The "Millionaire's Captain" was born to working class parents and was inspired to take to sea after his older half brother Joseph made captain. Edward Smith went to sea at the age of 15 and was promoted to third mate on his first voyage after a large scale desertion.

He gained command of his first sailing ship at the age of 25 and transferred to White Star Line in 1880 as he recognised the future of seafaring was steam. It would be another 8 years before he took charge of a ship once more. He captained increasingly larger ships - the Majestic, Baltic, Adriatic, Olympic and Titanic.

His career was no stranger to mishap and the outward and return voyages of the Titanic were to be his last commands of his career. As it was, he went down with his ship and his body was never recovered.