Mr Morris Sirota1 was born within the Russian Empire2 on 10 August 1892.
He was the son of Jewish parents Solomon Sirota (b. 25 March 1870), a tailor, and his wife Eva Grabova (b. 1870 ) who had been married for 20 years by 1912.
The eldest of four children, Morris had lost a sibling in early infancy. His two surviving siblings, both born in England, were Rachel (b. 2 April 1896) and Neiman (b. 7 October 1899).
Morris was first educated at Berner Street School in Tower Hamlets, London, commencing his studies there on 31 August 1896 and his home address at the time being listed as 46 Samuel Street. On 10 February 1902, he was enrolled at the Stepney Jewish School and his address was listed as 38 Albert Square.
Morris appears with his family living at 13 Philip Street, St George in the East, London where there was a large Russian and Jewish community. His father was a tailor and ran his own business with several people in his employ. Morris followed in his father's footsteps to become a tailor and was listed on the 1911 census as an assistant in his father's business, then living at 25 Hackney Grove, Hackney, London. It was stated on this census record that the family spoke Hebrew but it is likely that they spoke both English and Yiddish.
Morris boarded the Titanic in Southampton on 10 April 1912 as a third class passenger (ticket number 392092, which cost £8, 1s). Although often stated that he was bound for Manhattan, contemporary media gives a more accurate destination as to that of an aunt in Cleveland, Ohio:
SEROTA, Maurice, nephew of Mrs Harry Rosenthal, 3622 Scovill avenue, who was coming from London in the steerage - Cleveland Leader, 19 April 1912
Morris Sirota died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.
Only a few years after his loss his mother Eva passed away on 8 July 1914; his father Solomon was remarried in 1919 to a woman named Annie Graboff, née Gorovitch (1881-1954) and they moved to Basingstoke where he continued to run a tailoring shop. Solomon Sirota passed away in London in 1949.
