Sixth Officer James Moody
- Timeline


1845

James' grandfather, John James Paul Moody, originally from Grimsby, moves to Scarborough

1857

Father John Henry Moody born (circa 1857)

1858

Mother Evelyn Louis Lammin born in Fulham, Middlesex, daughter of William Henry Lammin

1882

Brother John E Moody born (c.1882),

1883

Sister Margaret Moody born (c.1883)

1886

Brother Christopher W Moody born (c.1886).

1887

21st August

James Paul Moody is born in Scarborough, England

1898

Mother Evelyn dies (aged 39-40). His father remarries shortly thereafter to Annie Moody

1899

Step brother Antony Moody born in Scarborough, Yorkshire.

1902

February

Moody at the age of 14 joins the HMS Conway to begin training as a cadet.

1903

Step brother John Paul Moody born

December

Finishes as cadet aboard HMS Conway.

1904

24th February

Joins the William Thomas Line's Boadicea as an apprentice for three years.

10th April

Boadicea seaman Victor Benninghaus falls from the foreyard, dies the following night and is buried at sea

22 April

Fellow apprentice Frank Haywood jumps overboard, presumed drowned.

28 April

Moody arrives in the US for the first time, anchored off Sandy Hook, New Jersey

29 May

Moody witnesses a fire break out at the New Jersey shore freight yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, which destroyes six piers and at least two dozen barges.

11 June

The Boadicea resumes her voyage, bound for Sydney, Australia.

1905

Step brother Henry Hugh Moody born, Huddersfield, Yorkshire

1907

Step brother Roger Moody born, Leeds, Yorkshire

24 June

Moody passes his Second Mate’s certification

1907 - 1908

8th August - 22nd January

Boadicea - 2nd mate

1908

22 January - 5th February

Azov - 2nd Mate (14 days)

5th February - 29th May

Circassian Prince - 2nd mate (3 months 27 days)

29th May - 12th July

Circassian Prince (1 month 14 days)

12th July - 11th Nov

Azov - 2nd mate (4 months 1 day)

1909

15th February

Applies for First Mate Certificate and fails in Navigation

19th February

Passes First Mate Certificate

25th May - 26th September

S.S. Caprera - second mate (4 months and 3 days)

27th September - 23rd of December

S.S. Caprera promoted to first officer (2 months and 27 days)

1910

18th January - 8th March

S.S. Caprera - demoted back to second mate (one year 1 month and 22 days)

Receives a commission with the Reserve as a Sub-Lieutenant

1911

Briefly attends the King Edward VII Nautical School in London to study for his Masters examination

1911

10 April

Applies for his Masters Certificate and fails on "navigation"

18 April

Applies for a second time for his Masters Certificate and fails for a second time on "laws of storms"

26 April

Passes his Masters Certificate application, issued at the port of London, Dock Street

17 August - 30 December

Joins the White Star Line's Oceanic as sixth officer

30 December - 26 March 1912

Is promoted to Fifth Officer aboard the Oceanic.

1912

26th March

Moody and the other junior officers collect tickets from the White Star Line marine superintendent in Liverpool for their journey to Belfast. They depart at around 10 pm.

27th March

Moody and the other junior officers arrive in Belfast sometime around 10.00am

2nd April

Titanic's sea trials commenced in Belfast Lough. Moody and Murdoch play a role in the "stopping test" conducted after lunch.

10th April

Sailing day. After the general muster at 8.30am Moody and Lowe man two lifeboats, for a test prior to sailing.

14th April

4pm - 6pm Moody puts a mark on the chart with reference to an ice message received.

8pm Sixth officer Moody begins what would be his final four hour watch, relieving Fifth officer Lowe.

8pm - 9pm Fourth Officer Boxhall instructs Moody to 'go around the decks'

9pm Moody calculates what time they should reach the ice region, and tells Lightoller 'about 11 o’clock'

9.30pm Lightoller instructs Moody to warn the lookout men in the crow's nest to keep a sharp lookout for small ice and growlers

11.40pm Moody takes a telephone message from Lookout Frederick Fleet who tells him "iceberg right ahead" and Moody replies "Thank you". He stands behind quartermaster Robert Hichens to ensure that First Officer Murdoch's instruction "hard astarboard" is carried out correctly. He then logs the time of collision in the log book.

12:05am Captain Smith orders Moody to find the list for the lifeboat stations. Moody is also involved in uncovering the lifeboats.

12:25am Moody assists with loading lifeboats with women first

Moody assists with loading/launching portside lifeboats 2 and 4

Assists with loading/launching portside lifeboats 12 and 16

1.25am Lowe takes command of lifeboat 14, Moody to take lifeboat 16

1.30am Loads starboard lifeboat no.9

1.40am Loads lifeboat no.13

2.15am Last seen assisting with collapsible A

19th April

Daily Sketch article and other newspapers run photograph of him with the caption "J.P.Moody - Survivor, Grimsby, Sixth Mate"

April

A Requiem Service for the 'repose of his soul' is held at St Augustine’s Church. The Moody family also donate a church altar set.

7th May

White Star Line sends a letter to James' brother, Christopher Moody, asking for a £20 deposit to return his body to England. Any further costs would have to be covered by the Moody family, or else he is buried in Halifax. In reality his body was never recovered.

20th May

The Daily News prints a letter written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who criticises George Bernard Shaw and writes: "The sixth officer went down with the captain, so I presume that even Mr. Shaw could not ask him to do more."

2002

14th April

Friends of HMS Conway work with the Scarborough Civic Society and the RNLI to erect a memorial and a polished brass plaque in the Scarborough Life Boat House on the seafront. The plaque is unveiled by Mrs. Mary Conlan, great niece of James Moody who is accompanied by other members of the Moody family.

2012

14th April

Moody family descendants unveil a new blue plaque at his birthplace at 17 Granville Road, South Cliff, Scarborough.

2020

18th January

Great neice of James Moody, Mary Conlon (née Moody) dies