Fr Thomas Roussel Davids Byles

[Joan Byles Barry]

Your site is very good, My Great uncle was Father Thomas Roussel Byles of the second class. I have a letter from him posted in Queenstown.I can scan and send if you are interested. He is mentioned in many books as praying and hearing confessions till the end. He was on his way to officiate the wedding ceremony of my Grandparents. One newspaper reports he was offered a seat three time and each time he refused it to stay with the doomed passengers. The pope declared him a martyr.

Joan Byles Barry Grand niece of Father Byles 2nd class
New Jersey

 

[Fr. Archer]

Thank you very much for the great page! I have been looking for information on Fr. Byles, and was happy to find so much on your site. I have long been a Titanic buff, and have always been inspired by the bravery of Fr. Byles (and the two other Catholic priests) during the sinking. Keep up the great work.
Fr. Archer
Illinois

 

[Lora Byles]

I am a relative of Rev. Thomas Rousel David Byles. Looking for other members of the Byles Family...Would love to get in touch with anyone who has any additional information about Rev. Byles or the Byles Family.

Lora Byles
Texas

 

[Beryl Welburn]

So glad to finally find some info on Rev. Byles, whome I have confirmed as a relation to my grandfather, James A.Byles,on whome I have a family tree, and he is a direct decendant of Sir William Pollard Byles. who origionaly was decendant of a Byles from Connamora, Ireland, and was given a land grant in England, and the name was origionally Boyle, and because of a mistake on a manifest, rather than go to the trouble of changing it , it was left as byles. My great Uncle Leslie Byles O.B.E. deceased, was my Mother's second cousin, Leslie has a son Allan, and a daughter Shirley living in London, whome I am going to visit in July. Thankyou so much for this information, when in England I am going to check out some more info on him.

Beryl Welburn
Nova Scotia, Canada

 

[Arthur Barrow]

I have a great interest in Father Thomas Byles, who was a passenger on the Titanic and who gave such help to many passengers. He was my predecessor in this parish in 1904

Arthur Barrow
Kelvedon Essex England

 

[Bob Godfrey]

On Father Byles' biog page there is a letter from William Byles to his mother-in-law, which includes the passage: 'From St Vincent's we went to the Chelsea Hotel, where we met Mr & Mrs Bean, who had only been married a month, and were both saved together. They knew little, but they gave us the address of Roussel's cabin companion. If he has been saved we may hear more from him.'

This is a long shot, but does anybody know the identity of Father Byles' cabin companion, or what onboard connection existed between this person and Ted and Ethel Beane (or perhaps between father Byles and the Beanes)?

 

[mueller]

hello everyone i have some new information concerning fr byles i have just read an article that said fr graham smith the current parish priest of saint helens church the church where byles was priest at has launched an effort to make fr byles a saint i will post a copy of that article here Priest who died on the Titanic could be on path to sainthood :: EWTN News. may he one day become a saint.

 

[Sean McCarthy]

Your site is very good, My Great uncle was Father Thomas Roussel Byles of the second class. I have a letter from him posted in Queenstown.I can scan and send if you are interested. He is mentioned in many books as praying and hearing confessions till the end. He was on his way to officiate the wedding ceremony of my Grandparents. One newspaper reports he was offered a seat three time and each time he refused it to stay with the doomed passengers. The pope declared him a martyr.

Joan Byles Barry Grand niece of Father Byles 2nd class
New Jersey

Hi Joan, my great Grandmother was Rosa Russel, sister of Katherine Russel who must have been your Grandmother, please send me pictures if you have them

 

[Mark Baber]

Sean, please note that Joan's message is from 1997 and that she's no longer a registered Message Board user. It would seem unlikely that she'll respond to you.

 

[Joan Barry]

Hi Joan, my great Grandmother was Rosa Russel, sister of Katherine Russel who must have been your Grandmother, please send me pictures if you have them

Hi Sean Sister Joe McCarthy used to visit us in NJ every summer, I went to Kitty’s wedding with my mother in late 60,s and met the family, I do have pictures that I can share

 

[Y. Hadden]

I am a relative of Rev. Thomas Rousel David Byles. Looking for other members of the Byles Family...Would love to get in touch with anyone who has any additional information about Rev. Byles or the Byles Family.

Lora Byles
Texas

Rev. Byles' sister, Dr. Hilda Margaret Byles, was a colleague of my granduncle, Dr. George Hadden. He was at her funeral in July 1931, in Hankow, China. You may find me on Facebook. My name: YVONNE FREUNDL (HADDEN)