Laurence Alexander Perkins

Mr Laurence Alexander Perkins was born in Southampton, Hampshire, England over the summer months of 1890 ¹ and was baptised on 10 August 1890 in Compton, Hampshire.

He was the son of Thomas Butcher Perkins (b. 1852) and Hannah Bowsher (b. 1866), natives of Freemantle and Winchester who were married in 1884. He had two known siblings, Thomas John (b. 1885) and Arthur Charles (b. 1892).

Laurence appears on the 1891 census when he and his family were living at 44 Winchester Road, South Stoneham, Hampshire and his father Thomas was described as a "practical driver". He, his mother and brothers departed from Southampton on 9 September 1893 on the Pretoria bound for Cape Town, South Africa where they lived for a number of years.

When the family returned to Britain is not certain but at some point Laurence joined the British Army; he was shown on the 1911 census as a Private in the 21st Lancers and living in the training barracks on Sturry Road, Canterbury; his service drew to a close that same year.

When he signed-on to the Titanic on 4 April 1912 Perkins gave his address as 24 Emsworth Road, Southampton, the home of a Mr Henry Stacey. His previous ship had been the Olympic and as telephone steward he received monthly wages of £3, 15s.

Laurence Perkins died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified. The following death notice appeared in the Hampshire Chronicle (27 April 1912):

PERKINS--LOST, in Titanic disaster, Laurence Alexander Perkins, telephone operator, dearly beloved son of T. and A. Perkins, of the "New Inn," Soberton, late of South Africa.

The following memorial appeared in the Portsmouth Evening News on 15 April 1913:

PERKINS--In loving memory of our dear son, Laurie, who was lost in Titanic, April 15th, 1912. Till the sea gives up her dead.

What became of Perkins' family following the disaster is unclear.