Mrs Ellen Wilkes (née Needs)

Mrs James Wilkes (Ellen Needs) was born on 13 June 1864 in Madron near Penzance, Cornwall. The daughter of George Needs (General Labourer) and Ann Needs (née Jenkins). She was sister to Eliza (known as Elizabeth), Mary Elizabeth and Henrietta. She had married James Wilkes (Labourer) by early 1881 and lived in Market Jew Street, Penzance.

She embarked Titanic at Southampton and travelled third class under ticket number 363272 costing £7. Her sister, Mrs Eliza Hocking, was also on the ship, travelling second class. Her destination was to her nephew, Sidney Hocking who was living at 457 Rhodes Avenue, Akron, Ohio.

Ellen was rescued on lifeboat 16 and remained in Akron for the rest of her life.

Akron Beacon Journal, Akron 27 April 1955
Courtesy: Phillip Gowan, USA

She became a recluse in later years and was discovered by neighbours living in squalor and without heat or running water in the middle of wintertime. Although her home had furniture, she had been sleeping sitting upright in a chair in her living room. Unopened mail (some years old) was in stacks surrounding her. She was suffering severely from frostbite and partial amputation of her feet was performed prior to her death at the age of 90 on 27 April 1955.

Articles
Akron Beacon Journal, 27 April 1955, Obituary

Documents
Ohio Department of Health Certificate of Death

References
The Illustrated Western Weekly News, 20 April 1912

Contributors
Steve Coombes, UK
Chris Dohany, USA
Phillip Gowan, USA
Per Kristian Sebak, Norway
Homer Thiel, USA
Brian Ticehurst, UK