It's a shame that over 100 years after the disaster, J. Bruce Ismay is still being slandered. I encourage anyone that wants to know more about the real Ismay, read the actual testimony shortly after the disaster instead of the biased media coverage. Bruce himself states that it would have been more of an inconvenience than anything else to arrive early in New York as they were in no way prepared to receive Titanic. The ship was already well known as the most luxurious liner on the ocean, it served no purpose to get there early.
Many officer testimonies state that it was in fact, absolutely normal practice to steam at full speed despite ice warnings. The crew of Titanic were acting based on years of experience and years of practices that had become common place. These people in 1912 did not have the technology and the advantages we have today. They legitimately thought that the ship itself was a life boat, and could not be sunk. The survival of Ismay and Lightoller is a large reason that regulations were completely revamped after the disaster and this poor man lived the rest of his life in disgrace in a state of constant depression.
Human trial and error will always exist.
Joseph Bruce Ismay seriously did nothing wrong. (Titanic Thread)