Mahala Douglas - Titanic First Class Passenger
Mrs Mahala Douglas was a first class passenger sailing aboard the maiden voyage of RMS Titanic with her husband Walter Douglas and their maid Berthe Leroy. Along with her husband, occupying cabin C86, located on the port side of the ship, Mahala Douglas, her husband and their maid joined Titanic at Cherbourg, France on 10th April 1912. They were transferred from Cherbourg’s port out to Titanic by White Star Line’s tender SS Nomadic.
Mahala Douglas was born on 26th January 1864 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. Her maiden name was Mahala Dutton. She married Walter Donald Douglas on 6th November 1907.
At around 8pm on 14th April 1912, the day Titanic struck the iceberg, Mahala Douglas and her husband went to Titanic's A La Carte Restaurant, a separate restaurant aboard Titanic to the main dining room, which passengers had to pay extra to use. A dinner party in honour of and attended by Captain Smith was sat nearby to them. Mahala Douglas later described the 14th April as having been a delightful day.
At the time Titanic collided with the iceberg she was in her cabin. On the Boat Deck Mahala Dutton stayed with her husband hoping that they could go in a lifeboat together, and was still aboard Titanic fairly late in the sinking, when her and her maid joined Lifeboat 2, commanded by Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall. Lifeboat 2 was lowered away from Titanic at approximately around 1.45am, one of the last lifeboats to leave the ship.
While Fourth Officer Boxhall was rowing, Mahala Douglas steered the lifeboat. Lifeboat 2 was the first to be rescued by Carpathia.
Mahala Douglas survived the Titanic disaster; her husband was lost. Her husband’s body was recovered and was laid to rest in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Mahala Douglas died due to heart disease on 21st April 1945. She was laid to rest with her husband at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Up until Mahala Douglas died, her maid, Berthe Leroy, who was rescued from Titanic with her, remained in her employment.
Related pages - Titanic's First Class Passengers, All Titanic Pages