Violet Jessop is well known for her incredibly bad luck, but some may actually say she’s known for her insanely good luck. Its all about the perspective that you look at her story. She worked on three British ocean liners, and every one was involved in a disaster. Somehow, Violet survived all three and became known as “Miss Unsinkable.” But her life was about much more than surviving shipwrecks.

Violet Constance Jessop was born in Argentina in 1887 to Irish parents. When her father died, her family moved to England. Later, her mother became too ill to keep working, so Violet left school to help support her family. In 1908, she became a stewardess on a passenger ship. Her job involved looking after passengers and helping make their trips comfortable. It was work, but it began a career that would last more than forty years.

Three Ships & Three Disasters

In 1911, Violet worked aboard the Olympic, a luxury liner. During one trip, it collided with a British warship called HMS Hawke. The Olympic was badly damaged, but it stayed afloat and returned for repairs.

The next year, Violet joined its sister ship, the Titanic. On April 14, 1912, the Titanic set out on its first voyage and struck an iceberg and sank. Violet was told to get into a lifeboat, partly so passengers who did not speak English could see what to do. An officer placed a baby in her arms as the boat was lowered. Violet survived the cold night and made it safety aboard the Carpathia, the boat that was able to save a small portion of passengers abord the Titanic. 

Violet has already been unlucky enough to be one two different ships that had crashed and her bad luck just continues. In 1916, during World War I, Violet served as a nurse aboard the Britannic, which had been turned into a hospital ship. It struck a mine in the Aegean Sea and began sinking. As Violet escaped, she was injured, but survived once again.

More Than “Miss Unsinkable”

Violet’s story is impressive not only because she lived through these disasters, but because she kept going afterward. She returned to working at sea after the war and spent decades traveling on ships. Her experiences gave her a rare view of life aboard ocean liners, from caring for passengers to witnessing moments in maritime history. Even with these terrible accidents occurring, Violet preservered through them and did not let them get in the way of her living her life. 

Eventually, Violet retired to the English countryside, where she enjoyed gardening and caring for chickens. She died in 1971 at age 83.

Violet Jessop is remembered as “Miss Unsinkable,” but she was more than a lucky survivor. She supported her family, worked through difficult times, and continued doing her job despite extraordinary events. Her life proves that sometimes the most unbelievable stories are real.