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Wallace Henry HartleyEnglish violinist, leader of the orchestra on the Titanic
Date of Birth: 02.06.1878
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Wallace Henry Hartley
Wallace Henry Hartley was an English violinist and orchestra leader aboard the ill-fated Titanic. Although many may not be familiar with his name, they know of his courageous act on April 15, 1912, when the Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg. Under Hartley's direction, eight musicians played until the very end.
Hartley was born on June 2, 1878, and grew up in Colne, Lancashire. His father, Albion Hartley, was a choirmaster and oversaw the Sunday school. Wallace attended a local Methodist school, sang in the church choir, and learned to play the violin from a fellow congregation member. After completing school, Hartley found work at the Craven & Union Bank and then joined the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra when his family moved to Huddersfield. In 1903, he left home and played in the Bridlington Municipal Orchestra for the next six years. He later moved to Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, and in 1909, he joined the Cunard Line as a musician for their transatlantic voyages. Hartley served on luxurious liners such as the Lucania, Mauretania, and the ill-fated Lusitania. During his time on the Mauretania, the music services were transferred to the music agency C.W. & F.N. Black, changing Hartley's status from a crew member to a passenger, although he still resided in a second-class cabin at the agency's expense. It later became apparent that neither the shipping company nor the agency had insured the musicians, shifting the responsibility between them.
Heroic Act on the Titanic
In April 1912, Hartley was appointed as the leader of the orchestra on the Titanic. Shortly before this, he proposed to Maria Robinson and initially hesitated to take the job as he did not want to be separated from her for the lengthy voyage. However, he ultimately decided that working on the Titanic would provide him with better job prospects on land in the future. When the Titanic started to sink, Hartley and his fellow musicians armed themselves with their instruments and played to help passengers board lifeboats while maintaining a sense of spirit. Many survivors noted that the musicians played until the very end. Unfortunately, none of the members of the orchestra survived, and the story of the musicians playing until their last breath became a popular legend. One survivor reported seeing Hartley and his orchestra standing directly behind the first funnel near the grand staircase. According to the survivor, three of them were washed away by the water while the remaining five held onto the railings. Hartley reportedly exclaimed, "Gentlemen, I bid you farewell!"
Though it is uncertain exactly what the orchestra played during those terrifying moments, it is believed to have been Christian hymns such as "Nearer, My God, to Thee" or "O God, Our Help in Ages Past." However, in Walter Lord's book "A Night to Remember," second wireless operator Harold Bride mentioned that the song may have been "Autumn." Hartley's body was recovered two weeks later by the crew of the Mackay-Bennett and sent back to England. Tightly fastened to his chest was his violin, which had been given to him by his fiancée after their engagement. His funeral took place in Colne on May 18, 1912, and attracted at least a thousand attendees, with around forty thousand lining the streets of the funeral procession. His gravestone was engraved with the image of his violin.
Discovery of the Violin
The story of Hartley's violin took an unexpected turn in March 2013. It was revealed that after two years of investigation, the instrument found in an attic by a UK resident in a leather case with the initials "W.H.H." was indeed the same one on which Hartley played his final notes. The violin bore the engraving "To Wallace on the occasion of our engagement. Maria."
