Titanic and its Swansea Connection
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| RMS Titanic |
Before we get to the final part of this question what connection between the RMS Titanic and the Albert Hall is. We can look at those people from Swansea who had connections with Swansea who were on the Titanic
Following an article which was published in The Bay Magazine, April
2016, when I was contacted by Mrs Morsely
in regard to her mother’s first husband, Leslie Williams.
These are her words
"My mother’s first husband was on board the
Titanic. Leslie Williams, 28, came from Tonypandy
and was a professional boxer. Travelling on the same ticket was a fellow
boxer, David Bowen from Treorchy, Rhondda. Their
manager, Charles A. Barnett had arranged a series of boxing
fights in America for them. The two men boarded the Titanic at Southampton.
Both men lost their lives in the sinking.
Leslie Williams was the 14th
body to be recovered by the cable repair ship Mackay Bennett. Leslie was
identified by his effects. He was wearing at the time, a blue serge suit, a red
striped shirt, two scarves and a green overcoat. His effects included, two
pocket books; two gold rings; a pair of silver cuff links; a ticket; papers; a
pocketknife; $30 in gold; £3 10s and £2 6s 6d. in silver and copper coins. All
his effects were returned to my mother who wanted Leslie to be
brought back to Wales for burial. Unfortunately, Leslie had
been buried at sea on 22nd April 1912. His friend, David Bowen was
never recovered. At the time of the sinking, Leslie and my
mother had one son, also named Leslie, she gave birth to their
second son, Harold in July 1912. My father, Dan Winter promised
that if anything were to happen to Leslie he would look after
my mother, which he did, and they finally got married in 1914."
More details on Leslie will be below
So, who were the other people? They were either passengers or crew
They were David Bowen, boxer (victim) Evan Davies, Swansea Valley (victim); Wilfred Cyril Foley, Swansea born (survivor); William John Rogers, Swansea valley (victim); Robert William Norman Leyshon, living in
Swansea; his father was a prominent Swansea solicitor (victim); Owen Wilmore Samuel, worked and
lived at Ben Evans, Temple Street (victim) and Leslie Williams, boxer (victim).
David John ‘Dai’
Bowen
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| David John Bowen |
The following year, his
mother remarried Morris Owen. By the
1911 census, the family were living at 42 Bagnall Street. David’s occupation was listed as coal miner
hewer, and he was unmarried
Under the tutelage of George
Cundick, David was a professional boxer, he was the Welsh lightweight
champion. David took part in a several
fights on the boxing circuit in Pontypridd, Hartlepool and South Shields. His last fight being 5th March
1912, Cardiff against “Young” Walters.
His journey on the Titanic
along with Leslie Williams was to conduct a series of boxing contests. They were
originally to travel on the Baltic, but they changed their plans in
order to have new tailored suits. They eventually
boarded the Titanic at Southampton as 3rd-class passengers.
David wrote his letter home,
which was posted at Queenstown, 11th April. The letter reads
April 11th 1912
My
Dear Mother
I am just writing you a few lines
before I go sick for I have been very good so far. This is a lovely boat, she
is very near so big as Treherbert, she is like a floating palace, against you
walk from one end of her to the other you are tired. We are landing in France
the time I am writing you this, you don’t know whether she is moving or not for
she goes very steady. Dear Mother, I hope that you won’t worry yourself about
me, I can tell you that I am a lot better than I thought I would be, for we
gets plenty of fun on board. We met two Swansea boys at the station,
so you see that I get plenty of company. There is hundreds of foreigners on her
of every nation. The food we get here is very good but not so good as dear old
home. We have no boxing gloves with us, they would be no good if we did have
some. Remember me to Martha Jane and Jack and Tommy Ostler, tell Morris and
Stephen that if I will feel like I do now when I land in Yankee Land I shall be
alright. I shan’t give you no address now, not until I land for it won’t be
worth. I did not see David Rees in Southampton at all. Remember me to all I
know, tell Stephen to tell all the boys that I am enjoying myself alright so
far. If James tell you that I have not wrote to him, tell him that I can’t do
it very good now, you can show him this if you like, for it will be the same I
shall have to say now for the time being as I am telling you. I hope you will
excuse the pencil for I have no pen and ink, so cheer up now mother, for I
am in the pink, so don’t vex. I think I will draw to a close now in wishing you
all my best love.
From your loving son,
David John
David’s body was lost in the
sinking, his name is commemorated on his mother’s headstone Treorchy Cemetery.
Leslie
Williams
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| Leslie Williams |
At the time of the 1891
Census, the family is living at 4 Fernley Terrace, Clydach, Ystradyfodwg,
Rhondda. A decade later, the family were
living at 19 Gleaner Street. By this time,
Leslie, now 12 has left school and is listed as an apprentice boilermaker.
1910 Leslie married Lillie
Thomas, later on the year they had a son, Leslie James. By of the time of the 1911 Census the young family
were living at 59 Primrose Street, Tonypandy.
Leslie’s occupation is listed blacksmith’s striker.
Like Bowen, Leslie was a
professional boxer – bantamweight. He was
travelling with the aforementioned Bowen, to undertake a series boxing contest.
Leslie’s body was recovered
after sinking by the MacKay Bennett and his body was buried at sea on 22nd
April. At the time of sinking, Leslie’s
wife, was pregnant and she gave birth to his second son, Harold Charles on 25th
July.
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| In Memoriam Card (Courtesy of Henry Aldridge & Son) |
Evan Lewis Davies
Evans Davies born 1890, Killybebill,
Pontardawe. He was the eldest child of
three, he was the son of Lewis Evan Davies and Mary Rogers.
At the time of the 1891
Census, Evan, 1 years old, is living with his parents at Collier’s Lane, Killybebill.
His mother is to have thought to have died 1899, and his father is remarried
Alice Lewis. Thought this marriage, they
couple were to have 6 children.
By the time of the 1911
census, Evans’ occupation is listed as a coal miner.
Evan, travelled on the Titanic
as a 3rd-class along with his uncle, William John Rogers. Both men were lost in the sinking and their
bodies were not recovered.
Their names were commemorated
on a headstone in Seion Newydd churchyard, Morriston.
William John
Rogers
Uncle William John Rogers was
born 1882, Glais. He was the son of John Rogers and Elizabeth. William had five siblings.
By the time of the 1891
Census, he is living at Ynysymond, Glais by the time of the 1901 Census he is
listed with another sibling living his widowed mother. William’s occupation is listed at miner. By 1911 Census, William still single is still
living with his mother.
William is to have a child
with Elizabeth Powell out of wedlock. The
couple were to marry in the Spring 1911.
By early 1912, Elizabeth was reported in the news that William had abandoned
his wife and a court order for his desertion had been placed on him days before
the Titanic set sail.
William travelled with his
nephew, the aforementioned Evan Lewis Davies, as a 3rd-class
passenger. He was lost in the sinking
Wilfred Cyril
Foley
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| William Cyril Foley |
At the time of both 1891 and
1901 Censuses, Wilfred in living at family home, however, his parents were absent
in the later census. By 1907 Wilfred had
left Swansea and settled in Southampton with his family.
By the time of the 1911
Census, the family were living at 15 Andersons Road, Chapel, Southampton. His occupation is listed as a seafarer in the
merchant service.
At the time of signing on the
Titanic, 6th April 1912, Wilfred listed his address as at 15
Monson’s Road. He previously served as a
third-class steward on the Oceanic.
His monthly wages were £3 15s.
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| After being lowered into the sea Boat 13 drifted under the descending Boat 15 (as depicted by Charles Dixon) |
After the disaster, Wilfred
resettled in Britain, and he never married.
At the outbreak of the First World War, August 1914, Foley signed up for
service in August 1915. Serving with Royal West Kent Regiment, 10th
Battalion. Private Foley was discharged from
the Army, December 1915 on Medical Grounds with the effects of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Returning to his family at 43
Congreve Road, Eltham, London, Wilfred, worked in the Royal Arsenal. Wilfred died from tuberculosis 3rd
April 1916, and is buried at St. John the Baptist church, Eltham.
Robert William
Norman Leyshon
Robert William Norman Leyshon
born 1887, Kensington, London. He was
the son of Robert Thomas Leyshon and Jessie Gertrude Richards. Robert had six siblings.
By the time of the 1891
Census, the family were living at Westbrook, Swansea only having returned to
Swansea a few years earlier. A decade
later at the time 1901 Census, the family living at Bloomfield, Sketty. Robert isn’t listed on the census, he reappears
on the 1911 Census living at 65 Eaton Terrace, St. Georges, London. His occupation is listed as solicitor.
January 1912, Robert, was
inducted into Cambrian Lodge of the Masonic Order, this time his occupation is listed
as Engineer.
April 1912, Robert, boarded
the Titanic at Southampton as a 2nd-class passenger, with the
intention of joining his brother, Leyson in New York.
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| MacKay Bennett |
Robert lost his life in the sinking and his body was recovered by the MacKay Bennett and being buried at sea on 24th April.
Owen Wilmore
Samuel
Owen Wilmore Samuel born
1865, Llandilo, Carmarthenshire. He was
the son of schoolmaster William Samuel and Ann James. Owen had six siblings, including Astley
Samuel.
By the 1817 Census, Owen is
listed as living at the school house Cilybebyll, Cadoxton. Ann died 1874 and William remarried Louisa.
By the time of 1881 Census,
Owen is listed as scholar living at Alltwen Hill, Tawyrallt, Cilbyebyll. His father, William, is thought to have died by 1890, by which time
Owen, left home
By the time of the 1891 Census,
Owen is living at the drapers B. Evans & Co., Temple Street, Swansea. His occupation is listed as a clerk. Owen left Swansea around 1900.
By the time 1901 Census,
Owen, is living at 47 Fieldhead Road, Ecclesall, Sheffield. He is still unmarried, and his occupation is
listed commercial clerk.
During the second half of
1901, Owen marries Elizabeth Mortimer, near Liverpool. The couple return back
to Sheffield, where their own child, is born.
Sometime after this time, or
encouraged by his brother-in-law, John Hardy, Owen went to sea. By the time 1911 Census Owen and his family
are boarders at 125 Osborne Road, Southampton.
His occupation is listed as Seaman in the merchant service.
Owen signed on the Titanic
on the 4th April, giving his address as 125 Osborne Road. His previous ship was Oceanic, where
he served as second class saloon, his monthly wages were £3 15s. His brother-in-law, John Hardy who served a Chief
Second Class Steward. Hardy survived the
sinking.
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| Owen Wimore Samuel Grave Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia credit Findagrave |
The Western Mail,
reported on the 18th April 1912.
Mr. W. Samuel one of the
stewards of the vessel, was at one time in the employ of Messrs. Ben Evans and
Co (Limited), Swansea, and is a brother of a well-known Swansea auctioneer. He
left Swansea about twelve years ago for Sheffield, and afterwards left the
drapery trade and went to Liverpool
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