Character Profile: Orian Davidson

Orian Davidson

Age: 27
Residence: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Class: First class
Cabin: B-71
Survived? Yes
Lifeboat: 3

Orian Davidson was the second of four daughters, and very much a typical lady of Edwardian high society. Her parents were of high social standing in Montreal, and from birth, she was constantly surrounded by the rich and powerful. She led a somewhat sheltered life, however, and until 1912, she had never been abroad.

Orian and her husband Thornton had traveled to Europe at the invitation of Orian's parents Charles and Clara Hays. Charles was the president of a Canadian railroad, and had traveled abroad to meet with the railroad's board of directors, which was based in London. He invited his wife, daughter, and son-in-law along so they could enjoy a European holiday while he attended to business. Also traveling with them were Clara's maid and Charles' secretary.

Orian visited England and France and grew especially fond of Paris, where she indulged in many of the latest French fashions. After several weeks, she and her family boarded Titanic to return home. They intended to take a private train back to Montreal once they reached New York.

Orian, her mother, and the maid left Titanic in lifeboat 3, which was only the third lifeboat to leave the ship. None of them knew at that point just how serious the situation was, and Orian's father assured her that Titanic would take more than 10 hours to sink. In fact, it sank in less than three. Thornton was a yachtsman and a strong swimmer, and for hours after she boarded Carpathia, Orian continued to hold on to the hope that he was alive. Sadly, she lost both her husband and her father in the sinking.

Orian and her mother were met by their family physician in New York and took a private train home. While Thornton's body was never recovered, Orian erected a memorial stone for him in Mount Royal Cemetery. Though she eventually remarried and moved to Calgary, Orian was buried next to Thornton's memorial when she died in 1979 at the age of 96.