Encyclopedia Titanica

Elsie Doling

Elsie Doling
Elsie Doling

Miss Elsie Doling, 19, was born on 30 October 1893 in Southampton, the daughter of John Doling (1855-1941) and Augusta Lucretia Parker Boyce (1856-1923).  She had 13 siblings of whom only 6 survived.1

In 1911 Elsie was living with her mother and brother Harold at Spring Bank, Shirley Warren, Southampton.

She accompanied her sister-in-law Ada Doling to New York. They boarded the Titanic at Southampton as second class passengers (ticket number 231919, price: £23).

When the Titanic stopped at Queenstown, Elsie, Ada and an unidentified male passenger2 were photographed on the promenade deck. The photograph was printed in newspapers after the disaster.

Titanic Promenade Deck Doling

After their rescue by the Carpathia, Miss Doling and her relative returned to England on board the Philadelphia on 11 May 1912.

On 6 November 1920 she married an Indian Doctor William St.Alban Hendricks (1877-1966) in Bombay, India.  They would have four children: John (born 1923), Gerald St. Alban (born 1925), Clara (born April 1927) and Elizabeth Mary (born 1933).3,4

She died on 3 March 1972.

Notes

  1. They included: John Thomas Doling (1877–1938) husband of Titanic passenger Ada Doling; Percy Doling (1880–1961); Verna Augusta Doling (1882–1967); Edward Charles Doling (1885–1965, in 1911 assistant manager of the emigrant's home [Atlantic Hotel]); Ethel Florence Doling (1887–) and Harold Victor Doling (1897–1976)
  2. Fred Wheeler (George Washington Vanderbilt's Valet) and Henry Price Hodges (a Southampton piano dealer) are the two most frequently mentioned possibilities.  Hodges because he accompanied the Dolings on the Titanic and Wheeler because family sources suggest a brother of Ada's worked for the Vanderbilt's and had asked that Wheeler help the Dolings on the voyage.  
  3. In 1925 Elsie, her father and son John Hendricks sailed from London back to Bombay, aboard the Modasa.  India was stated as her intended place of permanent residence. 
    In March 1928 they arrived back in England aboard the Letitia, according to the passenger list they intended to remain permanently in England however they departed once again from Liverpool, on 11 January 1930, bound for Bombay aboard the Anchor Line's Britannia.  On this occasion Elsie was accompanied by her husband, William, and children: John, Clara and Gerald.  In 1949 she is listed as having returned to England from Bombay aboard the Asturias with William and her daughter Mary Elizabeth.
  4. Gerald was born in England but the birthplace of the other children is unknown, it is quite likely that they were born in India where Elsie settled

References and Sources

Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279]).
List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States Immigration Officer At Port of Arrival (Date: 18th-19th June 1912, Ship: Carpathia) - National Archives, NWCTB-85-T715-Vol. 4183.
India, Marriages, 1792-1948 (www.familysearch.org)
UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
UK Outgoing Passenger Lists
Daily Sketch, 17th April, 1912.

Images

Survivors Ada and Elsie Doling are accompanied by an male passenger, sometimes identified as Fred Wheeler.
Daily Skketch (1912) Elsie Doling
Search archive online

Comment and discuss

  1. Natalie Huppee

    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?

  2. Don Tweed

    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?

  3. Deleted member 173198

    Deleted member 173198

    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.

  4. Don Tweed

    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

  5. Deleted member 173198

    Deleted member 173198

    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.

  6. Don Tweed

    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

  7. Andrew Maheux

    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

  8. Gianni Yrois

    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

  9. Sue Seagrave

    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.

  10. Sue Seagrave

    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.... Read full post

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Titanic Passenger Summary

Name: Miss Elsie Doling
Age: 18 years 5 months and 16 days (Female)
Nationality: English
Marital Status: Single
Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 231919, £23
Rescued  
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
Died: Friday 3rd March 1972 aged 78 years

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