Mr Frank Winnold Prentice
Born: 1889
Age: 22 years
Last Residence: in Southampton Hampshire England
Occupation: Storekeeper
Victualling crew
First Embarked: Southampton
Rescued
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
Died: Sunday 30th May 1982
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Mr Frank Prentice (1) was born in Downham, Norfolk in early 1889 (2).
When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4th April 1912, he gave his address as 71 Denzil Avenue, (Southampton). He transferred from the Celtic. As an Assistant Storekeeper he received monthly wages of £3 15s.
At the time of the collision, Prentice was in his berth on the port side of E deck (a cabin he shared with 5 other kitchen storekeepers) sitting in his bunk talking to another storekeeper. He didn't notice anything strange other than the ship stopping. He went up onto the promenade deck to survey the scene and saw the forward well deck covered in ice.
Frank Prentice as a young man
He either helped to load the lifeboats or watched the loading, but later in the night he ended up on the poop deck chatting with his mates. When the poop deck became crowded with people, Prentice, with his colleagues Cyril Ricks and M. Kieran, climbed over the port side railing and jumped into the icy water. He found Ricks was injured, and floating nearby, and stayed with the man until Ricks died. Prentice began swimming and found Lifeboat 4, the crew and women in the boat pulled him in.
Prentice signed-on to the Oceanic on 10 July 1912. He later recalled that he was on board when one of Titanic's lifeboats was found drifting in mid-Atlantic.
Shortly before his death on 30th May 1982 Frank Prentice told his story in a British documentary Titanic: A Question of Murder.
Notes
1. On his death certificate his middle name is given as "Winnold". But he signed-on as "Geo. Prentice".
2. Balls (1999) gives his date of birth as 17 February 1896 but birth records suggest his birth was registered in the first quarter of 1889.
References and Sources
John Balls (1999) Titanic: The Norfolk Survivors. Nostalgia Publications, Dereham
Crew Particulars of Engagement, Public Record Office (BT100/259)
Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, Agreements and Crew Lists Oceanic January – August 1912
Titanic: A Question of Murder. TVS 1982
United States Senate, Washington 1912. n° 806, Crew List
Credits
Chris Dohany, USA
Inger Sheil, UK
Kerri Sundberg, USA
Brian Ticehurst, UK
Bill Wormstedt, USA
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