|  | Generations of Southampton residents have lived with the memory the Titanic - 673 crew members died on board, leaving widows and thousands of orphans.
Hundreds more worked in the shops and businesses supplying the great liners, or cheered on the quayside as Titanic sailed out of Berth 44.
BBC Southampton is looking for any memories, tales or anecdotes about the Titanic. If you live in Southampton, or further afield, and have a story to tell we want to hear from you. It could be a childhood memory or a story from a relative, just fill in the details on the form below.
Brian Riches, Ashley Heath.
Had a great uncle who was a crew member on the Titanic, Albert James Horswell/Horswill. He survived. Was a crew member of lifeboat 1. Only had 12 people on board, 7 of them were crew!! Two of the passengers were the Duff-Gordons, who promised the crew he would pay them £5 each if they got to safety. Much controversy at the time that they were bribed, but a kinder interpretation is that he was offering to pay them their month’s wages, which ceased on the sinking of the ship. Albert’s sister Clara, was Brian’s grandmother and through her Brian heard this story: after the disaster, Albert gave evidence, turned up at the family home, but his mother wouldn’t let him in, and he was never heard of again. (Did she do it because of this alleged bribe - somewhere there is supposed to be a national photo of Albert receiving his cheque from Duff-Gordon.) In the book, A Night to Remember, Brian found a photo of the cheque given by Duff Gorden to Albert, drawn on Cootes bank, £5. So what happened to Albert? Brian’s brother was surfing the web and found the Encyclopedia Titanica site, found Albert on the website, including biog and photo. Found he’d gone to the States and he’d been in America since 1913, died in 1965. Married, had large famly. Has tried to get in touch with the person who supplied the information, Bob Nix |
Mike Dymond, Romsey
Connection: Grandfather, Frank Dymond, a firemen on Titanic, was a survivor. Was given charge of a lifeboat. He didn’t like to talk about it. Never went back to sea, but did work on the tugs. |
May Jeffries
Connection: Father always told her that his father was one of the six people who missed the Titanic because they were drunk! She’d love to know if he was. Could anyone help? Her father went down to wave the boat off and his father didn’t appear. The surname was Darley, her father’s first name was Alfred but May doesn’t know her grandfather’s first name. |
Alice Heinrich, Weymouth
Connection: Alice says her great uncle was the look-out on the Titanic, and was the one blamed for mislaying the binoculars. He was also in charge of the lifeboat which didn’t take away sufficient people. His name Robert McDonald Simons. |
Margaret Whittaker, Isle of Wight
Connection: Her husband died 30 years ago, she knows he had a Titanic connection and love to know more. He had two uncles or cousins, she’s not sure which, who worked in the engine room and went down with the ship, leaving 8 children between them who were brought up by Barnardos. She’s got some family names and wonders if they’re traceable? Her husband’s name was an old Southampton name, Munday, the other names she’s found in the family bible are Hayes and Long.
Yes, they should be traceable. There’s the crew list and the lists and biographies in some cases are available on the Encyclopedia Titanica website (www.encyclopedia-titanica.org). The oral history unit and the Maritime Museum in Southampton could probably offer help as well (the crew list is in the museum). And there’s the Titanic Society 8055 3421 which could help. |
Mr Dench, Totton
Connection:- His mother-in-law’s first husband was a crewman on the Titanic. He was a trimmer and died. He was listed in the crew list as Anton Ferrari of St. Mary’s Place, Southampton. His mother-in-law was left with two young children, George, nearly 3 and Sidney, aged 1. |
Les Mayzes
Connection:-His grandmother had TWO Titanic survivors as her menfolk! When her husband died in 1928 (Thomas Jubilee Mayzes), his friend Albert Pearcy also a suvrivor, moved in! |
W Smyth, Southsea
Connection: My Great Grandad, Perry, was the master painter on the Titanic and was personally responsible for goldleafing the SS Titanic letters on the front of the ship which is still intact and was one of the first things found by the camera. I also believe that he was invited on the maiden voyage but did not go because my Great Grandmother was pregnant. They lived well into their 90s. |
Elaine Kneller, Bitterne, Southampton
Connection: My great uncles' brother was a musician for White Star line, he was due to play in the orchestra on the Titanic but was taken ill before he went, and was unable to sail, so he was rather fortunate. |
Graham Buckmaster, Alderholt, Nr Fordingbridge
Connection: Wallace Hartley, the band leader, was my maternal grandmother's nephew which I think makes me his second cousin. My Mother used refer often to her cousin Wallace. |
Brian Scott, West Wellow, Romsey
Connection: Grandfather was an engine room crew member & survivour. Survived by climbing down a lifeboat rope and dropping into water. He was also significant witness at inquiry into sinking - he was asked over 400 questions. |
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