In 1912, Fred Fleet was in the crow’s nest on board the Titanic as it headed for the fatal collision. He tried to raise the alarm but despite perfect visibility and sea conditions, the ship was unable to avoid hitting the iceberg. He gave evidence at the two public inquiries and his testimony became widely reported. In 1965, Fleet became depressed upon the death of his wife and took his own life using this piece of string by suspending himself from a washing line in the back garden of a house in Southampton. The full story can be found here.