Hello Aidan,
I am glad to see Brain Ticehurst has come forward and provided you with some of the answers to your questions.
I did however inherit another story about three years ago, as I was promptly told by an adamant director who used to be employed at Woolley & Waldron, and he in turn, informed me that the old Southampton Committee wasn't finally disbanded as late as 1962. At the moment, I haven't been able to find any evidence to support that claim as yet.
However, there is still room for me to give you some feedback and help you to broaden your horizons.
>>>>Surely the main purpose of the fund was to provide relief to the widows and orphans of the disaster in the immediate aftermath and then up to a few years afterwards.
Yes, the purpose of the Relief Fund was to give finical assistance to those dependent families involved. Not only for the widows, but the list does included brothers and sisters, step-brothers and step-sisters, mother-in-laws, mothers and fathers, and the occasion co-inhabitants, and of course not forgetting the number orphans. In the case for the orphans, their payments was usually double the amount normally paid for a widow. The Fund also paid for the apprenticeships fees of many of the child dependents and orphans.
>>>>With great respect I wouldn't have thought there were many widows if any around in 1979 and even by then any orphans would be pushing onto their 70's.
As oppose to the true number of the orphans, particularly for the year of 1979, let alone during the aftermath of 1912. I am afraid all investigations of ever establishing an accurate number remains unknown, (and at this point Aidian, I would like you to take note of the following please) because literally tons and tons of paperwork all associated with the old Southampton Committee, suffered a hammer blow, of what I can only refer too now, as foul-play.
The damage inflicted is erroneous and I would go much further by announcing something like at least 60% of this material is gone. Some one at a higher level made the decision to have a whole load of valuable paperwork destroyed. That list includes all the directives from the Mansion House, including many of the copies making recommendations from the Southampton Committee, even down to the Log Book's for each member of the Southampton Committee, even down to the Revisions Book and all filed correspondent letters from the various dependent families not only from around Britain, but they did include some from overseas. That whole lot was destroyed with the exception of the Minute Book's that were by 1976, handed over to the newly formed Southampton Archives Dept.
Apparently this incident did occur during the years between 1963 and 1964. Likewise I was also informed that destruction did commence at the back of the old site at Woolley & Waldron offices, formerly known then as Blue Peter House. This site today, is known as West Quay Management Site. A company who is in charge of doing the security checks at West Quay shopping complex. Just one other point I want to make clear as well. Minute Book No 1 at Southampton has also done a disappearing act. None of us knows of its exact whereabouts.
So yes, my search with the Minute Books has managed to unfold a small number of the orphans around the Southampton area alone. That figure maybe even higher as I haven't had chance to check all the other Minute Book's that are dotted around Britain. As oppose to the number of widows still living in 1979, that is something I cannot confirm as I don't posses and documents to clarify the number or names you are looking for.
>>>>>With 2 world wars and a depression and its wake not to mention diminished memories of the disaster how could the fund have any serious assets.
Far from it! The Fund did survive remarkably intact. During the Crash of 29 and to be fair, the answer is 'yes' they like the rest of the world did loss a substantial amount. I haven't been able to establish the true amount of capital, but I was told it did run into many hundreds.
By the time the Second World War came along, the Relief Fund would be put to the full test. If you noticed earlier on I did mention about Blue Peter House. That is really number 8 and 10 Portland Terrace just more or less opposite to Portland Street. Both Portland Terrace and Portland Street are within walking distance from Southampton's main Above Bar Street. During the Second World War, this whole area in question was officially classified as the danger-zone. For the Town and Port authorities, their main responsibility was to build suitable shelters for the local population who may find themselves' caught in the middle of an air-raid. In actual fact, the full horrors of the Blitz didn't come to Southampton until Nov and Dec of 1940.
In the meantime, and as a safety precaution, the Southampton Committee had hastily moved away out of any reach from any danger, and carried on as normal conducting their monthly meetings at number 10, Rose Road, Southampton.. This was the former home of Mrs. Watkins, whose husband was the Reverend of All Saints Church, Southampton. He along with his wife was appointed to serve on the Southampton Committee.
During the War the Fund had to face up to a lot of hardships, besides the introduction of the food rationing, but for many of the dependents whose names were still placed on the list, their main concerns as ever, was always the effects of arial-bombing. The deadly blow didn't come until Saturday the 30th of November 1940 as well as on Sunday the 1st of December 1940. During these two combined raids the old Town of Southampton was systematically raised to the ground. For the Fund as a whole, they were stretched to the very limits. They had to find all means of capital for those victims who were bombed out of their home. How much was spent, continues to be unknown.
Unfortunately Aidan, this is where I am stuck as quite a lot of that material was also a victim of the destruction during the mid-sixties. So I cannot be anymore pacific as I don't know the true amount of their assets for that period of the Fund's existence.
Despite the limitations of providing with more answers to your questions, I hope the above has been of some assistance to you.
A.W.
