Mr Percy Andrew Bailey

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Name: Mr Percy Andrew Bailey
Born: 1893
Age: 15 years
Last Residence: in Penzance Cornwall England
Occupation: Butcher's Assistant
2nd Class passenger
First Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 29108 , £11 10s
Destination: Akron Ohio United States
Died in the sinking.
Body Not Recovered

Mr Percy Andrew Bailey, 18, was born in Cornwall in 1893. The son of James Bailey of 25 Gwavas Street , Penzance.

He was travelling to New York City to visit his uncle (Harry Jennings) before going on to Akron, OH to the home of a friend of his father, Mr J. Bailey. He had been hired by a firm in that city as an apprentice butcher.

Bailey initially booked on the White Star Line vessel Oceanic, but transferred to Titanic when he heard that several friends were booked for that steamer. He travelled as a second class passenger (ticket number 29108, £11 10s.).

He arrived in Southampton on April 9th from where he sent a postcard to his parents.

Dear Mother and Father,
I telegrammed to you. We had a very tiresome journey on the L.S.W.
[London & South Western Railway] Railway it was terribly slow travelling, and we had a job to get lodgings but we got in.
From your loving son - Percy xxx.

The following day he boarded the Titanic and penned a longer letter to his parents.

April 17th (sic) 1912 On board RMS Titanic

Dear Father and Mother,
We arrived on board this morning after a nights rest at Southampton. We put up at an Hotel named Berrimans, the lady who owns it, is a Cornish lady, we had a good supper and a good breakfast of ham and eggs, we were doing it fine. I slept with a young man named Wills a brother to the man who married Mrs Trevasks daughter, he came to Southampton to see his sister-in-law. We had several people joined us at St. Erith bound for the same place as we are going so we are a big family altogether. Well dear Mother, I suppose you are missing me but don't be downhearted old dear Percy will be behaved to you as a son ought to treat his Mother and Father. This going away from home will make me a better man and try and lead a good life. The Titanic is a marvel I can tell you I have never seen such a sight in all my life, she is like a floating palace, everything up to date. I hope you are all well as it leaves me at present.
Father I shall never forget your kindness, you have don more for me than many Fathers have done for their sons. Well dear parents I don't think there is any more news I can tell you now kiss Grandma for me and tell her I am sorry for all my wicked thoughts which I said to her, but never again, will I cheek her.
Give my best love to all who ask for me and tell Ethel to come and see you any time. I will draw my letter to a close hoping you one and all are quite well.
I remain your loving son

(The 'Wills' referred to was William Wills, the brother of Mr Arthur Henry Wells who had married Addie Dart Trevaskis and it was she that 'Wills' had come to Southampton to see. Addie was en route to her husband who was already in Akron, Ohio. William Wells at a later date joined his brother and sister-in-law in Akron).

Percy Baily

Bailey shared a cabin with Harry Cotterill and George Hocking also from Penzance, none of whom survived the sinking.

The following account appeared in a New York newspaper shortly after the sinking:

Titanic Disaster felt in Home of Bronx Man
Harry Jennings, Alexander Avenue Butcher Mourns Loss of Nephew Who Was to Make His Home In America.

The echo of grief and horror which can be heard the world round, as the result of the greatest sea disaster in history has reached a Bronx fireside at 213 Willis avenue, where lives Harry Jennings, a butcher for H. Walger, at 333 Alexander avenue, and whose nephew Percy Bailey, was among the second cabin passengers that went down to Neptune's grave with the biggest ship afloat.
Bailey was on his way to the Bronx to stop at his uncle's house for a short stay prior to going to Akron, Ohio, where he was engaged by a butcher's concern to finish out his apprenticeship at the business. he was nineteen years old, and, according to Jennings, sought to come to America on his own volition. He left his home and parents in Cornwall, England, and, according to a letter he wrote his uncle a few weeks ago, was proud that he would take passage on the Titanic's maiden voyage to America.
Throughout the Bronx flags can be seen on almost every flag staff at half mast. Borough hall at 177th street and Third avenue, was one of the first in the Borough to raise the National Standard.
Memorial services will be held in many churches on Sunday and sermons appropriate to the topic of the day will be preached. Ambulances from Lincoln Hospital, the only Bronx institution to send emergency 'buses to meet the steamer Carpathia on Thursday night, were speeded in the direction of West street manned by doctors prepared to render what aid possible in the event of being called on. Three ambulances were sent from Lincoln in charge of Hospital Superintendent Richard H. Townley. House surgeon Thomas E, Frestoin, a Bronxionian, with Doctors Presley, Eddy, Wolf and Borst, accompanied the buses to the steamship pier. Squads of policemen were picked from the Bronx precincts and sent to serve duty along West street. Police Commissioner Waldo and Fire Commissioner Johnston ordered flags at half mast on all department buildings in orders issued to that effect last night.

References and Sources
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio), 21 April 1912
Western Morning News, April 17, 1912

Credits
Steve Coombes, UK
Homer Thiel, USA
Per Kristian Sebak, Norway
Brian Ticehurst, UK

Related Articles and Documents

FAMILY INFORMATION  
Primitive Methodist Leader  (1912)  OUR BOYS ON THE 'TITANIC'  
Primitive Methodist Leader  (1912)  OUR BOYS ON THE 'TITANIC'  
Western Morning News  (1912)  TITANIC DISASTER, WESTCOUNTRY PASSENGERS AND CREW  
West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser  (1912)  UNKNOWN TITLE  
Akron Beacon Journal  (1912)  AKRON WOMEN TELL THRILLING STORIES OF THEIR RESCUE FROM THE DOOMED SHIP  

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(2012) Percy Andrew Bailey Encyclopedia Titanica (ref: #333, accessed 9th April 2012 05:34:44 PM)
URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/percy-andrew-bailey.html

 


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