Mrs John Thomas Doling was born as Ada Julia Elizabeth Bone in St Helens near Ryde, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England on 9 September 1876 1 and was baptised in All Saints Church in Ryde on 11 October that year.
She was the eldest daughter and third child of William Bone (1846-1892), a coachman, and Julia Sarah Whittingstall (1852-1936), natives of Southampton and Ryde, respectively, who were married on 27 April 1873.2
One of ten children, Ada’s siblings were: William Henry (b. 1874), Percy Edward (b. 1875), George Frederick (b. 1877), Florence Jessie (b. 1879), Arthur Thomas (b. 1881), Sidney (b. 1884), Beatrice Susan (b. 1886), Walter Albert (b. 1890) and Daisy May (1892).
Miss Bone and her family appear on the 1881 census as residents of Eling, Hampshire, but they relocated to Southampton sometime prior to 1884 and appear on the 1891 census as residents of 84 Bedford Place in that city. Her father, William, died in January of the following year, aged just 45.
Ada was married in Southampton in the latter months of 1898 to John Thomas Doling (b. 1877), an immigrants’ hotel manager3; the young couple appeared on the 1901 census as residents of Oriental Place, Southampton.
Between 1899 and 1906, Ada and John welcomed five sons: John Thomas Percival (1899-1955), Alfred (1900-1900), William Sydney Charles (1901-1964), Reginald Stanley Ernest Arthur (1903-1925) and Victor Morris Patrick (1906-1975). Their second-born, Alfred, died in very early infancy.
By 1911 the Doling family lived at 33 Canute Road, Southampton and John Doling was the proprietor of the Atlantic Hotel at 151 Albert Road in the city, which had been opened in 1894 by his father, John Doling (1855-1941).
Several of Ada’s siblings had emigrated to the USA around the turn of the century; her widowed mother made the same leap around 1903, settling in Manhattan and by 1910 was living at East 52nd Street with her son Walter and daughters Beatrice and Daisy. With the intention of visiting her family in the USA, Ada Doling secured second-class passage on the Titanic (joint ticket number 231919, which cost £23). Travelling with her on the same ticket was her younger sister-in-law, 18-year-old Elsie Doling. It has been speculated that Ada and Elsie were travelling with music dealer Henry Price Hodges.
When the Titanic docked at Queenstown, Ada, Elsie and an unidentified male passenger were photographed on the aft-promenade deck. The photograph was printed in newspapers after the disaster.
Courtesy of Gunter Babler
Saved From The Titanic
The sinking of the great ship, the Titanic, on Monday, has caused grave apprehensions to George Bone, of the Graves estate. Mr. Bone’s sister, Mrs. Ada Doling, and his sister-in-law, Miss Elsie Doling, had taken passage with the Intention of spending a few weeks with him inn this country. From the published accounts of the survivors on the Carpathia the names of Doling appears, and there is no doubt that both of the women were saved from a watery grave. — The Irvington Gazette, 19 April 1912
Ada and Elsie Doling were rescued from the sinking, but in which lifeboat they departed in remains unknown. Aboard Carpathia, Mrs Doling attempted to send a telegram to Southampton, but it was not transmitted because of the operators' workload.
Express, Southampton, England Ada Elsie safe
Joining their relatives in New York and following a brief visit, Ada and Elsie returned to England aboard the Philadelphia on 11 May 1912 to be reunited with their family there.
On 30 January 1913 Ada gave birth to another child, her only daughter Ida Julia Augusta. It is not known whether Ada had been pregnant whilst aboard Titanic or whether she had conceived after her return to Britain.4 Over the years, she outlived her son Reginald, who died aged 25 and saw two sons, William and Victor, emigrate to the USA.
Ada remained a resident of the Southampton area for the rest of her life; widowed on 1 April 1938, by the following year, she was a resident of 49 Kipling Road in Eastleigh. She died on 11 April 1962, aged 85 and was cremated, with her ashes later being scattered at South Stoneham Cemetery’s Garden of Rest (section 7). Ida, her last known surviving child Ida (later Mrs Norman Frederick White) died in October 1981.
Comment and discuss
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Ada Doling was my grandfather's sister. We always thought that Elsie was her daughter but your site lists them as sister-in-laws. My grandfather died before I was born so we don't have any other information on Ada, except that I do have a picture of Mrs. Doling, Ada, Reggie, Willie, and Ida, but with no date on it. Does anyone have any other particulars on the family?
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It was 1965 and I was at my grandmothers house and we were watching ANTR. She told me her friend "Elsie" was on the Titanic. Does anyone know what happened to Elsie Doling after the sinking? Is this the Elsie she was talking about?
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Hello Don! I would love to know your grandmothers name and the exact whereabouts of her place of residences during that period of time? Elsie Doling "later Hendricks" is actually buried in St Marys Cemetery in my home town of Romsey, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Hope this gives you a clue and answers your question! Andrew W.
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Hello Andrew! Thank you for the response. I finally did a little research and found that Elsie did return to her native U.K. In answer to your question my grandmothers name was Elvira Tweed. She lived in Des Moines,Ia on Watson St. in S.W. Des Moines. She was born in 1906 and passed away in 1979. I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure she said her friends name was Elsie and she was pretty adament about her being on the Titanic. Take care, Don
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Hello Don! I would strongly advise to dig deep into your pocket and invest your menoy in one of Brian Ticehurst's Papers, which deals mainly with a lot of Memorial's World-wide. Number six in the occasionals papers:- Titanic's Memorials World-wide, Where they are Located by Brian Ticehurst, at a price of £4-50p Pound Sterling. If you need to obtain his home address and e-mail Don, then send me a private message and I shall forward you the details. Best wishes Andrew W.
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I could be wrong about the name Elsie Doling. Just read where she sailed back to England after the tragedy. My grandma was not the type of lady to pull my leg and so I did alittle more research and came up with the name Anna Sofia Nysten. A 3rd class passenger who survived the sinking. She later married a Mr. Gustaffson and lived and died in Des Moines. Grandma,Grandpa,and my mother are all deceased, and my father recently had a stroke, so I have no family to confirm this with! Does anyone have any info on Anna Sofia Nysten? - Don
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Don, Im sorry to hear about your family, It must be hard. I hope you find the information you are looking for. Sincerily, Andrew Maheux
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hi everybody After Miss Doling survived the Titanic she returned to England. There she married a Mr. Hendricks(?). Did Elsie have any children? thanks Gianni
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I see there are several questions regarding Elsie Doling (later Hendricks). I am Elsie Hendricks' granddaughter and would like to correct some information published on this forum and add to it. Elsie Hendricks (nee Doling) is NOT buried in St Mary's Cemetery, Romsey. She is buried in the graveyard at St. John's church, Lockerley, Hampshire, the village in which she spent her final happy years with her daughter, Clara, and myself. Clara was a school teacher in Romsey and as an adult, I lived there for some years.
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Hi Gianni (Yassas), I've just seen your post. I'm Elsie Hendricks' (nee Doling) granddaughter and in answer to your question, Elsie Doling married an Anglo-Indian doctor, Dr William Hendricks. I believe he was living in the UK, furthering his studies, when they met. They went to India, where he worked as doctor in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the Gangtok region. They returned to the UK several times, before returning permanently and William Hendricks started a practice as a GP in Southampton. They had had four children, John, Clara, Gerald and Elizabeth. I am Clara's daughter. Elizabeth is now the only surviving child of William and Elsie, but there are 12 grandchildren, of which I am one, and numerous great-grandchildren.
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Hi Sue, I hope you're well. I am currently researching my family tree in order to identify my Mum's Paternal Grandfather and found your post. My Mum's father was born in Shirley, Southampton as a illegitimate child and he never mentioned his father (I'm not sure he knew him). Our research and DNA results all point to my Mum's Paternal Grandfather being one of Elsie's four brothers: John, Percy, Edward or Harold (the latter being most likely). My mother has a strong DNA match with two of Gerald's son's and one of Verna Augusta Doling's grandchildren. She has also matched with Edward Doling's Great Granddaughter and John Doling's 3x Great Granddaughter in addition to a few more which are difficult to explain without revealing personal details. If you are willing I would love to get in touch and share contact details, I will drop you a PM with my details. All the best Hue
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