Titanic Passenger Research & French newspaper

[Titanicfan]

Hi all, I'm helping a fellow British Titanic Society member with researching a Titanic passenger. She was German and emmigrated to New York but as an upper class member of society she spent a lot of time in Paris and possibly had a house there also.

I have been trying to find out more about her and as she boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg, I have been trying to get some background information on her from French newspapers. I have emailed these newspapers in French but unfortunately I have received no replies. I wondered if any BG Forum members that are living in France would be able to let me know of any French national or Cherbourg local newspaper archives that I could access online or if anyone has any access to French newspaper archives for 1912?

Thank you. :)

[pottoka]

I have looked for articles about the passengers boarding the Titanic in Cherbourg and find that most seem to have come on a special train from Paris. The White Star Line had had two boats built specially to transport the passengers out to the ship: the Traffic, for third class passengers (102 people) and postbags and trunks; and the Nomadic for the first (142 people) and second class (30 people) passengers. 274 in all.

22 people disembarked from the Titanic, having simply crossed the Channel in her; I wonder how lucky they felt a week later?

If your German lady came on the train from Paris, would there be much to look for in the local newspapers?

I've written to someone in the Manche département who might be able to help about the newspapers. Do you read French, or will you need translations?

[Titanicfan]

Hi Pottoka,

I'm not definitely sure that she lived in Paris but some little background information I have on her is that she frequented Paris a lot so I just presumed that she may have had a house there also.

I'm unable to translate the French but I can try to find someone who can.

I would be grateful for any information gleaned. :)

Thank you.

[pottoka]

No problem for the French as I can do that for you. http://freesmileyface.net/smiley/Happy/happy-french-077.gif (http://freesmileyface.net)

Would you like to PM me the lady's name so that I know for whom I am looking? (get the English grammar, too!)

Unfortunately, French Censuses aren't like English/Welsh ones, so we wouldn't be able to look up your lady in Paris to see if she did have a house there. You have to know the address to be able to look someone up! (The French carry them out much more for statistical reasons). It's quite hit and miss for the years, too, depending on where you're looking: one of the Paris Censuses available is 1936. Not much use to you!