Table of Contents
🕯️ Introduction – Who Was Robert Hichens?
Robert Hichens is one of the most misunderstood men in the story of the RMS Titanic. As one of the ship’s quartermasters, the helmsmen responsible for steering the vessel, he was at the wheel when the Titanic struck the iceberg on April 14, 1912. For more than a century, myths, accusations, and confusion have surrounded his name.
Born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1882, Robert Hichens came from a modest seafaring family. By the age of 29, he was an experienced sailor employed by the White Star Line, proud to serve on what was hailed as the world’s most advanced ship. Yet fate placed him at the center of one of the greatest maritime disasters in history.
Many modern readers search for robert hichens titanic, robert hichens cause of death, or even did robert hichens sink the titanic, trying to understand what really happened that night. Was he truly responsible for the ship’s collision? Did he survive? And why, years later, did he end up in jail?
This article dives into the true story of Quartermaster Robert Hichens, his actions on the bridge, his controversial behavior after the sinking, and his tragic decline in later life. Behind the myths lies a complex man, torn between duty, fear, and survival.
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⚓ Role – Quartermaster Robert Hichens on the Titanic
As Quartermaster of the Titanic, Robert Hichens held one of the ship’s most trusted positions. Quartermasters were highly trained seamen responsible for steering the vessel under the orders of the officers, maintaining the ship’s course and stability, and managing the navigational equipment on the bridge.
On the night of April 14, 1912, Hichens was at the wheel when the Titanic’s lookout, Frederick Fleet, spotted the iceberg dead ahead. The bridge officers reacted instantly, First Officer William Murdoch shouted, “Hard-a-starboard!” and Hichens obeyed, turning the wheel to port as per the commands of that era’s steering system.
However, because of the ship’s enormous size and speed, the Titanic was unable to turn in time. Just moments later, at 11:40 p.m., the vessel’s starboard side scraped against the iceberg, opening a series of fatal gashes below the waterline. The legend of the “unsinkable ship” began to crumble.
Contrary to popular belief, Robert Hichens did not “steer the Titanic into the iceberg.” He followed orders exactly as trained. The idea that he “turned the wheel the wrong way,” which circulates online, originated decades later from second-hand testimony and has never been confirmed by official investigations.
During the subsequent inquiries in both the United States and the United Kingdom, his actions were deemed correct and timely. The tragic outcome was caused by a combination of factors: the ship’s high speed, late sighting of the iceberg, and the construction of the hull, not the man at the helm.
Yet history can be cruel. For generations, Robert Hichens would be remembered as “the man who steered the Titanic into disaster,” even though evidence proves otherwise. His life after that night would never escape the shadow of those fateful minutes on the bridge.
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🧊 The Collision – Did Robert Hichens Sink the Titanic?
The night of April 14, 1912, remains one of the most analyzed events in maritime history. Countless books, documentaries, and films have asked the same question: Did Robert Hichens sink the Titanic?
The short answer is no. Robert Hichens was not responsible for the disaster. He was the helmsman on duty when the lookout spotted the iceberg, but he acted immediately and executed First Officer Murdoch’s command to turn the wheel “hard-a-starboard.” In the language of early 20th-century seamanship, that command meant to turn the ship’s bow to port, away from the iceberg, precisely what Hichens did.
Unfortunately, the maneuver came seconds too late. The Titanic was traveling at nearly 22 knots, and its massive rudder and momentum made it impossible to turn sharply enough. The ship’s starboard side struck the iceberg, causing a series of ruptures across six watertight compartments.
After the impact, Hichens was relieved from the wheel and replaced by another quartermaster as officers assessed the damage. He then assisted with launching the lifeboats, fulfilling his duty even as confusion spread across the decks.
Over time, misinformation and dramatizations, especially after the release of the 1997 Titanic movie, led some to wrongly associate him with the ship’s steering error. In truth, no single individual “caused” the Titanic’s sinking. The tragedy resulted from a chain of human, technical, and environmental factors: limited visibility, the absence of binoculars in the crow’s nest, excessive speed, and overconfidence in the ship’s design.
Yet, despite official inquiries clearing him of wrongdoing, Robert Hichens became an easy target for public frustration. His name lingered in newspaper headlines, and whispers followed him for the rest of his life. In many ways, he became one of the unsung scapegoats of the Titanic disaster.
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🛶 Lifeboat No. 6 & Molly Brown – What Really Happened
After the Titanic struck the iceberg, Robert Hichens was reassigned to help launch and command Lifeboat No. 6. This small boat, carrying around twenty-five people, became one of the most famous lifeboats of the disaster because it included Margaret “Molly” Brown, later known as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”
As quartermaster, Hichens was in charge of steering and maintaining order aboard the lifeboat. However, survivor testimonies soon painted a dramatic picture of what happened during those freezing hours on the North Atlantic. Several passengers, including Molly Brown, accused Hichens of being rude, fatalistic, and unwilling to row back to save those in the water.
According to multiple survivors, Hichens reportedly shouted that going back would be “suicide” and that the ship would “suck everyone down.” He allegedly argued with Molly Brown, who insisted that the boat should return for survivors. The argument became one of the most retold episodes of the Titanic legend, dramatized in films such as Titanic (1997), where Hichens is portrayed by actor Paul Brightwell.
Modern historians, however, urge caution. The freezing temperatures, darkness, and psychological shock made the night chaotic and terrifying for everyone involved. Many lifeboats stayed away from the wreck to avoid being swamped, not because of cowardice but because of strict survival protocol. It’s likely that Robert Hichens, though harsh in tone, was following his training and acting out of fear and duty combined.
Nonetheless, his argument with Molly Brown became part of Titanic folklore. When the RMS Carpathia rescued the survivors hours later, some passengers complained about Hichens’ behavior. Although he was never formally punished, the incident damaged his reputation permanently.
Over the years, the debate continued: was Hichens a villain, coward, or misunderstood seaman? The truth probably lies somewhere in between. He was a man pushed to his psychological limits, trying to keep control in an unimaginable situation, a portrait of human fear and survival in the middle of the Atlantic night.
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⚖️ Aftermath - Inquiries & What Happened to Robert Hichens
After the RMS Titanic disaster, Robert Hichens’ life took a sharp and tragic turn. Like many survivors, he was called to testify at the U.S. Senate Inquiry and the British Board of Trade Hearings. His testimony focused on his time at the wheel during the collision and later in Lifeboat No. 6.
During the hearings, Hichens was calm, professional, and consistent in his statements. He denied accusations of refusing to help survivors, emphasizing instead that he had followed orders and acted in the best interests of those in his boat. Still, the press portrayed him as cold and unfeeling, a narrative that stuck for years.
After returning to England, Hichens went back to sea. He served as a seaman and later as an officer on several merchant ships. However, the trauma of the Titanic and the public scrutiny never left him. Witnesses described him as deeply bitter and withdrawn, often reliving the night of April 14th, 1912.
Over the following decades, his life unraveled. Hichens struggled financially and emotionally, eventually leaving his family. He became known in maritime circles as a man haunted by the past, a tragic symbol of how the Titanic continued to claim lives long after it sank.
🚨 Why Did Robert Hichens Go to Jail?
In 1933, more than twenty years after the sinking, Robert Hichens was arrested in Southampton after a violent altercation aboard a small vessel. Reports say he accused another seaman of stealing, and the confrontation turned physical. He was charged with attempted murder after firing a revolver and threatening to kill the man.
The court proceedings shocked those who still remembered him from the Titanic. Described as unstable and embittered, Hichens claimed that the world had turned against him. He was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to five years in prison.
This chapter of his life, often searched online under why did Robert Hichens go to jail or robert hichens jail sentence, marks the tragic fall of a man once entrusted with steering the most famous ship in the world. From the Titanic’s bridge to a prison cell, his story reads like a parable about fate, guilt, and survival.
After serving his sentence, Hichens attempted to rebuild his life but never truly recovered. The notoriety of being “the Titanic helmsman” followed him wherever he went. In his later years, he lived in obscurity, battling depression and alcoholism.
His story reminds us that surviving a disaster does not always mean escaping its consequences. For Robert Hichens, the Titanic was not just a tragedy at sea, it was the beginning of a lifetime of personal shipwrecks.
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💀 Later Years – Cause of Death, Family & Grave
After his release from prison, Robert Hichens attempted to resume a normal life, but the shadow of the Titanic tragedy never truly left him. He was now a man in his fifties, marked by both physical exhaustion and psychological scars. Newspapers occasionally mentioned him with morbid curiosity, labeling him “the helmsman of the Titanic,” a title he reportedly despised.
Hichens tried to reconnect with his wife Florence and their children, but the damage was irreparable. Years of absence, financial hardship, and his emotional instability led to a permanent separation. Family records indicate that he lived alone in Aberdeen, Scotland, working sporadically on small coastal vessels or performing minor shipyard tasks to survive.
In 1940, Robert Hichens was found dead in his modest lodgings in Aberdeen. The official cause of death was listed as heart failure, though reports also mention poor health and alcoholism as contributing factors. He was 59 years old.
His passing went largely unnoticed. There were no major obituaries, no recognition from maritime authorities, and no mention in the press beyond brief local notes. He was buried in a simple grave at Trinity Cemetery in Aberdeen, unmarked for decades. Only later did historians identify and document his final resting place, ensuring that his name would not vanish entirely from memory.
Today, visitors can find his grave in the northeast section of Trinity Cemetery, a quiet, windswept spot far removed from the roaring ocean he once navigated. It stands as a somber reminder of how one man’s life was forever shaped by a single night on the North Atlantic.
Though his later years were marred by tragedy, his story continues to resonate with Titanic historians and enthusiasts. Searches such as robert hichens cause of death or robert hichens grave reflect the ongoing fascination with the men and women who stood at the heart of the world’s greatest maritime disaster.
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📚 Not the Novelist – Robert Hichens (Author) vs. Quartermaster
One of the most persistent confusions in Titanic history stems from the fact that there were two famous men named Robert Hichens living at the same time. Many readers searching for “Robert Hichens author” are surprised to learn that the novelist and the Titanic quartermaster were entirely different people.
Robert Smythe Hichens (1864–1950) was a well-known British novelist and journalist, celebrated for works such as The Garden of Allah and The Green Carnation. He moved in elite literary circles alongside Oscar Wilde and other leading writers of his generation. His novels explored moral hypocrisy, love, and high society, worlds far removed from the chaos of the North Atlantic.
By contrast, Robert Hichens of the Titanic was born in 1882 in Cornwall and led a working-class maritime life. He joined the White Star Line as a professional seaman, rising through the ranks to become Quartermaster of the RMS Titanic. His life was defined not by pen and paper, but by steel, storms, and survival.
The confusion between the two names deepened over time, especially online. Articles, obituaries, and even film trivia databases have occasionally mixed their biographical details, leading to search terms like “robert hichens author titanic”. To clarify:
- Robert Smythe Hichens – British author, born 1864, died 1950. Known for novels and journalism.
- Robert Hichens (Quartermaster) – British sailor, born 1882, died 1940. Served at the helm of the Titanic.
They shared a name but lived entirely separate lives. One wrote about the tragedies of fiction; the other endured one of the greatest tragedies of the modern age. This coincidence has ensured that Robert Hichens, both of them, will forever remain linked in the collective memory of history and literature alike.
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🎬 On Screen – Robert Hichens in the Titanic (1997) Movie
In James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic, Robert Hichens appears as a minor but memorable character. The film’s portrayal of the Lifeboat No. 6 incident helped introduce him to millions of viewers worldwide, though not always in a flattering light.
In the movie, Hichens is played by British actor Paul Brightwell. The performance captures him as a nervous, bitter seaman refusing to return to save those left in the freezing water. His exchanges with Molly Brown (played by Kathy Bates) dramatize one of the most famous real-life conflicts of the Titanic tragedy.
While the film takes certain liberties, this version of Hichens is largely based on eyewitness testimonies from survivors aboard Lifeboat No. 6. His fear, anger, and emotional collapse reflect the immense psychological pressure faced by crew members that night. However, historians caution against taking the movie’s portrayal too literally: it blends truth with dramatic interpretation.
In reality, Hichens was a professional sailor trained for discipline and duty. But in that night of horror, surrounded by cries for help, darkness, and freezing air, it’s not hard to imagine that even the strongest would break. The film captures that emotional truth, even if it simplifies the man himself.
Many people today searching for who played Robert Hichens in Titanic or robert hichens titanic movie rediscover his story through cinema. In a way, James Cameron’s film immortalized him, a flawed but deeply human figure forever tied to one of history’s greatest disasters.
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❓ FAQ – Did Robert Hichens Survive? Why Was He Arrested? Who Played Him?
🛟 Did Robert Hichens survive the Titanic?
Yes. Robert Hichens survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. As the quartermaster at the ship’s wheel during the collision, he later escaped aboard Lifeboat No. 6 under the command of Second Officer Charles Lightoller and passenger Molly Brown. He was rescued hours later by the Carpathia.
⚓ What was Robert Hichens’ role on the Titanic?
Hichens served as a quartermaster, responsible for steering the ship and carrying out officers’ orders. On the night of the disaster, he was at the helm when the iceberg was sighted. His task was to follow the command “Hard a-starboard!”, a turn maneuver that was standard under tiller steering orders of the time.
🚢 Did Robert Hichens sink the Titanic?
No. Despite internet myths, Robert Hichens did not cause the sinking. He simply followed the helm order given by First Officer William Murdoch. The Titanic struck the iceberg due to a combination of speed, environmental conditions, and navigational limitations, not because of a steering mistake by Hichens.
⚖️ Why did Robert Hichens go to jail?
In 1933, Hichens was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison for attempted murder. The incident occurred in Southampton after a drunken quarrel aboard a yacht. He reportedly fired a gun during the dispute but did not kill anyone. His imprisonment marked the final downfall of a man haunted by the past.
🎭 Who played Robert Hichens in the Titanic (1997) movie?
In James Cameron’s Titanic (1997), Paul Brightwell portrayed Robert Hichens. His scenes show him at the helm during the iceberg collision and later arguing with Molly Brown in Lifeboat No. 6. Brightwell’s performance was praised for its emotional realism, blending fear and bitterness under extreme pressure.
💀 How did Robert Hichens die?
Robert Hichens died in 1940 in Aberdeen, Scotland, reportedly from heart failure and complications linked to alcoholism. He was 59 years old. His grave in Trinity Cemetery remained unmarked for decades until maritime historians later documented its location.
👪 Did Robert Hichens have a family?
Yes. He was married to Florence Mortimore and had several children. However, after years at sea and legal troubles, his marriage ended in separation. Little is known about his descendants, though records confirm that some relatives remained in England and Scotland after his death.
📜 What happened to Robert Hichens after the Titanic?
After surviving the disaster, he continued to work at sea but never regained his former reputation. Haunted by the experience and controversy surrounding his behavior in the lifeboat, he lived a difficult life marked by poverty, alcoholism, and isolation. His tragic decline stands in contrast to his moment of survival in 1912.
⚓ What is Robert Hichens remembered for today?
Hichens remains a controversial figure in Titanic history: part hero, part scapegoat. Though his conduct in Lifeboat No. 6 has been debated for over a century, modern historians tend to view him with empathy, as a man traumatized by disaster and misjudged by time. His name continues to appear in Titanic research, documentaries, and films as one of the ship’s most complex survivors.
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📌 Conclusion – A Life Steered by Fate
Robert Hichens remains one of the most debated and tragic figures in Titanic history. As quartermaster at the helm during the ship’s fatal collision, he became forever linked to a moment that changed the world. But beyond the myths, Hichens was not a villain, he was a man of duty, fear, and flawed humanity caught in an unimaginable crisis.
He survived one of history’s deadliest maritime disasters, only to spend the rest of his life battling its shadows. The lifeboat controversy, years of hardship, and his eventual imprisonment painted a picture of a sailor burdened by trauma and fate. His story reminds us that even survivors carry invisible wounds long after the headlines fade.
More than a century later, searches like “Did Robert Hichens sink the Titanic?” or “Why did Robert Hichens go to jail?” continue to show our fascination with the man behind the wheel. But perhaps the truest way to remember him is not through judgment, but through understanding: as one of many who faced the Atlantic that night with fear, courage, and the will to live.
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