Our Boys on the 'Titanic'
Primitive Methodist Leader
April 1912
There were three of them sailed with her - Percy (Bailey), Harry (Cotterill) and George (Hocking). The first named we knew well, for although all were brought up in our Sunday school the latter two had ceased attending regularly at any one place of worship. They had only, as we say in Cornwall, come in and out to the services, that is, attended occasionally.
Percy perhaps, because of a father’s restraining hand, had always attended well; he also was the youngest of the trio, but eighteen, well grown, and with a face that smiled upon you so pleasantly; had you been unacquainted with him you must have given him a second glance. It was he who, hastening home to tea one day last winter, stopped to see what a crowd of people was about in the narrow street. Perceiving a little form there prostrate whom no one dared touch, he gathered it into his arms, and, asking where was the child’s home, proceded there. When the doctor pronounced that a broken thigh necessitated the little boy’s being taken to the hospital near at hand, two little arms were outstretched, and the child said to Percy, ‘You carry me!’ The next visiting day found Percy, according to promise at the boy’s bedside. While the child talked to his parents Percy made an acquaintance in the next bed. Its occupant was a motherless youth, who had no visitors, his crippled father and home being miles up the coast. A vessel had put in to bring him to hospital with a terribly crushed foot. The little one in a few weeks went home healed, but until Percy went away visiting every day found him cheering the poor sailor boy by his bright presence and with such offerings as his pocket money allowed him to carry.
Anxiously we have waited for tidings, and now they are come. We have got the last news of the three, they were left with a number of Cornishmen, not one of whom was saved.
From what we knew of these boys, we feel sure that when they went down in the deep waters the prayers that they had learned around their mother’s knees and at the Sunday-school of the church that now mourns for them were upon their lips, commending them to Him.
There were three of them sailed with her - Percy (Bailey), Harry (Cotterill) and George (Hocking). The first named we knew well, for although all were brought up in our Sunday school the latter two had ceased attending regularly at any one place of worship. They had only, as we say in Cornwall, come in and out to the services, that is, attended occasionally.
Percy perhaps, because of a father’s restraining hand, had always attended well; he also was the youngest of the trio, but eighteen, well grown, and with a face that smiled upon you so pleasantly; had you been unacquainted with him you must have given him a second glance. It was he who, hastening home to tea one day last winter, stopped to see what a crowd of people was about in the narrow street. Perceiving a little form there prostrate whom no one dared touch, he gathered it into his arms, and, asking where was the child’s home, proceded there. When the doctor pronounced that a broken thigh necessitated the little boy’s being taken to the hospital near at hand, two little arms were outstretched, and the child said to Percy, ‘You carry me!’ The next visiting day found Percy, according to promise at the boy’s bedside. While the child talked to his parents Percy made an acquaintance in the next bed. Its occupant was a motherless youth, who had no visitors, his crippled father and home being miles up the coast. A vessel had put in to bring him to hospital with a terribly crushed foot. The little one in a few weeks went home healed, but until Percy went away visiting every day found him cheering the poor sailor boy by his bright presence and with such offerings as his pocket money allowed him to carry.
Anxiously we have waited for tidings, and now they are come. We have got the last news of the three, they were left with a number of Cornishmen, not one of whom was saved.
From what we knew of these boys, we feel sure that when they went down in the deep waters the prayers that they had learned around their mother’s knees and at the Sunday-school of the church that now mourns for them were upon their lips, commending them to Him.
Related Biographies:
Percy Andrew Bailey
Henry "Harry" Cotterill
Richard George Hocking
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Steve Coombes
