Home » Politics & Society » Women's History » Margaret Tobin Brown, Unsinkable and Remarkable - Page 2

Margaret Tobin Brown, Unsinkable and Remarkable - Page 2

© Katie Anne Gustafsson

Maggie loved clothes. She was a vain woman and used clothes wisely to mask her lack of beauty. They brought attention to her, and even her hairstyles were created to court the media's eye. Contrary to what Hollywood has lead people to believe, parties thrown by the Browns were well attended. One party alone was expected to have over 800 guests! In her inimitable flamboyant style, Maggie would position the musicians on the second floor balcony at these parties, so that not only the guests, but also the entire neighbourhood would hear the festivities.

In her pursuit of social acceptance, Maggie was tireless. But somehow her classes in the Arts, world travels, and children's boarding school education, did not make up for her Irish Catholic heritage in Denver Society's eyes. They knew what she wanted, but they were not about to lower their highbred standards to give it to her, despite her money, and their attendance at her social events. And so Maggie, undeterred, turned her attention to charitable causes, Catholic ones in particular, to achieve her ambition. In 1894, her hard work paid off when part of her dream was realised and the Browns were listed in Denver's social directory. The Sacred 36 remained out of reach.

The cost of these social aspirations was her relationship with J.J., who was not seduced by the glamour and prestige of Society. He returned to Leadville as much as possible, avoiding the media attention his wife craved. The couple spent little time together, and in 1909 they separated. Three years later, whilst Maggie was in Europe, she learned that Larry's son was ill and she booked a passage home. That trip was to make Maggie the media's darling, and open the doors to all of Denver's Society for her, but on April 12th 1909, when she embarked on that journey home, she could never have envisioned the situation she would find herself in days later as she watched the mighty Titanic sink into her final resting place.

Given that Maggie was noted for colouring events, it is difficult to ascertain exactly what happened that night, and the part she played as the Unsinkable queen of the seas died, but what is undisputed is that she arrived alive in New York harbour having played a heroic role in organising the evacuation from the wounded ship before being thrown into a lifeboat, ensuring that their lifeboat kept moving by helping to row it herself, and helping to organise the survivors on board their rescue vessel, the Carpathia. The media made Molly a star. America was at her feet.

The copyright of the article Margaret Tobin Brown, Unsinkable and Remarkable - Page 2 in Women's History is owned by Katie Anne Gustafsson. Permission to republish Margaret Tobin Brown, Unsinkable and Remarkable - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.