History: Conwy's Titanic Hero

Do you remember the emotional moment when Rose was rescued from the freezing Atlantic in the movie Titanic? The man at the helm of that lifeboat was Harold Lowe of Llanrhos, near Llandudno. Rose and Jack played by Leonardo Di Caprio were, of course, fictional characters, but what the movie portrays is the desperate attempt by Harold Lowe and his lifeboat to return to the sinking ship on that fateful night in April 1912. Lowe managed to pluck four survivors from the water, although sadly, one was later to die.

Heroic Lowe also picked up passengers stranded on a sinking inflatable lifeboat, ensuring that everyone alive reached the safety of the Caparthia, a passing ship. Lowe is remembered, too, for rounding on owner Joseph Ismay who wanted him to lower the lifeboats quickly, firing his revolver to warn off stampeding male passengers.

Lowe was later immortalised by movie director James Cameron as the man who saved Rose, played by Kate Winslet, in what became one of the most successful Hollywood films of all time.

Still living in the county of Conwy his grandson John Lowe, lives in Deganwy and is a retired seaman himself, skippering huge cargo ships and roll-on, roll-off vessels across the oceans.

Records give a timeline of events of that night. On that night of April 14, 1912, during the ship's maiden voyage, the Titanic crashed into an iceberg at around 11.40pm, Harold Lowe was asleep, having been relieved at 8pm by Sixth Officer Moody. About half an hour after the collision, Lowe was awoken by the sound of shouting and running footsteps.

Mr Lowe grabbed his revolver and went on deck, he first went to help load passengers into the available lifeboats and then taking charge of lifeboat 14 and rowing away from the foundering ship. It was then that Lowe decided to return and attempt to rescue any surviving souls clinging on to bits of wreckage in the water. His actions made a small dent in the grim death toll of 1,517, one of the worst maritime disasters in history. A death toll made all the higher by the insufficient numbers of lifeboats.

Harold Lowe's conduct was marked on his return to Barmouth, where he grew up, at a reception held in his honour. He was presented with a commemorative gold watch in front of 1,300 people.

After the Titanic disaster, Harold Lowe served in the Royal Naval Reserves during the First World War before resuming his seafaring career in peacetime. People knew him as seafearing man who grew up on the shores of the Mawddach estuary near Barmouth.

A blue plaque was later unveiled at the retirement home of Titanic hero Commander Harold Lowe in Deganwy. Lowe lived in a waterfront house in Deganwy, Conwy, for 13 years until his death in 1944 aged 61.