Ernest Theodore Corben

Ernest Theodore Corben was born in Peckham, London, England on 27 January 1885.

He was the eldest child of George Burridge Corben (b. 1850), a bookshop assistant, and Mercy Elizabeth Hammond (b. 1859). His father hailed from Hampshire whilst his mother was a native of Kent and they had married in 1884. He had three siblings: Beatrice Mercy (1886-1958), George James (1888-1961) and William Charles (1890-1955).

He first appears on the 1891 census living with his family at 15 Rose Terrace, Deptford, London and spent time living in Kent before moving to Southampton.

He was married in late-1907 to Beatrice Ann Maud Callaway (b. 1 November 1884), a native of Southampton and the daughter of Charles Albert and Emily Callaway. The couple had one child, a son named Ernest Charles George who was born on 20 October 1909 in Peckham.

By the time of the 1911 census Ernest was shown living with his parents at 50 Floating Bridge Road, Southampton whilst his wife was recorded elsewhere as a visitor to the home of her parents, Ashley House, Spring Road, Sholing, Hampshire.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, Ernest gave his address as 50 Floating Bridge Road, (Southampton). His last ship had been the Olympic and as an assistant printer he received monthly wages of £4.

Ernest Corben died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

His father passed away only weeks later on 30 May 1912. His mother later died in Southampton in 1950 aged 90. His last surviving sibling was his brother George who died in Southampton in 1961.

Ernest's widow Beatrice was remarried in 1916 to a Walter Hickman (b. 1881), a Southampton native, but is not believed to have had any more children. Walter died in 1952 and Annie continued to live in Southampton where she died in 1958.

Ernest's son Ernest was married in 1936 to Elsie Florence Fray (1914-1997) and continued to live in Southampton where he died in 1970.

He is remembered on the family headstone in St. Mary Extra Cemetery, Southampton, England (sectionA1, plot 90)

(Photo:  Trevor Baxter)