Emily Robinson, an American national, was the maid to Theodate Pope. She was traveling with Miss Pope and Edwin Friend aboard Lusitania for Pope and Friend to gain support from England for starting their own society for psychical research in the United States. Aboard Lusitania, Emily and Theodate were on ticket 46015. They were first in cabin D-54 but later moved to A-10 because their neighbors on D deck, the Cromptons and their children, were too noisy for Theodate’s liking.
When the ship was sinking, Emily found Theodate and Edwin after Theodate refused to get into a lifeboat without Edwin and he in turn would not get into one as long as there were women still on the ship.
“Lifebelts!” Edwin exclaimed.
Ducking into the nearest room, they found themselves three lifejackets. Edwin tied them onto the women. The ship was going so rapidly that they could see the funnels move and the bare steel of where the waterline began. They had to jump.
“You go first.” Theodate urged Friend.
Edwin Friend grabbed a rope from a davit of a departed lifeboat and jumped. Theodate and Emily waited for Edwin to come back up before they jumped. Seconds later, Friend resurfaced, smiling and encouraging the two women to join him. Before jumping, Theodate then turned to Emily and said:
“Come, Robinson.”
They jumped into the water. Only Theodate was saved from the sinking. Emily and Edwin’s bodies were either not recovered or not identified.
Contributors:
Michael Poirier
References:
Hoehling, A. A. and Mary Hoehling. The Last Voyage of the Lusitania. Madison Books, 1956.
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