Arthur Godfrey Peuchen: From Industrial Pioneer to Titanic Survivor

1859–1929
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Plot V Lot 58

Arthur Godfrey Peuchen was a Canadian industrialist whose ingenuity helped shaped both Canadian industry and history. Born in Montreal, Peuchen became the first person in the British Empire to produce acetone from wood, a vital ingredient in explosives like cordite that were used by the British military. In 1897, he co-founded the Standard Chemical Company, building a network of mills and refineries across Canada and Europe, making him a transatlantic business leader.

In April 1912, Peuchen boarded the RMS Titanic, as a first-class passenger in cabin C-106, paying thousands for a spot on the ship’s maiden voyage. When disaster struck on April 14, Peuchen’s skills as an experienced yachtsman and member of Toronto’s Royal Canadian Yacht Club proved lifesaving. He climbed down a rope into Lifeboat No. 6, helping guide nearly a dozen survivors, including the legendary “Unsinkable Molly Brown” to safety. They were rescued by the Carpathia, but the Titanic tragedy still claimed 1,523 lives.

Peuchen testified before a US inquiry into the tragedy, where he was briefly hailed as a hero before facing harsh public scrutiny: “Why had he survived when so many women and children perished?” Disillusioned, he retired to Alberta, passing away at age 70. His story remains a dramatic link between Canadian innovation and one of history’s greatest maritime disasters.

Sources: 
•  Dictionary of Canadian Biography – “PEUCHEN, ARTHUR GODFREY” 
•  Titanic Inquiry Project – “United States Senate Inquiry — Testimony of Arthur G. Peuchen” 
•  Encyclopedia Titanica – “Arthur Godfrey Peuchen — Titanic Survivor” 
•  Wikipedia – “Arthur Godfrey Peuchen” 
•  The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum – “Peuchen, Arthur Godfrey”