#2949: re: A Haitian was on the Titanic (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:Woelson@aol.com

The story of the Laroche family is mentioned in a book in French, " Le
Titanic", written by Dr. Georges Michel, a Haitian physician.

A picture of the Laroche family is on display in the book, and here is a
translation of the comments  under the picture:

"From left to right: Simone Laroche, 3 years-old, Juliette Laroche, (born
Lafargue)22 years-old, Louise Laroche, 1 year-old, Joseph Philippe Lemercier
Laroche, 26. This picture was taken in 1912, shortly before the family
embarked on the Titanic to Haiti, and was kindly made available to us by Ms.
Viviane Gauthier, a cousin of the Laroches. Joseph Laroche, an engineer, was
the son of a rich salesman from Cap Haitien, Mr. Raoul Auguste, (cousin of
Haitian president Tancrède Auguste, successor of  president Leconte in 1912).
He was carying his mother's maiden name, Anne Euzélie Laroche, (Zélie, who
died in Cap Haitien in 1952). Therefore, he was the older brother of our good
friend the ambassador Carlet Auguste (born in 1903).

At the time of the trip, Mrs. Laroche was expecting a son who was born
December 17, 1912, and who was named after his father. Simone Laroche died of
cancer in 1973. Louise Laroche died in France, in Villejuif, January 25, 1998
at 89 years-old, shortly after James Cameron's movie, Titanic, came out. This
last information was provided to us in a letter dated November 29, 1998 by
their sister-in-law, Mrs. Claudine Laroche. The year 1998 was hard on the
Laroches who experienced several losses. In 1911-1912, they also lost a lot
of relatives. British documents improperly refer to the Laroches as LaRoche. 

Another group of Haitians was also scheduled to board the Titanic in
Cherbourg: The Mevs family and Mrs. Georges Labrousse. The Mevs did not make it ,  and Mrs. Labrousse arrived
15 minutes late, and was extremely upset to find out that she would not be
allowed to board the ship.




 
 
 



kk