Violet Jessop (1887-1971) was a British ocean liner stewardess and nurse who famously survived three major ship disasters during the early 20th century.
Her first ordeal came in 1912 when she was working aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the ship’s sinking by climbing aboard a lifeboat. Just a few years later, in 1916, she was on board the HMHS Britannic when it struck a mine and sank in the Aegean Sea. Jessop again survived, this time by jumping overboard and being pulled to safety by a lifeboat.
Finally, in 1940, she was aboard the RMS Queen Mary, when it collided with a British cruiser, but once again escaped unharmed.
Jessop’s survival of all three incidents earned her the nickname “Miss Unsinkable.” Despite these traumatic experiences, she continued to work at sea for many years and lived a long and fulfilling life before passing away in 1971 at the age of 83.