Mr William Gilbert

 

Courtesy: Steve Coombes, UK

Mr William Gilbert, 47, was from a family whose roots were located in the small hamlet of Polladrass and the nearby village of Carleen in the parish of Breage, some three and a half miles to the north-west of the Cornish town of Helston. William was born in Polladrass in 1865. He was the son of Thomas Gilbert and Elizabeth (Eliza) Gilbert (née Williams). His father was a miner who spent much of his working time in America, mainly in and around Butte, Montana. In his absence William's mother ran a grocers shop in Polladrass which she had taken over from her father-in-law Edward Gilbert who had died in 1879.

William spent his early years in Polladrass and, when he was aged 2, his sister, Mary was born. After 10 years his brother Thomas was born. At about this time William was apprenticed to Mr Joyce of nearby Breage as a joiner and wheelwright. In due course Thomas also followed the same trade.

In the mid-1880's William, his mother, brother and sister moved to live in a cottage in Carleen. This cottage was No 1 Gilbert's Row and had been built for William's father in the 1860's and had initially been occupied by William's great-uncle. This double-fronted cottage was built against three existing cottages which are still known today as No's 1 to 4 Gilbert's Row.

William, like his father, decided to seek work in Butte and subsequently secured employment there in a joinery shop. At about the same time his sister Mary moved there too and kept a boarding house at which William, his father and many other Cornish stayed.

Mary was renowned for her Cornish pasties and saffron cake. William returned to Cornwall on 1 January 1912 for a three month holiday to visit his mother and brother. Thomas was by then was running his own wheelwright business in Carleen also building such things as butchers wagons, traps and carts.

William was due to return to America in the March of 1912 but stalled his return wishing to wait for the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

William travelled to Southampton and embarked Titanic on 10 April 1912. He was travelling in second class under ticket number 30769, which had cost him £10 10s.

He was lost in the sinking, his body, if recovered, was never identified.

He has a memorial on the family gravestone in the cemetery adjacent to Breage parish church. The inscription reads:

© Steve Coombes, UK

'With Thomas, Eliza Gilbert. Also of William, their beloved son, who lost his life in the wreck of the Titanic, April 15th 1912, aged 47 years.

A memorial window which was originally placed in Carleen Chapel is now in the ownership of William'snewphew.

© Steve Coombes, UK

His mother received relief from the Mansion House fund:

Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklet, March 1913: Number P. 39.
Gilbert, Eliza, mother. received weekly pension.

On 8 May 1912, twenty-four days following the loss of William his brother's wife, Annie, gave birth to a baby boy at No 2 Gilberts Row. He was immediately named William in memory of his uncle. Spending his early years living next door to his grandmother (William's mother) he was to hear much about the uncle he never knew. Some of his recollections which give an insight into William Gilbert appeared in a local publication 'Carleen - Then and now'.

''His main interests were electrical engineering and technical drawing. I have heard that he was very clever and had an intentive mind. He went to Truro one day to get some material for his experiments, he probably cycled to Nancegollan Station to get a train to Gwinear Road and then changed trains for Truro. He arrived home late at night but did not retire to bed until he set his electric motor in motion in his bedroom, the vibration on the bedroom floor awakened Granny Gilbert in the middle of the night. He was clever with his tools and loved a challenge, among the many interesting things he made was a model sailing boat and a violin. Granny would as a special favour let me look at the artefacts in Uncle's bottom drawer. I can remember the blueprints, violin bows, and his Freemason's Apron. The top right hand drawer was full of smaller items which meant nothing to me as a small boy. It was said that William was hoping to have one of his inventions patented in America, he believed perpetual motion was a possibility. He was also a keen amateur photographer, he used the old-fashioned wood camera and tripod and glass negative plate, the dark-room was Granny's store room when she kept the shop, the long slate shelf was ideal for developing and printing. It seems he was a confirmed bachelor but evidently had many female admirers. One was a Miss Eustace of Ashton, another lived in Helston, this young lady walked to Carleen twice in one day (Sunday) to see him. I hope Granny gave her a cup of tea.''

In these recollections he also mentions that William, on his many journeys to and from Cornwall regularly stayed at the Cornish Arms Hotel, 445 West 23rd Street, New York whose proprietor was a Mr Sid Blake. Sid was a Cornishman who prided himself on the 'home-from-home' service he provided to his fellow visiting Cornishmen. On 21 April 1912 he wrote to the Butte Tribune newspaper expressing his sadness in the loss of so many Cornish people, many of whom he had come to know personally. He made a particular reference to William Gilbert.

References
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Marriages, births, deaths and injuries that have occurred on board during the voyage (PRO London, BT 100/259-260)
Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklets and Minute Books (#P.39)

Acknowledgements
William Gilbert, UK (nephew of William Gilbert)

Contributors
Stephen Coombes, UK
Chris Dohany, USA
Brian Ticehurst, UK
Geoff Whitfield, UK

     

Become an Editor
Help us to improve this biography

Summary
Born: 1865
Age: 47 years
Last Residence: in Carleens Cornwall England
2nd Class passenger
First Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 30769 , £10 10s
Destination: Butte Montana United States
Died in the sinking.
Body Not Recovered

Related Pages