John Law Hume
Encyclopedia
John Law Hume was a Scottish violinist on the on its maiden voyage. He died in the disaster.
, Scotland and lived with his parents at 42 George Street, Dumfries. He had already played on at least five ships before the Titanic. He was recruited to play on the maiden voyage due to his good reputation as a musician.
He boarded the Titanic on Wednesday 10 April 1912 in Southampton
, UK. His ticket number was 250654, the ticket for all the members of Wallace Hartley
's orchestra. His cabin was in the 2nd class quarters.
After the Titanic hit an iceberg and began to sink, Hume and his fellow band members assembled in the first class lounge and started playing music to help keep the passengers calm. They later moved to the forward half of the boat deck, where they continued to play as the crew loaded the lifeboat
s. Many of the survivors said that he and the band continued to play until the very end. One second class passenger said: "Many brave things were done that night, but none were more brave than those done by men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea. The music they played served alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recalled on the scrolls of undying fame."
Hume was 21 years old when he died, unaware that his fiancée, Mary Costin, was pregnant with his child. His body was recovered by the CS Mackay-Bennett, a cable repair ship, owned by the Commercial Cable Company
, registered in London. He was buried in grave 193 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery
, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on Wednesday 8 May 1912. A memorial was erected for John Law Hume and Thomas Mullin (third class steward) in Dock Park, Dumfries. It reads:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
{| style="float: left;" border="1"
|- style="font-size: 90%; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5"
! scope="col" |
In memory of John Law Hume, a member of the band and Thomas Mullin, steward, natives of
these towns who lost their lives in the wreck of the White Star Liner "Titanic" which
sank in mid-Atlantic on the 14th day of April 1912. They died at the post of duty.
|}
Hume and the other members of Wallace Hartley
's orchestra were all members of the Amalgamated British Musicians Union and were employed by a Liverpool
music agency, C.W. and F.N. Black, which supplied musicians for Cunard and the White Star Line
. On 30 April 1912 Jock Hume's father, Andrew, received the following note from the agency:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
{| style="float: left;" border="1"
|- style="font-size: 90%; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5"
|
Dear Sir:
We shall be obliged if you will remit us the sum of 5s. 4d., which is owing to us as per enclosed statement.
We shall also be obliged if you will settle the enclosed uniform account.
Yours faithfully,
C.W. & F.N. Black
|}
The letter caused controversy at the time when it was reprinted in the Amalgamated Musicians Union's monthly newsletter. Andrew Law Hume decided not to settle the bill.
Life and career
John Law Hume (also known as 'Jock') was born on 9 August 1890 in DumfriesDumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland and lived with his parents at 42 George Street, Dumfries. He had already played on at least five ships before the Titanic. He was recruited to play on the maiden voyage due to his good reputation as a musician.
He boarded the Titanic on Wednesday 10 April 1912 in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, UK. His ticket number was 250654, the ticket for all the members of Wallace Hartley
Wallace Hartley
Wallace Henry Hartley was an English violinist and bandleader on the on its maiden voyage. He became famous for leading the eight member band as the ship sank on 15 April 1912. He died in the sinking.-Life and career:...
's orchestra. His cabin was in the 2nd class quarters.
After the Titanic hit an iceberg and began to sink, Hume and his fellow band members assembled in the first class lounge and started playing music to help keep the passengers calm. They later moved to the forward half of the boat deck, where they continued to play as the crew loaded the lifeboat
Lifeboat (shipboard)
A lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes...
s. Many of the survivors said that he and the band continued to play until the very end. One second class passenger said: "Many brave things were done that night, but none were more brave than those done by men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea. The music they played served alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recalled on the scrolls of undying fame."
Hume was 21 years old when he died, unaware that his fiancée, Mary Costin, was pregnant with his child. His body was recovered by the CS Mackay-Bennett, a cable repair ship, owned by the Commercial Cable Company
Commercial Cable Company
The Commercial Cable Company was founded in the United States in 1884 by John William Mackay and James Gordon Bennett, Jr. Their motivation was to break the then virtual monopoly of Jay Gould on transatlantic telegraphy and bring down prices .The technology was well established by this time, and...
, registered in London. He was buried in grave 193 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery
Fairview Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Fairview Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a Canadian cemetery that is perhaps best known as the final resting place for over one hundred victims of the sinking of the RMS Titanic...
, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on Wednesday 8 May 1912. A memorial was erected for John Law Hume and Thomas Mullin (third class steward) in Dock Park, Dumfries. It reads:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
{| style="float: left;" border="1"
|- style="font-size: 90%; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5"
! scope="col" |
In memory of John Law Hume, a member of the band and Thomas Mullin, steward, natives of
these towns who lost their lives in the wreck of the White Star Liner "Titanic" which
sank in mid-Atlantic on the 14th day of April 1912. They died at the post of duty.
|}
Hume and the other members of Wallace Hartley
Wallace Hartley
Wallace Henry Hartley was an English violinist and bandleader on the on its maiden voyage. He became famous for leading the eight member band as the ship sank on 15 April 1912. He died in the sinking.-Life and career:...
's orchestra were all members of the Amalgamated British Musicians Union and were employed by a Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
music agency, C.W. and F.N. Black, which supplied musicians for Cunard and the White Star Line
White Star Line
The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British shipping company, today most famous for its ill-fated vessel, the RMS Titanic, and the World War I loss of Titanics sister ship Britannic...
. On 30 April 1912 Jock Hume's father, Andrew, received the following note from the agency:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
{| style="float: left;" border="1"
|- style="font-size: 90%; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5"
|
Dear Sir:
We shall be obliged if you will remit us the sum of 5s. 4d., which is owing to us as per enclosed statement.
We shall also be obliged if you will settle the enclosed uniform account.
Yours faithfully,
C.W. & F.N. Black
|}
The letter caused controversy at the time when it was reprinted in the Amalgamated Musicians Union's monthly newsletter. Andrew Law Hume decided not to settle the bill.