Mr Albert Hector Crisp

Albert Hector Crisp was born in Woolwich, Kent, England on 18 May 1872. He was the son of Henry Crisp (b. 1840) and Elizabeth Catherine MacGraine (b. 1843). His father was from Woolwich and in the army; his mother was from Gibraltar and they had met and married in Gibraltar around 1868.

On the 1881 census Albert and his family are living at Grange Fort, Rowner, Fraeham, Hampshire and his father is described as a Staff Sergeant of Militia. Besides Albert and his parents, listed are his siblings: Lavinia (b. 1869), William Henry John (b. 1871), George Victor (b. 1873), Elizabeth Catherine (b. 1876), Joseph Charles (b. 1878) and Alma (b. 1880). The census indicates that the family moved around quite a bit, spending time in Bermuda, settling for a while in different areas of Kent before moving to Hampshire. By the time of the 1891 census Albert is missing, presumably already at sea, but his family are living in Alverstoke, Hampshire and have welcomed three more children: Matilda (b. 1882), Robert Thomas (b. 1884) and Ellis Edward (b. 1886). Albert is again absent from the 1901 census and his family have relocated to Portland, Dorset.

Albert was married in the second half of 1911 to Florence Barnes (née Bushrod) who had been born in Southampton in 1880 and previously married to John Barnes in 1900. She had two daughters, Margaret Grace (b. 1903) and Florence Catherine (b. 1906) and was widowed around 1910. On the 1911 census Florence Barnes was living at 37 Macnaughten Road, Bitterne Park, Southampton.

When Albert signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as 37 Macnaughten Road, Southampton. His last ship had been the Olympic. As a saloon steward he received monthly wages of £3 15s.

Crisp died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

Crisp's widow Florence, who was pregnant at the time, gave birth to a daughter Minnie Kathleen Joan on June 29, 1912.

His widow Florence never remarried and died in Winchester, Hampshire in 1967. Both his stepdaughters were married: Margaret in 1930 to Adrian Fisher and Florence in 1940 to Stanley Lebern. Both died in Hampshire; Margaret in 1991 and Florence in 1992. His daughter Minnie was never married and died in Southampton in 1999.

References and Sources

Agreement and Account of Crew (PRO London, BT100/259)