The First Violin: The Life, Loves, and Loss of the Titanic's Violinist John Law Hume

by Yvonne Hume

In Halifax’s Fairview Cemetery lies the body of John Law Hume, first violinist of RMS Titanic. As the ship sank that tragic night in April 1912, legend has it that the band played on right to the very end.

The First Violin tells the story of the construction and sinking of the great ocean liner on her maiden voyage and also recounts the fascinating life and loss of the ship’s violinist John Law Hume. Written by Hume’s great-niece, Yvonne Hume, the book traces the first violinist’s early years in Dumfries, Scotland, the events that led him to play on board the Titanic, and the doomed voyage across the Atlantic.

The book also recounts the chaotic aftermath, with the recovery of bodies and the eventually identification in the Halifax graveyard of body No. 193: John Law Hume. This illustrated edition includes over 100 photos, diagrams, and letters documenting the tragic story, and includes a short foreword by Millvina Dean, Titanic’s last survivor.

76 pages, Paperback

Published January 25, 2012

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a touching bit of family history but frustrating to read for its lack of citations and poor sentence construction.