Robert Hichens Legacy Kept Alive by Living Relatives

Hichens at the back of Lifeboat 6 – Photo provided by Simon Medhurst

As the Titanic grazed the side of the iceberg on April 14, 1912, Quartermaster Robert Hichens was at the wheel at the time.

Hichens grew up with a father as a fisherman, essentially growing up accustomed to the sea.

Many controversies have surrounded Hichens name’ after that night, some brough on by his depictions in the Titanic films, but as his great grandson, Simon Medhurst said, “Robert was focused on saving the people in his lifeboat that night.”

Hichens began his shift at the wheel at 10 p.m. the night of April 14, and was only twenty minutes away from his shift being over when the ship hit the iceberg.

“When the three bells were rung and Murdoch told him you need to be hard a starboard, that’s exactly what he did. In some sense, there’s no emotion, except to do exactly what he’s been told,” Simon said.

Hichens would go on to work on the Magpie after the Titanic – Photo provided by Simon Medhurst

Shortly before 1 a.m., Hichens was assigned to lifeboat six, along with lookout Frederick Fleet, and about 20 passengers, including the infamous Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown.

“Of all the boats I could have been in, why did I have to be in Molly Brown’s boat?” Hichens had been known to say.

Throughout the night, from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m., when lifeboat six got picked up by the Carpathia, Hichens stood at the rudder of the lifeboat with no hat, and a thin, half-dry blanket covering his head.

“I think he allowed someone to take the rudder, but it wasn’t working and they were going in circles, so he told them to row and took charge of the rudder again,” Simon said.

A remastered photo of what Hichens may look like in today’s time – Photo provided by Simon Medhurst

When lifeboat six was finally picked up at 8 a.m., Hichens was said to have stayed on the lifeboat until everyone else was taken aboard the Carpathia.

“When all was said and done, he did exactly what he was told, and he got the lifeboat to the Carpathia safely,” Simon said.

Some of the controversies surrounding Hichens’ name were mostly related to lifeboat six, while another main one is the fact he was at the wheel when the Titanic hit the iceberg.

Allegations were made against Hichens that he turned the wheel the wrong way, but those allegations were quashed when the second watch officer, Sixth Officer James Moody, who was stationed behind Hichens at the wheel, confirmed to First Officer William Murdoch that Hichens had turned the wheel the correct way.

Hichens was 58 years old at the time of his death – Photo provided by Simon Medhurst

In the 1997 film, Hichens is shown to be yelling “if you don’t shut that hole in your face,” to Molly Brown. That line, however was said by someone else in lifeboat eight.

Actor Paul Brightwell, portrayed Hichens in the 1997 film.

In the sequence where the ship hits the iceberg, Brightwell had to turn the wheel 15 times all the way to Starboard side.

“During that sequence, as I was turning the wheel, James Cameron was lying on the floor at my feet with a handheld camera, looking up at me,” Brightwell said.

Paul Brightwell as Hichens in the 1997 Titanic movie

Brightwell has gotten the chance to speak with Simon, and Simon actually has an autograph from Brightwell.

“I felt that I’d done him as much justice as I could do. When you have communication like that from a living relative of a person you played, it brings it back again, the responsibility you have playing historical characters,” Brightwell said.

Titanic was Brightwell’s biggest film to work on so far at that point in his career

Hichens was also blamed by some people on why lifeboat six wasn’t full, but it wasn’t his fault to fill the lifeboats. Hichens was only put in charge of being in lifeboat six, not filling it. Officer Lightoller filled the lifeboats on the side of the ship lifeboat six was on, while Officer Murdoch filled the lifeboats on the other side.

“Murdoch was women and children first, whereas Lightoller was women and children only,” Simon said.

“I think that’s what makes the Titanic so captivating. There’s lots to think about, there’s lots of what ifs,” he added.

As the camera is panning down the ship, you can catch the actors acting out scenes in the background

Following the Titanic, Hichens went on to continue working on ships. He and his wife eventually settled in Torquay, where Hichens purchased a pleasure boat from a man named Harry Henley. He paid for half the boat up front, and while taking people out on charters around the bay, he would slowly pay off the other half of the boat.

The Great Depression eventually hit, and Henley took the boat back.

As Hichens wife and children left to go back to Southampton, leaving Hichens behind to look for work, Hichens eventually stumbled into alcohol and depression, most likely brought on by PTSD from the Titanic.

In 1933, Hichens eventually came to an idea to kill Henley for taking the boat back.

“He bought a gun, and decided to go shoot him and then shoot himself, but he was so drunk, that in the end, when he found the man and tried to shoot him, he missed, went to kill himself and missed as well,” Simon said.

Hichens ended up in prison in the Isle of Wight for five years, where Simon’s grandfather went to ask Hichens for his grandmother’s hand in marriage.

Two of Hichens surviving relatives have written Titanic books – Photo provided by Simon Medhurst

Returning to Southampton after prison, Hichens would later help care for his wife, who had developed a tumour. His wife eventually died on March 23, 1940, and Hichens would pass away on September 23, 1940, while working onboard a cargo ship, the English Trader.

Simon, who has always been a fan of history, didn’t find out he was the great-grandson of Hichens until he was in his mid 40s.

“Watching the film now, and having a bloodline connection to it, does make a difference to watching the film, because it does touch emotions far more than when you watch other films,” Simon said.

Since finding out he’s Hichens great-grandson, Simon has met other relatives of Titanic survivors, including Hichens niece, Sally Nilsson.

“It is like a family type connection, really. I think when you realize there are only 712 survivors, in the big scheme of things, that’s not very many people, so to be able to meet other survivors’ relatives is quite special,” Simon said.

Simon’s book Titanic Day by Day – Photo provided by Simon Medhurst

If Simon could go back in time to meet Hichens, he would want to know exactly what happened the night of the Titanic sinking.

“I would like him to tell me, moment by moment, from 10 when he took the wheel right through till 8 am when he arrived at the Carpathia, I’d like to know everything that went on,” Simon said.

“I’d like to know exactly what he felt, and know the truth behind everything and soak it all in. what went through his mind when he suddenly had to throw the wheel over after he had been calmly steering the course?”

In Simon’s opinion, being a relative’s survivor is a privilege he doesn’t take for granted. As Hichens’ relative, Simon is able to help tell his story and keep his legacy alive.

“It’s nice to be able to have that opportunity to spread the story of titanic and let people learn more and get more involved in it and enjoy it. It gives me loads of opportunities to do that, which is quite nice.”

Simon is also an author of a book called Titanic Day by Day, in which you can flip to any day of the year and find out facts and read quotes from Titanic survivors, as well as see who may have been born or died on that day too.

Simon unboxing his book – Photo provided by Simon Medhurst