3rd Class Steward Thomas Mullen or Mullin

[David Robert Howard]

I have recently acquired a number of Items of Titanic Memorabilia relating to Thomas Mullen or Mullin, a Dumfries Man who was a Third Class Steward on the Titanic and who perished in the Disaster. His body was later recovered by the Minia and I have recently taken possession of his personal effects which were recovered from his body after the sinking namely
1) Whitestar Line Stewards Cap Badge (No 32)???? made of bronze with White Star Pennant impressed on reverse.? I wonder what the 32 refers to??
2) His broken silver pocketwatch
3) His Leather notepad Cover.(Is this a Whitestar item/ Standard Issue, It is unmarked as far as I can see ?
4) Post sinking Titanic Postcard sent to his family on the 20th April 1912 at 7 Observatory Terrace, Dumfries (Postally used only 6 Days after the sinking)
5) Rememberance Card with Titanic Poem on Reverse
6) 1912 Titanic Poem (very ragged held together with tape, one section missing.)

I wonder if you can give me any further information on Thomas Mullen or Mullin , or any of the items I have.

Thanks

Portuairk

 

[Brian J. Ticehurst]

Dear David,
What a wonderful acquisition. If you have full provenance then you have a unique and very very valuable little collection. My advice is 'not to lend it to ''anyone''- get it valued then insured - but don't let it out of your possession'.
My printout on Mr Mullen is:
Mullen, (Mullin) Thomas. Lived at 12 Onslow Road, Woolston, (road name later changed), Southampton, also of: 7 Observatory Terrace, Maxwelltown, Dumfries, Scotland. Occupation - Saloon Steward.
Body number 323. Interred at Fairview Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
(From: Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklet, March 1913)
Number 511. Mullen, John, brother. Nellie; Annie and Eva sisters. All class F dependants.
(From the Dumfries local paper).
In many cases reference was made to the disaster in the sermons, and the Dead March in ''Saul'' or another of the classic funeral marches was played. Memorial services were conducted in Maxwelltown Parish Church, of which Mr. Thomas Mullins, one of the stewards on board the Titanic, who lost his life, was a member, and in Waterloo Place Congregational Church, in memory of Mr. John Hume, one of the orchestra on the Titanic.
(From Titanic Relief Fund Minutes Liverpool Committee 12 June 1914).
Termination of dependency
The Hon Secretary reported the following termination of dependency, of which he has notified the beneficiary as on and after the 1st July 1914, viz.:
C. 511. Ellen June Mullin (Sister) 18 years of age on 30th April, 1914.
(From the Dumfries local paper).
Undated.
DUMFRIES TITANIC VICTIMS.
Memorial unveiled on Dock Park.
A very impressive ceremony, and one which attracted much public attention, took place on Saturday afternoon when the handsome memorial which has been erected on the Dock Park in honour of John Law Hume, a bandsman, and Thomas Mullin, a steward, natives respectively of Dumfries and Maxwelltown, who perished in the Titanic disaster in April of last year, and who were buried in Halifax, Canada, was unveiled by Provost Thomson in presence of a very large crowd of spectators. The memorial, which has been erected in the centre of the park a little to the north of the bandstand, commands the attention of all passers-by. It was supplied by Messrs Kirkpatrick, Brothers, of Trafford Park, Manchester, and is of the very best quality of Aberdeen granite, and takes the form of an obelisk surrounded by curbing and railings. It is 16½ feet in height and covers a space of 9½ square feet. On the front is fixed a bronze panel with the engraving of the Titanic in relief, and a scroll of music ''Nearer My God to Thee'' in bronze, is placed on the moulded base. The inscription on the front of the memorial is as follows:
In memory of John Law Hume, a member of the band, and Thomas Mullin, steward, natives of these towns, who lost their lives in the wreck of the White Star liner, Titanic which sank in mid Atlantic on the 14th day of April 1912. They died at the post of duty. The back of the memorial bears the following inscription:
Erected by the people of Dumfries and Maxwelltown at home and abroad.
Beautiful summer weather favoured the unveiling ceremony, and a great crowd of townspeople assembled on the Dock Park. A large number of excursionists from Coatbridge, who were spending the day in the town, also witnessed the ceremony. During the forenoon the flags at the Midsteeple and the Town Hall hung at half-mast, and before the hour of the ceremony the town bells were tolled.

Best regards

Brian J. Ticehurst - Southampton UK.

 

[David Robert Howard]

Dear Brian,

Thankyou for this wonderful information which fills in a lot of blanks. Re the Badge , do you know what the number 32 would stand for ( is it Steward 32 ?)
I will also check out the Local Dumfries and Galloway Newspapers as a result of your helpful information (I think a visit to the Dock Park and a photo of the memorial will also be a must.) Ill post it once I have taken the photo

Thanks and Kindest Regards

David.

 

[Brian J. Ticehurst]

David,
Yes the badge was his Stewards badge the Chief Steward issued them and kept a record of the numbers so that if anyone made a complaint they would know who it was etc.
Cheers

Brian

 

[Brian Meister]

Hello David,

What a terrific collection! Thank you very
much for posting the photos of the items. I
have always wondered what the steward's
badges looked like. If I may venture a guess,
I would say that the number 32 was a
designation, much like a name tag, for
passengers to keep up with their steward.
It is also a guess that they corresponded
somewhat to the sign-on articles and the
order that the man registered for the
voyage. Am I wrong?
Congratulations on a wonderful acquisition
and thanks for sharing your part of history
with us.

Kind Regards,

Brian M

 

[David Robert Howard]

Dear Brian Ticehurst and Brian Meister.

Thanks so much for your help thus far.

I would be keen to tie down the number 32 to some kind of record? Do you know if what you suggest exists anywhere ?

I have taken some better photos and would value opinions regarding the "Stewards Pocketbook" or the Watch (Did WSL issue watches to their Stewards ? - Intrigued that there is only a number on the face which corresponds to a number on the case. On the case is the makers Initials F.P. and Fine Silver rather then hallmarks which would suggest it is not British (American ?),

 

[Chris Dohany]

Thanks for posting the additional pictures. They're quite interesting.

In regards to the badge, several stewards whose bodies were recovered had these numbered badges among their effects. The numbers do not correspond exactly with the numbered fields in which the men signed the ship's documents, however they do appear to have been issued in the same order that they signed.

Mr. Mullin's badge being no. 32 fits in with this order scheme when compared with known badges. Steward George Talbot was no. 20, his signature appears several spaces above Mullin's; William Cox wore no. 9 and signed well above Talbot.

I imagine that the cheif steward of each class had some form of written list to keep track of which badge was given to which man. If so those notes were probably lost in the sinking.

 

[David Robert Howard]

Visited Dock Park, Dumfries today and got photos of the Monument as shown below. The bottom photograph is of Bronze Sheet Music with the words "Nearer thy God to Thee"

Regards
David.

[Note: A simple carriage return after each image saves us the widescreen look. ed.]

 

[David Robert Howard]

Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.
Footprints that perhaps another
Sailing o¹er life¹s solemn main
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Longfellow

 

[David Robert Howard]

"Collect It Magazine" are doing a feature on this collection in their May Edition (On sale about 10th April)
Encyclopedia Titanica and Brian Ticehurst both get acknowledgements. Hopefully this will direct a few more people to this wonderful website.

Thanks For All Your Help

David.

 

[Amanda Ratliff]

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the pictures and your article. It's always fascinating to read about the person behind the face. Life before or after Titanic. Thanks for sharing Mullin's story with us!

 

[John Miller]

My daughter, who is compiling a family tree, has discovered that we are related to Thomas Mullen. We have always lived in Southampton but my maternal grandfather came from Dumfries, and Thomas was quite closely related to him. If we get any more information I will post it here.

 

[David Robert Howard]

Hi John

I still have a few items from the archive, and would be happy to share what info I have with you, if you care to get in touch with me. I am currently writing another article re Thomas Mullen for a local magazine and would enjoy speaking to you

Thanks

David R Howard