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Edward J. Smith
British captain
Quick Facts
- In full:
- Edward John Smith
- Born:
- January 27, 1850, Hanley [now in Stoke-on-Trent], Staffordshire, England
- Died:
- April 15, 1912, at sea, northern Atlantic Ocean (aged 62)
Edward J. Smith (born January 27, 1850, Hanley [now in Stoke-on-Trent], Staffordshire, England—died April 15, 1912, at sea, northern Atlantic Ocean) was the British captain of the passenger liner Titanic, which sank in 1912. Smith began working on boats while he was a teenager. In 1875 he earned a master’s certificate, which was required to serve as captain. In 1880 he became a junior officer with the White Star Line, and seven years later he commanded his first ship. Smith subsequently helmed numerous vessels while also enduring a series of mishaps. On several occasions his ships ran aground, and in ...(100 of 317 words)