John Law Hume Scottish fiddler, musician from the Titanic Date of Birth: 09.08.1890 Country: Great Britain

Biography of John Law Hume

John Law Hume, a Scottish violinist, was born in Dumfries, Scotland. He lived in Dumfries with his parents. Hume had played on at least five ships before joining the orchestra of the ill-fated Titanic. His reputation as a talented musician helped him secure a position in the ship's orchestra. On April 10, 1912, Hume boarded the Titanic in Southampton, United Kingdom. Like the other musicians, he resided in a second-class cabin, as the ticket for all the musicians was the same.

After the ship collided with the infamous iceberg, Hume and the other musicians were invited to the first-class cabin. Their task was to calm the passengers and alleviate the tension by playing their music. Later, they were relocated to the lifeboat deck, where they continued playing while the crew loaded passengers onto the lifeboats. Many survivors of the tragic disaster noted that the orchestra played until the very end.

At the time of his death, John Law Hume was only 21 years old. He perished without knowing that his fiancée, Mary Costin, was pregnant with his child. Hume's body was discovered by sailors aboard a London ship owned by a cable company. He was laid to rest on May 8, 1912, in a cemetery in Canada. A memorial was erected in his honor in his hometown, alongside a memorial for Thomas Mullin, a third-class steward.

John Law Hume, along with the other members of the orchestra, was recruited for the ship by representatives of the "C.W. and F.N. Black" agency. This agency supplied musicians to all "Cunard" and "White Star Line" ships. On April 30, 1912, Hume's father, Andrew Hume, received a letter from the agency requesting payment for the uniform that John had ordered at his own expense. However, by the time the letter arrived, more than two weeks had passed since the shipwreck. The letter caused quite a controversy at the time, with many accusing the agency representatives of incredible cynicism. Andrew Hume decided not to pay the bill.