Mr John George Sage

John George Sage

Mr. John George Sage, 44, was born in Hackney, London in 1867. During his youth he had a number of trades which included corn grinder, theatre door attendant, barman and baker.

He married Annie Elizabeth Cazaly (born 1867), also from Hackney on 2nd November, 1890. The couple went on to have the following children: Stella Anne Sage (born 1891), George John Sage (born 1892), Douglas Bullen Sage (born 1894), Frederick Sage (born 1895), Dorothy Florence Sage (born 1897), Anthony William Sage (born 1899), Elizabeth Ada Sage (born 1901), Constance Gladys Sage (born 1904) and Thomas Henry Sage (born 1907). Two other children died in infancy.

Sometime around 1900 the family moved to the Norfolk area where John became landlord of several public houses in the North Wootton area. They then moved to Peterborough where they purchased a small bakery and shop at 237 Gladstone Street.

Some time later John and his oldest son, George, went to Canada where they worked as dining car attendants for the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was during this period that they discovered Florida a surviving postcard suggests how taken John was with the area:

John Sage decided to relocate the family to Jacksonville, he put a deposit on a farm where he intended to grow pecan nuts and returned home in late 1911 to prepare the family for the move. George remained in Florida where he became engaged to a local girl. In early 1912 he too returned home in order to settle some business.

John's enthusiasm was evidently not shared by Annie Sage who did not want to leave England, having a fear of water - her daughter Dorothy (Dolly) had fallen into a well in the back yard of the family home and almost drowned. Annie also appears to have been rather timid by nature too.

John insisted that the family piano and other furniture was crated up and sent ahead and sent over £1,000 with which to pay the balance of the farm. 1

The entire family boarded the Titanic at Southampton (ticket number CA. 2343, £69, 11s) on 10 April 1912.

It is likely that the family was able to reach the deck shortly before the Titanic went down, there are reports that Stella had got into a lifeboat but left it when other members of her family were unable to join her.

The whole family were lost in the sinking, out of the eleven only the body of Will Sage was ever recovered.

Notes
1. It is not known what became of the proceeds of the farm in Florida, for when John's estate went through probate in Peterborough on 25th May 1912 his effects came to £347 9s 0d which went to his sister, Mary Ann Perrin (Probate Report).

Articles
Geoff Whitfield (2001) The Sage Family of Peterborough

Documents
Cheltenham Echo, 20th April, 1912, Whole Family Drowned
Northampton Independent, 20th April, 1912, page 16, Whole Family Perish
Northampton Independent, 20th April, 1912, Article
Peterborough Paper, April, 1912, Article
Probate Report

References
Dave Bryceson (1997) The Titanic Disaster: As Reported in the British National Press April-July 1912. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN-1-85260-579-0
Names and Descriptions of British Passengers Embarked at the Port of Southampton, 10 April 1912 (PRO London, BT 27/780B)
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Marriages, births, deaths and injuries that have occurred on board during the voyage (PRO London, BT 100/259-260)
Judith Geller (1998) Titanic: Women and Children First. Haynes. ISBN 1 85260 594 4
Daily Mail, 18th April, 1912, Fate of a Family
Daily Sketch, 9th May, 1912, Norfolk Family of Eleven who were wiped out in Titanic Disaster.

Contributors
Shannon Stark,USA
Brian Ticehurst, UK
Geoff Whitfield,UK

Related Articles and Documents

	1911 Census  (1911)	THE SAGE FAMILY IN THE 1911 CENSUS
	Unidentified Newspaper  (1912)	THE SAGE FAMILY LOST
	Daily Mail  (1912)	FATE OF A FAMILY
	(2001)	THE SAGE FAMILY OF PETERBOROUGH