Arthur Curtis

Mr Arthur Curtis was born in Farnham, Surrey, England on 16 December 1885 and he was baptised in St Andrew's Church, Farnham on 26 February 1886. 

He was the only surviving son of George Curtis (1854-1912) and Frances "Fanny" Elizabeth Haines (1855-1915). His father was native to Farnham and his mother originally from Somerset and they married in the former in 1877.

Arthur was one of ten children with five surviving past infancy. His known siblings were: Matilda (b. 1878), Kate (b. 1880), Nellie (b. 1882), Alice (1884-1886), Ada (b. 1888), George (1893-1893) and Alma (1895-1895). An unnamed sister was stillborn in the latter half of 1890.

Arthur and his family were listed on the 1891 census living at 2 Napchester Villa, Aldershot, Hampshire and his father was described as a gardener.

They moved to Hampshire sometime in the mid-1890s and appeared at 63 Kingsley Road, Shirley, Southampton by the time of the 1901 census when Arthur's father was by then described as a grocer's porter. Arthur, aged 15, had already left school and was working as a bricklayer's labourer. He was not present on the 1911 census, perhaps already at sea, but his parents were listed at 55 Kingsley Road, Shirley, his mother being described as an invalid. His father seemingly passed away in early 1912.

When Arthur signed on to the Titanic in Southampton on 6 April 1912 he gave his address as 55 Kingsley Road, Southampton. His previous ship had been the Oceanic and as a fireman he could expect monthly wages of £6.

Arthur Curtis as lost in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified. 

CURTIS--Arthur, only son of George & Fanny Curtis, of 55 Kingsley Road, Millbrook. - Southern Daily Echo, 11 May 1912

He is commemorated on the Millbrook Church Memorial, Southampton. His mother Frances did not survive him long and died in 1915.