lost his life in the sinking of the liner) in the museum. He was indeed a hero and a legend! Come and read more about him in the museum.