First Class passenger Edith Evans boarded Titanic an independently wealthy, single young lady. She was nearly 30 and spent most of her life traveling.
This trip, her aunts, Mrs. Cornell, Mrs. Appleton, and Mrs. Brown, accompanied her.
In the loading of the lifeboats, the quartet was separated, Mrs. Cornell and Mrs. Appleton getting in an earlier boat than Mrs. Brown and Miss Evans.
Colonel Gracie, upon discovering Brown and Evans, led them to Collapsible D. He was held back by a ring of officers, but the two ladies were allowed to pass through.
Arriving at the boat, Evans decided there was not enough room for the both of them and told Brown to take the seat. "You go first. You have children waiting at home." Or "I must be the one to go. You stay; you have children at home. I have nobody."
Whatever she said, Evans gave up her place on the boat. At 2:05am when D--the last boat--was lowered, Evans was not on it.
As Boat D pulled away, Seaman William Lucas called up to Miss Evans, "There's an other boat going to be put down for her."
There was no other boat. Miss Evans perished.
Fate in the musical: Edith Corse Evans dies.
Current Miss Evans: Pascale Faye
Original Miss Evans: Mindy Cooper