James Paul Moody was born August 1887 in Scarborough. Moody had attended the King Edward VII Nautical School in April 1911, a year before he joined Titanic. Moody’s last residence according to Encyclopaedia Titanica was “St James House, Grimsby, Lincolnshire.” In 1912 Moody had been working on the R.M.S Oceanic, a not too distant cousin of the Titanic. Moody served on the Oceanic as her sixth officer when in March 1912, he was transferred to R.M.S Titanic. Moody joined Titanic at Southampton alongside 922 other passengers and crew members. He served on Titanic as her sixth officer and the youngest member officer, he was only 24 years old. Moody had been a strong advocate of testing the lifeboats before Titanic sailed. Moody and fifth officer Harold Lowe had conducted a test of the lifeboats to satisfy the board of trade.
As an officer Moody would have been expected a wage of roughly £37 a month. Moody’s shifts on the bridge were between 4-5pm and 8-12 am. Moody was on the bridge alongside first officer William Murdoch when Titanic struck the iceberg on April 14th,1912. Originally, Moody had been put in charge of lifeboat number 9. Chief Purser Henry McElroy and first officer William Murdoch eventually did load this boat. After assisting with lifeboat 9 Moody had also assisted with the loading of 12, 13, 14 and 16. Whilst loading one of the lifeboats Harold Lowe, Titanic’s fifth officer suggested that Moody should get off on lifeboat 14 as nobody was available to take charge. Lowe offered Moody the position. However, Moody declined.
Moody’s was last sighted on top of the officer’s quarters on A Deck by a trimmer called Samuel Hemmings, he had seen Moody trying to launch collapsible A off the Titanic. Charles Lightoller, Titanic’s second officer had assisted Moody in trying to release collapsible A. The two officers were separated when Titanic took her final plunge into the icy North Atlantic waters killing 1,500 people. Moody was one of these victims.
Moody’s body was never recovered after the sinking of the Titanic. As one of the youngest members of the crew to be killed Moody is still regarded as a hero for his actions on the night the Titanic went down. A memorial can be found in the Church of St. Martin’s on the Hill, Scarborough. The life of James Moody is also honored in the Woodland Cemetery, Scarborough.
As always, I’ll leave a few external links on Titanic’s sixth officer James Moody. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to ask or get in touch.
Have a titanic week, Millie.
James Paul Moody according to Encyclopaedia Titanica: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/james-paul-moody.html
The Amazing Story of James Moody, the Scarborough Hero: https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/amazing-story-james-moody-scarborough-hero-titanic-who-laid-down-his-life-save-others-694938
James Paul Moody: Memorials and Legacy: https://titanicofficers.com/titanic_08_moody_08.html
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