George Henry Hunt

Mr George Henry Hunt was born in Leatherhead, Surrey, England on 21 January 1878 and was baptised on 3 March that same year in St Giles' Church, Ashtead where his parents had married just over a year previously.

He was the eldest child of George John Hunt (1850-1937), a gardener, and Sarah Holloway (1843-1927). His father was a native of Hampshire whilst his mother was originally from Worcestershire and they had married in Surrey on 20 December 1876. He had four siblings: Albert Alfred (b. 1879), Lewis Walter (b. 1880), Thomas Harvey (b. 1882) and Ruth Frances (b. 1884).

He first appears on the 1881 census living at an unspecified address in Ashtead, Surrey. The 1891 census shows the family still living in Ashtead, now at the Gardener's House, Ashtead Park and they would be at the same address on the 1901 census. By the time of the latter record George was described as an "under gardener," perhaps to his father who was described as a head gardener.

George left Britain on 17 March 1906 aboard the New York (the ship that had a near collision with Titanic whilst still in Southampton docks) and he settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he worked on a large estate, earning $80 per month by 1912. He was married to Elizabeth Maud Holder (b. 21 April 1879), a native of Epsom, and they had two children: Marjory (b. 26 April 1907) and Wilfred (b. 3 January 1912) who were born in New Jersey and Pennsylvania respectively.

George returned to Britain in early 1912 to visit family, including his parents who by the time of the 1911 census were living in The Gardens in Ashtead Park, Epsom. He was scheduled to return to the USA aboard Oceanic but the coal strikes forced his passage to Titanic. He boarded that ship in Southampton on 10 April 1912 as a second class passenger (ticket number 1585 which cost £12, 5, 6d).

George Hunt died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

His widow Elizabeth never remarried and continued to live in Philadelphia where she took in boarders to make ends meet. She later moved sometime after the 1940s to Delaware, Pennsylvania where she died on 6 October 1967 aged 88.

His daughter Marjory was later married to Pennsylvania-born Herman Barthel (1897-1982) and had two daughters, Katherine and Linda. She died in Montgomery, Pennsylvania in 1997.

His son Wilfred was later married to Pennsylvania-born Florence Lynch (1910-1955) and they had a daughter named Carolyn (b. 1940). He died in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1996.

George Harry (Henry) Hunt is remembered on a brass plaque in St. Giles Church Ashtead, Epsom, Surry, England, this is the church where his family worshipped.

To The Glory of God
and Sacred
To the memory of
George Harry Hunt
of This Parish
A Passenger on the
Ill-Fated R.M.S Titanic
April 15th 1912
aged 34 years
Nearer my God to thee