Titanic assistant boots Cecil Jackson

Cecil Jackson was born in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire, England in 1890 and his birth was registered in the June quarter of that year. He was the son of Jeffrey Jackson (b. 1862) and Mary Henley (b. 1864).

Cecil's parents, both natives of Eaton Bray, had married there on 14 April 1884 and went on to have eight children (including two sets of twins): Elizabeth (b. 1886), Cecil (b. 1890), twins Ethel and Hetty (b. 1894), Arthur (b. 1897) Gertrude (b. 1900) and twins Alec and Eric (b. 1904).

Cecil appears on the 1901 census with his parents and older sibling Elizabeth living at "The Green," in Eaton Bray. His father is described as a general labourer. By the time of the 1901 census the family are listed as living at "The Rye" in Eaton Bray, his father now listed as a farm cattle worker. The family are living at "The Green" in Eaton Bray by the time of the 1911 census but Cecil is absent, already working at sea.

Cecil was on board the Titanic for her delivery trip from Belfast to Southampton. When he signed-on again, in Southampton, on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as 22 Graham Road, Southampton. His last ship had been the Olympic. As assistant boots steward he received monthly wages of £3 15.

Cecil Jackson (second from right) with other White Star Line boots stewards.
(Courtesy of Trevor Baxter / Eatonbrat.Com)

Jackson died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

The family would suffer another loss when in 1914 Cecil's younger brother Arthur signed-up for the Bedfordshire Regiment and would fight in battles including The Somme. He was killed on 23 April 1917 in Arras.

Cecil's mother and father continued to live in Eaton Bray. His mother passed away in 1945 and his father in 1954. Cecil is mentioned on his mother's grave in Bower Lane, Eaton Bray:

ALSO HER SONS

CECIL                           ARTHUR

TITANIC      REUNITED      ARRAS

APRIL 1912                        APRIL 1917