The memory of the Titanic goes far beyond James Cameron’s famous Hollywood flick for the denizens of Guntur . They cherish Becker Compound near North Parish Church in the up-market Brodipet, where the Beckers, who worked as missionaries travelled in the Titanic and survived when it went down.
Now the Lutheran Church, which had renovated the only building in the Becker Compound, is attempting to popularise the Titanic connection and other related aspects associated with it and preserve the historical records in the form of a book and public activities.
According to the church records, 150 Years of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Biographical Record of Missionaries, Allen Oliver Becker and his wife Nellie Estella Baumgardner had come from Michigan, U.S., and served as missionaries here from 1898-1913. While Allen Becker served as a pastor, Nellie Becker ran a missionary school and took care of religious activities. They had three children: Ruth, Marion and Richard.
According to the Encyclopedia-Titanica, Nellie Becker, along with her three children left India for the treatment of her youngest child Richard in the U.S., while her husband stayed back. “The Beckers boarded the Titanic at Southampton on April 10, 1912 as second class passengers [ticket number 230136 which cost £39),” states the Titanica.
The four survived the accident after managing to take life boats and then the rescue ship Carpathia and Nellie Becker claimed $2,184 from the White Star Line for loss of property. Pastor Becker joined his family a year later. They settled in Michigan and Nellie Becker died of cardiac arrest in 1961.
Mega event planned
Now, the only sign of the Beckers, the building called the Becker Compund is the residence of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Moderator, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. K. Fredrick Paradesi Babu. Fighting odds, the Church has preserved it to retain the Titanic connection. The other small buildings in the compound — including a school and residential building, were demolished long ago due to structural weakness. The Bishop feels living in the renovated building is a privilege. He told The Hindu that the building was in a dilapidated state when he assumed office in 2013. The church is taking several initiatives to preserve the history of the Beckers, their activity here and other interesting aspects, according to him.
Given the Titanic connection, this church property has a lot of importance and popularity. “We spent a lot to renovate this white building. We have also commissioned a book on the 175 years of Lutheran Church here and there will be a detailed account of the Beckers. We will also organise a mega-event on the eve of the occasion and the Beckers will be one of the highlights,” the Bishop said.
Evangelising the miracle
The survival of the Becker family was seen as a miracle and the same is going to be an important aspects to be highlighted in mega-religious programmes planned in the coming months, according to the church. Busts of the Beckers and other preachers would be on display.