Mr John James Borebank was born in West Hallam, Derbyshire, England on 1 May 1870, later being baptised on 28 May that same year.
He was the son of James Borebank (1842-1916), a farmer, and Sarah Maria Milnes (1847-1883), both Derbyshire natives who were married on 18 June 1868. Sarah was James' second wife. He had previously been married on 27 December 1866 to Caroline Heath (b. 1841) but his bride died less than two weeks later, being buried on 12 January 1867.
John, known as Jack, had six siblings: Mary Elizabeth (1872-1876), Frederick William (b. 1874), Annie Marina (b. 1876), Frances Helen Mary (1877-1878), Hannah Mary Helen (b. 1879) and Lakin (1881-1885).
John first appears on the 1871 UK census living with his family at High Lane Farm House in West Hallam and would still be present there by the time of the following 1881 census. His mother died just after Christmas in 1883, being buried on 3 January 1884. The remaining family emigrated before the close of the 1880s, settling in St John's, Toronto, Ontario, appearing there on the 1891 census. His father operated a grocery store and was remarried to an Irish woman named Margaret Ann Leech (b. 1862) and had five more children: Florence Medora (b. 1889), Violet Jane (b. 1891), Charles Lakin (b. 1893), Harold Alexander (b. 1897) and Margaret Isabel (1898-1902).
Initially working as a bartender, John later moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba around 1896 andbecame a real estate broker. He was married in Vancouver on 14 June 1899 to Elizabeth Isabel Blackburn (b. 1873 in Smithfield, Ontario). Their only child, a daughter, Eileen Isabel Louise, was born on 5 June 1904. The family remained in Winnipeg and appeared there on the 1906 census but resettled in Toronto around 1910, residing at 177 Jameson Avenue and with John working out of the Quebec Bank building on King Street.
By early 1912 Borebank and his family had spent ten months travelling throughout Europe, visiting Rome, Venice and Paris, finally stopping England to enrol his daughter in school. While his wife and daughter remained in England, John boarded the Titanic (ticket number 110489 which cost £26 11s) to return to Canada. He occupied cabin D22.
John James Borebank died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified. His father, residing at his grocery store at 285 Euclid Avenue, Toronto, received word of his death four days after the first news of the sinking.
His widow left England on 27 April 1912 aboard Vaderland, his daughter apparently remaining behind in Britain. Young Eileen would later voyage across the Atlantic again, arriving in New York on 15 May 1914 aboard Lusitania.
Elizabeth Isabel Borebank died less than six years after her husband, passing away in Texas on 10 March 1918. Her daughter Eileen was married in later life to an Iowan doctor and became Mrs Cecil Valentine King. She died in Orange, California on 22 July 1974.
Courtesy Alan Hustak
Just found out that John James Borebank (ticket no. 110489, cabin D22) is a relative of a Mr Bowbanks for whom we are undertaking family history research. Assusmed that he would be travelling in third class! Shocked to see it was first! How wonderful to have a photo to show. Great site! S and G Lord Nottingham, England
That same April 20, 1912 "Daily Graphic" has a picture on the same page with the caption: "Mr. J. J. Borebank, a well-known Californian horticulturist." His E.T. biography says he was a real estate broker from Canada. I don't know if it's the same picture, because the E.T. picture just shows an "x" right now. Did the Daily Graphic confuse him with Luther Burbank, the famous California horticulturist? Or did Mr. Borebank really have a California connection? Mike
Mr. Borebank did not have a California connection, nor was he a horticulturist. He was born in West Hallam, Derbyshire, grew up in Toronto, and went into the real estate business in Winnipeg, Man. His daughter was sent to school in England, and Borebank was in England visiting her before he sailed on Titanic.
Thanks, Alan: It didn't seem right, but I like to double check anything that might be connected to California. Incidentally, I ordered your book through TI months ago. Check was cashed but never got the book, which I'm looking forward to reading. Many of your Canadians also have California connections, like Mrs. Frederick "Suzette" Douglas, Mark Fortune, and Mary Anne Perreault Pickett. I think Miss Perreault's boss Charles Hays also spent some time here early in his railroad career. Anyway, hope to get your book soon. Next time I'll use Amazon. Mike Herbold Lakewood, California
Mr. Hustak: Regarding the biography on J.J. Borebank, I am curious as to where you people got your information? J.J. Borebank was my great uncle and I never heard anyone in my family refer to him as "Jack." He always has been called "Johnny." Also the article refers to a brother and sister. There were two brothers and four sisters, although only two of them would have been living at home. Did any of your research indicate if J.J. Borebank was connected to the Grand Trunk Railroad at the time of the sinking? My cousins noted that the President of the Grand Trunk Railroad was also on the...
Does anyone know anything about Mr John James Borebank's Canadian side? hanks
Jessica Heres a bit more from my datbank Borebank, Mr. John. J. Missing. Cabin D22/1. Horticulturists, c/o Lodges of the World, Winnipeg, Canada. Real Estate agent. Left Winnipeg in the Spring of 1911 for the Coronation of King George V. Then was returning home on the Titanic. There is a memorial plaque in the City Hall at 510 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 1B9. The plaque is mounted on the wall near the south side stairwell just off the tunnel that leads to the Centennial Concert Hall. Its dimensions are approximately - 18" x 40". The inscription reads: Erected by...
thanks for your help! we live near West hallam and have recently found he is our ancestor so we wanted to know more about him and how do you know so much about his life? thanks again
Hi! my name is Jessica and i have found out that a great great great uncle of mine died on the titanic! i know the general history about but i was wondering who his descendants are in canada???? could anybody help? especially if you are a member of the family! thanks
Try these links for what ET has on this man.
thankyou but i already no the general background about him i just wanted 2 if i could find any of his canadian relatives
Jessica, From the information on this website, the first option you might want to take is to find out about his daughter, Eileen Borebank (apparently his only child, from what the article states in this website under his biography). Perhaps she never married, and therefore had no progeny? You may want to contact a registrar in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to see if you can find information on John James Borebank or Eileen Borebank, giving specific dates, such as Eileen Borebank was born approximately in 1904 and apparently in Winnipeg, etc (seeing that JJ lived there with his wife, Isabel, during...
Mr. Hustak: Regarding the biography on J.J. Borebank, I am curious as to where you people got your information? J.J. Borebank was my great uncle and I never heard anyone in my family refer to him as "Jack." He always has been called "Johnny." Also the article refers to a brother and sister. There were two brothers and four sisters, although only two of them would have been living at home. Did any of your research indicate if J.J. Borebank was connected to the Grand Trunk Railroad at the time of the sinking? My cousins noted that the...