His son Joseph Bruce Ismay was managing director of the White Star Line and survived the sinking of its ocean liner RMS Titanic on her maiden voyage in 1912.

Thomas Ismay was born on 7 January 1837, in a small cottage in the town of Maryport, Cumberland.

Some time after Thomas's birth, his father Joseph Ismay started a timber, shipbroking and shipbuilding business.

He learned here about the sea and navigation along with his most notable habit, of chewing tobacco, giving him the nickname "Baccy Ismay".

During his stay he indulged in the local culture, visiting theatres, climbing mountains and dancing with the natives.

After his two-month stay, he took the steamer Bogota to Caldera, Chile, and after arriving there transferred to the SS Conrad.

He was eventually heard and rescued by rope; however, he lost his hat, broke his watch and ruined his notebook, cigar case and other things in his bag.

The weather was horrible at the start, the ship lost some of her sails and split the topmast, and Ismay was badly hurt after a window smashed in and cut his toe.

At the age of 16, Ismay left school and started an apprentice with shipbrokers Imrie and Tomlinson of Liverpool.

On 26 October 1887, they left Dawpool and travelled by train across Europe, seeing the sights of France, Switzerland and Italy along the way.

In 1873, the Atlantic struck rocks and sank off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, killing at least 535 people.

Ulcoats, Cecelia, Golden Sunset, Gladiator, Duke of Edinburgh, Duleep Singh, Bucton Castle, Globe, Nereus, Borrowdale, Weathersfield, British Prince, Dallam Towers, Remington, Hecuba, Pride Of The Thames, Houghton Towers, Warwickshire, Victoria Tower, Hawarden Castle, Vancouver, Castlehead, Vandieman, Comandre, Seatoller, Casma, Compadre, Bayard, British Admiral, Montrose, Ismay, Estrella, Pembroke Castle, Hausquina, Rajah, SS British Navy, Cairnsmore, Santon, Kirkwood, Delhi, Merwanjee Framjee, Ravenscrag, Cape Clear, Grace Gibson, Hannibal, Cardigan Castle, Santiago, Jason, RMS Oceanic (1870) (Oceanic was White Star Line's first true vessel because she was actually ordered by Thomas Ismay) On 7 April 1859, Ismay married Margaret, the daughter of Luke Bruce.

During these years he undertook several grand projects including, in July 1882, the building of a private residence in Thurstaston on the Wirral Peninsula, designed by the renowned architect Richard Norman Shaw.

When the Ismays tried selling the house, the agent said the land would be worth more if the home was blown up[citation needed] and it was eventually sold to a Mr. Rutter who loaned it to the government as a hospital during World War I.