Mr Sidney Edward Daniels was born on November 19, 1893 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He was the son of Walter James Daniels (1852-1920) and Louisa Mary Hunter (1857-1911), both natives of Hampshire who had married in Portsea in 1877. They would go on to have nine children: Walter James (b. 1878), Alice Louisa (b. 1879), George Alfred (b. 1881), Mabel Grace (b. 1883), Albert Frank (b. 1885), Ernest Frederick (b. 1889), Dorothy May (b. 1898) and Sid.
Sidney first appears on the 1901 census living at 29 Bessant Road, Portsmouth. His father was described as a beer retailer. Sid's mother died in early 1911 and by the time of the 1911 census Sid is living with his widowed father, two sisters and a brother-in-law at 119 Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth. Sid was described as single and at that time unemployed. He would later work on the Olympic and was on board that ship during her collision with the Hawke.
When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as 119 Albert Road, Portsmouth. His last ship was the Olympic. As a third class steward he received monthly wages of £3 15s. He was acquainted with fellow third class steward Francis Edbrooke, son of a Portsmouth publican, perhaps through their respective fathers.
On the night of the sinking Daniels reported that he was in his bunk when a night watchmen came in and told them to get dressed and up on deck. He recalled assisting women and children to the boats until all but the last two collapsible boats remained. He assisted working at collapsible B until he described being up to his knees in water; following a quick glance around the deck he jumped up onto the rail beside a davit and struck out for the water where he swam around for a couple of minutes before climbing aboard collapsible B. Sid reported men saying the Lord's prayer in unison. He also said that he informed a man near to him that he was exhausted and needed to sleep; the man berated him and told him to stay awake otherwise he might not wake up again. The occupants of the upturned boat were later rescued and taken aboard Carpathia. Sid later returned home aboard the Lapland.
"I just stopped at home. After a couple of days I went down with quinsy, a reaction had set in apparently. I was on the dole for about six months and I went back on the Olympic and stopped right there. I did roughly two hundred voyages on the Olympic, backwards and forwards to New York each time."
During the 1914-1918 War, Sidney Daniels joined the Royal Army Service Corps, although he saw no direct combat, much to his chagrin, and he returned home in 1915. He was married in early 1916 to Gertrude Jessie Edbrooke (b. 1894 in Gosport, Hampshire), sister of his Titanic colleague Francis Edbrooke. They would have no children and Gertrude died in 1918.
Sid was remarried in 1920 to Alfreda Kathleen Clements (born August 15, 1895 on the Isle of Wight). They would have seven children: Kathleen (1922-1966), Sidney (b. 1925), Albert (b. 1928), Robert John (1930-1981), Marion (b. 1932), Richard (b. 1935) and Jean (b. 1938).
Sid continued to work at sea and would again serve during World War II for the merchant navy.
Sid Daniels was the last surviving member of Titanic's crew. He died in Portsmouth on 25 May 1983 2 aged 89. His wife Alfreda later moved to Surrey and died there in 1989. Daniels is buried with his wife Alfreda in Milton Cemetery, Portsmouth (plot V, Row 13, grave 18).
Comment and discuss
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Hi all! I am from Argentina, my name's Federico, I'm 26 and just wanted to let you know that I interviewed Sid Daniels' daughter back in 2014 (I just returned here today) and the interview was largely published in the area. It's now been used at schools for History classes and Lengua classes (Lengua would be in English... uhm.... Writing?... Edition?.-.. Language'?) is that at your schools in the UK or US? I shared the pics of the article with Mr. Daniels'' daughter. And just that, the Titanic still survives. Cheers all. And have a wonderful summer (extremely cold winter down here in Argentina) LOL.
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I meant it's now "being" used at schools... Sorry for the English mess. :)
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The newspaper is "El Eco", the fourth oldest-founded in Argentina, I'd share the pics but don't know how to do it.
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Did anybody in the UK watch the BBC TV programme Antiques Roadshow tonight? I was in the shower when my wife yelled out but I arrived a mite too late. Sideny Daniels's son and daughter were present but I missed their introduction and hence their names or what they were there for. The man did not look old enough to have been Albert Daniels, who would be 94 if alive today; so I guess it must have been Richard Daniels (b 1935). The lady was a few years younger and so must have been his sister Jean. As I mentioned before, Mr Sheppherd, who rejuvinated my interest in the Titanic in 1985, went to school with Albert Daniels. Please, if anyone else saw this show tonight, let me know the full details.
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Thanks Jason. I saw the clip and while it conformed that the siblings had brought an old letter to Sidney from his family (currently valued at £10,000) written after the disaster, they were never introduced. I first checked the BBC site and other on-line sources about that Antiques Roadshow episode but got no futher. BUT THEN, I found a 2012 article from The Daily Mirror showing a photograph of the then 76-year old Richard Daniels showing the same letter in an interview; it was clearly the same man from last night albeit 10 yers younger. So, Sidney Daniels' son who appeared last night on Antiques Roadshow was definitely his youngest son Richard Daniels. I had thought that the lady in the show, Richard's sister, appeared a few years younger, but on watching your clip again, she could have been a bit older. So, Sidney's daughter could have been either Marion (b1932) or Jean (b 1938). What I never found out is if the then 18-year-old Sidney Daniels, a steward who apparently mainly...
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£10,000 for the letter and artifacts seems like a low valuation to me.
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That's probably the average value based on what an "ordinary" enthusiast would be prepared to pay for them. Many of us genuine Titanicians would likely value it higher but I am not sure how many of us can actually afford that price. I certainly cannot. ;)
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It would be nice if Southampton City Council archivists could put online their 1982 tape recording of Mr Daniel's interview regarding his experiences.
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I watched Antiques Roadshow on BBC 1 this evening from Portchester Castle. Is this a repeat? The Daniels stuff I’m having some difficulty with unless he fathered kids when he was getting on a bit? Those interviewed talked about their ‘Dad’.
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Being still stuck in India I did not see the show yesterday, but the one I did last year was at a castle and so yesterday's one might have been a repeat. Following last year's show, Jason kindly passed my contact details to Sidney's son Richard Daniels, who then got in touch with me by e-mail. Unfortunately, despite being the same age group - Sidney Daniels was 18 and John Collins was 17 years old on board the Titanic and working in the Victualling Department - the two men do not appear to have known each other. At least, Sidney, who lived a long life and died only in 1983, never mentioned the scullion to Richard. Sid was remarried in 1920 to Alfreda Kathleen Clements (born...
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Can you believe today (April 30) marks exactly 116 years since the idea for the Titanic was conceived? It was this day back in 1907 that Ismay and Pirrie came up with the idea to build the three Olympic Class liners. Now the Titanic is only a few years away from complete disintegration. My, how time flies....
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