Mrs Marian Meanwell (Costin, née Ogden) was born in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, England on 7 December 1849 as Mary Ann Ogden.
She was the daughter of John Henry Ogden (b. 1825), he is listed in his marriage certificate (and later his daughters') as a "professor of music", but in her birth certificate as a barber. Her mother Ann (born Ann Dolan in 1825) had previously been married to stationer and bookseller Philip Armstrong and they had a son also named Philip. Ann was widowed in 1848 and married John Henry in Prestwich on 17 September 1849, less than three months before Mary's birth. Little is known about Mary Ann's early life and, apart from her half-brother, she may have been an only child.
There is no trace of the family on the 1851 census but by the time of the 1861 census Mary Ann and her mother are lodgers at an address in Chorlton, Lancashire. The whereabouts of her father is unknown and, likewise, the fate of both her parents remains unclear.
Mary Ann was married in Bradford, Yorkshire on 13 February 1870 to Thomas Hilton Meanwell (b. 1849), a draper's assistant who hailed from Coningsby, Lincolnshire and the couple went on to have three known children, all born in Bradford: Walter Ogden (b. 1870) and twin girls Annie Elizabeth (1872-1874) and Margaret Ann (b. 1872).1
Mary Ann, her husband, and her son Walter appeared on the 1871 census living at 10a Tennyson Place [?] in Bradford. Her marriage seemingly collapsed and by the time of the 1881 census she and her husband were living apart and claiming to be widowers, Marian at 7 Crapston Street, Bradford and Thomas at an address in his native Lincolnshire. While her surviving daughter Margaret was living with her in Bradford; her son Walter was listed at the home of his paternal grandparents John and Sarah Meanwell in Tattersall, Lincolnshire.
Thomas Meanwell later cohabited with a woman named Mary Jane Forman (b. 1860 in Kirmington, Lancashire). They remained unmarried for many years but had three children (two sons and one daughter), the first of whom was born in 1882, and they settled in Manchester.
The date and circumstances under which Mary Ann (now usually listed as Maria or Marian) and Margaret moved to the United States are currently unknown, but on 22 August 1887, she was married in New York City to Mr Eli Costin. Costin (born 1 Sep 1848 in Ivinghoe, Bedfordshire) had previously lived in Luton, Bedfordshire and worked as a carpenter before moving to New York and settling on Staten Island. In 1875 Costin married Elizabeth Allen and they had five children. It's unclear if Marian would have known this. On their New York marriage certificate, it is stated as being her second marriage, but his first.
Both Eli and Marian returned to England, but whether they did so together is unknown.2 Later records show them living apart and claiming to be widowed.
Marian continued to work as a milliner and dressmaker and moved to London, appearing on the 1901 census living at 473 Kings Road, Chelsea. The 1911 census shows her living alone at 60 Walterton Road, Paddington, her estranged husband Eli Costin is also living alone as an unemployed carpenter in Pimlico, London.
In 1912 Marian decided to move back to America to support her recently widowed daughter Margaret and her two young grandchildren.
Originally intending to cross by the Majestic, her passage was transferred to the Titanic because the ongoing coal strike had caused many sailings to be cancelled.
She boarded the Titanic in Southampton as a third-class passenger (ticket number 392087 which cost £8, 1s). It was reported that when the Titanic stopped a Queenstown she posted a letter to a cousin, Mrs Beck.3
Marian Meanwell died in the sinking and her body, if recovered, was never identified. In the casualty list her name was given as Marian Ogden Meanwell.4
Case number 302. (English). A mother, sixty-three years of age, was drowned, while coming to this country to make her home with her daughter, whose husband had recently died, leaving two children aged six and two years. These children were to have been cared for by their grandmother while their mother was at work. She was a ballet dancer in a circus. She has now left the circus and is employed where she can have her children with her. Accident insurance amounting to $500 was paid to the daughter, and she received $350 from other American relief funds. This money has been placed in the bank for the care of the children. The local Charity Organisation Society will continue its oversight of the welfare of the children.
Her probate record lists her as "Marian Costin, formerly Meanwell" and her estate, worth £100, was administered to her second husband "Edward Eli Costin". It gave her address as 46 Edbrook-road Elgin-avenue, Paddington.
Thomas Hilton Meanwell, her first husband, was eventually married to Mary Jane Forman in 1918. He passed away six months later in 1919 aged 69.
Her son, Walter Ogden Meanwell seems to have lived apart from her from childhood. He married Kate Morris and had several children, He died in 1920.
Her surviving twin daughter Margaret Ann Meanwell, who Marian was travelling on the Titanic to visit, died in Islip New York on 26 December 1946.
Her half-brother Philip Armstrong became a licensed victualler, and died in 1909.
In 2000 Marian's alligator skin handbag was recovered from the Titanic's debris field. It contained a coin purse, bank receipt, bath oil, earring posts, and her marriage certificate.
Comment and discuss
-
I think this is a very nice and informative site. The only thing I would like to see is information on Marion Ogden Meanwell, a third class passenger. Thank you for creating a great website. John Morris Richmond, United States
-
I have recently found this site. I believe my father's sister was on the Titanic. Her name was Marian Meanwell. I was told many years ago she was a nurse in England, and was coming to the usa with her charge. I have not been able to verify any information about the passenger with this name on the Titanic. If anyone has any info please email me at .
-
Hi,I have just found out,that a "Marian Meanwell" was a passenger on the illfated "Titanic"My maiden name was Meanwell,and I believe I could be related to her somewhere,and would like any information,on her and her family,please
-
Hallo, Marjorie, and welcome to ET. Meanwell is not a very common name but I fear the chances of being related on that basis alone are not strong unless you know of another connection? Here, however, is some info on the lady in question: 'Marion' Meanwell's name has become better known recently following the recovery and exhibition of her alligator-skin handbag and contents from the wreck site. It's an interesting reflection of the social climate of the time that the lady who described herself as a widow called Marion or Marian was actually separated from her husband by distance rather than death and her name was Mary Anne. Mary Anne Ogden was born in Lancashire in 1848 and was briefly married to Thomas Meanwell, a draper's assistant from Coningsby in Lincolnshire, a man slightly younger than herself. After the separation one of the couple's two children, Walter, was brought up by his father's family and lost contact with Mary, but their daughter Margaret remained with her...
-
Marjorie and Bob, Here is a couple more items about Mrs. M I have just posted them on the main obit. Meanwell, Mrs. Marian nee Ogden. Missing. Milliner. Aged 63 years. (From the Whitehaven News, of Thursday, May 2nd, 1912). MILLOM'S CONNECTION WITH THE TITANIC DISASTER THE widespread effects of the Titanic disaster is evidenced by the fact that Mrs. Beck of Cambridge Street, Millom, (Cumberland) had a relative aboard the ill-fated vessel. Mrs. Meanwell, first cousin of Mrs. Beck, who was proceeding on the Titanic to join her daughter in America. She had often crossed the Atlantic previously, and according to a letter dispatched to Mrs. Beck from Queenstown, was delighted with the new gigantic vessel. In her views, nothing approaching the accommodation had been experienced in any of the previous journeys, and nothing but a very pleasant voyage was anticipated. There appears to be little hope that Mrs. Meanwell had escaped the fate which befell so many of the...
-
Hi,Brian and Bob,sorry its taken me a few days to get back to you,I'm learning the computer,a bit late in life,anyway I had to wait for my son to show me how to answer your notes,thank you both ever so much,the reason I thought Mary Ann Meanwell was a distant relation,was because,our Father always told us that all the "Meanwells" were related.I believe it came from the Danes when they invaded England,I do have others helping me to do our Family Tree,My Father's Father came from England,at the end of the 1880s,and settled in Queensland Australia,then went on to New South Wales,where I live.If you find out anymore please keep in touch with me as any information is appreciated,Regards Marjorie Jamieson,nee
-
Relatives of Marion Meanwell have been visiting the Artefacts Exhibition in Manchester to see belongings of their ancestor on display. Interesting to note that at the time of sailing, Marion had only £3 in the bank. manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/141/141675_family_link_to_titanic_tragedy.html
-
Mother of Marian Meanwell was Ann Dolan, not Armstrong. Armstrong was first husband's name.
-
On the unidentified W. S. Hill of Leadenhall Street: I wonder whether he could have been a Hall. There was a company called E. J. Hall & Co at 106 Leadenhall St which manufactured paints, and another named Hall & Hall at 47 Leadenhall Street which made mechanical apparatus.
Open Thread Leave a Reply