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Elizabeth Margaret Burns - Titanic First Class Passenger

Miss Elizabeth Margaret Burns was a 41 year old first class passenger travelling back to the United States aboard Titanic as part of her employment to the Spedden family, as the nurse of six year old Robert Douglas Spedden. Occupying cabin E40 with Robert Douglas Spedden, she boarded Titanic at Cherbourg, France on 10th April 1912 with Frederic Oakley Spedden, his wife, Margaretta Corning Spedden, their son, Robert Douglas Spedden, and their maid, Helen Alice Wilson.

Elizabeth Margaret Burns, the daughter of Patrick and Mary Burns, was born on 15th December 1870 in Newark, New Jersey, United States. By 1912 she had been employed as Robert Douglas Spedden’s nurse for around three years. Due to his young age he is said to have had trouble pronouncing her name, so she was called by him "Muddie Boons".

In the later part of 1911, Elizabeth Margaret Burns and the Spedden family and their maid had set sail aboard Cunard Line’s RMS Caronia to Algiers, then on to Monte Carlo, Monaco and finally Paris France. They were heading home to Tuxedo Park, New York.

As Titanic was sinking, Elizabeth Margaret Burns, Mr and Mrs Spedden, their son and their maid were all allowed to enter the starboard side Lifeboat 3, which was lowered away from the ship at around 12.55am. Lifeboat 3 safely made it to the rescue ship Carpathia, and all aboard the lifeboat were rescued.

Elizabeth Margaret Burns died on 29th May 1921. She was buried with her parents at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey.

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