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George Hogg

George Hogg was a Lookout abroad Titanic. It was his job to stand in the ship’s crow’s nest and to report to the officers on the bridge any dangers ahead or inform them of anything that they should be made aware of. His watch in the crow’s nest was shared with fellow lookout Alfred Evans. He first joined the crew of Titanic in Belfast, ready to sail to Southampton for her maiden voyage to New York.

George Alfred Hogg, the son of James and Lucy Hogg, was born in Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom on 7th March 1883. He married Ada Jeanes in 1906.

Having already served aboard Titanic as a lookout during her trip between Belfast and Southampton, he signed on as a lookout for her maiden voyage on 6th April 1912. His previous ship had been P&O Line’s Dongola.

By this time he had served at sea for around 13 years, including serving for the White Star Line, P&O Line, Royal Mail Line and Union Castle Line. He had experience as serving as an Able seaman, Quartermaster, Boatswain’s mate and a Lookout. On and off he had worked for the White Star Line for around the previous 4 years. The first and only other time he had signed on as an actual Lookout before was for one trip aboard White Star line’s Adriatic.

Aboard Titanic he was working the morning and night 12 to 2 and 6 to 8 watches. Throughout the day he spent two hours on duty, followed by four hours off duty. He shared his time in the Crow’s nest with Alfred Evans.

When Titanic struck the iceberg he was asleep and was not woken up by the collision itself, but rather by the confusion it caused . After going up on deck and seeing there was not much confusion there, he asked Alfred Evans what the time was (it was 11.45) and they decided to get ready to go on duty.

At 12am he and Alfred Evans went to the crow’s nest and relieved Frederick Fleet, who 20 minutes earlier had warned the bridge about the iceberg, and Reginald Lee. From the crow’s nest they could see people with lifebelts on, and George Hogg attempted to telephone the bridge to ask them if they were wanted in the crow’s nest, but there was no answer form the bridge. At about 12.20am they climbed down from Titanic’s Crow’s nest, most probably the last people ever to do so.

George Hogg then went to the Boat Deck and started to help uncovering the lifeboats; he was then ordered by the boatswain to fetch a rope ladder, and then told to leave it on the Boat Deck.

By First Officer William Murdoch, he was ordered to put the plugs in Lifeboat 7. He jumped in the lifeboat, obeyed the order, and then jumped out again; before then being told by William Murdoch to go with the lifeboat. Lifeboat 7 was the first lifeboat to leave the sinking ship. George Hogg is said to have taken charge of the lifeboat. He left Titanic in Lifeboat 7 at around 12.40am, about an hour after Titanic started to sink.

After the disaster he gave evidence at both the British and American Titanic Inquiries.

In 1915 George and Ada Hogg had a daughter, named Roma Maud.

It is said he continued to serve at sea.

George Hogg died in 1946.

Related pages - Titanic Lookouts and Crow's Nest, All Titanic Pages

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