Babies on Titanic
Aboard the maiden voyage of Titanic as she steamed away from Queenstown - her last call on her way to New York, were nine babies under the age of one year old. Five of the babies were traveling as third class passengers, three were traveling as second class passengers and one was traveling in first class. All were traveling with at least one of their parents.
Babies travelling in First Class
Hudson Allison, aged 11 months, had been born in Quebec, Canada on 7th May 1911. He joined Titanic at Southampton with his mother, father, sister and his new nursemaid Allice Cleaver. His family were returning home to Canada from a trip to Britain. He was rescued in lifeboat 11 with his nursemaid. Tragically his mother father and sister were lost in the sinking. Back home in Canada, he went to live with his uncle and auntie.
Babies travelling in Second Class
Barbara West, aged 10 months when aboard Titanic, was born on 24th May 1911 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. She was travelling to America with her father Edwy, mother Ada and 4-year-old sister Constance - where the family intended to settle. Barbara, her mother and her sister were rescued in, it is said, Lifeboat 11. Sadly, her father was lost. After the sinking, she and her family soon returned to Britain, where they went to live in her mother's hometown - Turo, Cornwall. She married Stanley Winder, and later after becoming a widow, married William Dainton. She worked as a teacher.
Alden Caldwell, aged 10 months, was born on 10th June 1911 in Siam (now Thailand), to American parents. His parents (Albert and Sylvia Caldwell) were returning home to America from Siam where they had been teaching at a Christian college. During the sinking Alden, his mother and father were all rescued in Lifeboat 13. He later become a chemical engineer.
Sibley Richards, aged around 10 months, was born on 17th June 1911 in Newlyn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. He was travelling to Ohio, United States to where his Uncle George had moved to sometime before, and his father James had more recently joined him. He was accompanied aboard Titanic by his Uncle George, his mother, Emily, his grandmother Eliza, his auntie Ellen and his 3-year-old brother William. Sibley, his brother and the female members of his family were rescued during the disaster. After the sinking, he lived in Ohio for a couple of years before he, his father, mother and brother returned home to Britain, where they then seem to have resettled in Cornwall. During the Second World War he served his country in the Royal Navy.
Babies travelling in Third Class
As’ad Tannus, 5 months old when aboard Titanic, was born on 8th November 1911 in the Middle East. He was traveling to America with his 16-year-old mother, Thamin Tannus, to join his father who had already made his way there. Despite, in the chaos of the night, ending up in a different lifeboat to his mother, both As’ad and his mother were rescued and found each other on the rescue ship Carpathia. They both then settled in America with his father.
Gilbert Danbom, aged around 5 months, was born in Sweden on 16th November 1911 and was travelling with his mother and father who were traveling home to America from a long trip to Sweden, joined aboard Titanic by his auntie, uncle and a family friend. Horribly, although the family friend was saved, Gilbert and his family were lost.
Philip Aks, aged 10 months when aboard Titanic was born on 7th June 1911 in London. Joining Titanic at Southampton, he was aboard the ship with his mother Leah Aks, traveling to America to live there with his father who had already made his way there earlier in the year. Somehow during the chaos of the sinking, Philip and his mother were separated and escaped the sinking ship in different lifeboats. Both were saved and found each other onboard Carpathia. Philip settled in America, and is known to have later had an interest in Titanic and to have attended a number of Titanic conventions.
Millvina Dean, aged 2 months aboard Titanic, was the youngest person aboard the ship, and eventually become the last living Titanic survivor. Millvina boarded Titanic at Southampton on 10th April 1912 with her father, Bertram, her mother, Eva and her 1-year-old brother also named Bertrum - intending on moving from Britain to America. On the night of the sinking Millvina, her mother and her brother were rescued in Lifeboat 10. Sadly, her father was lost. Soon after the disaster Millvina her, mother and brother returned home to Britain. In the latter half of the 1980s Millvina started to become involved with those interested in Titanic, and went on to devote a lot of time to those people – attending many Titanic conventions, events and giving TV and other interviews etc. Really, you could say she become a celebrity.
Albert Peacock, aged 7 months, was born on 8th September 1911 in Southampton. He, his mother Edith and his father sister Treasteall were making their way to America to join his father, Benjamin, who had already settled there and was waiting for his family to join him. Tragically Albert, his mother and sister were not amongst the survivors.
Related pages - Titanic Lookouts and Crow's Nest, All Titanic Pages