Pompeo Gaspro Piazza was born in the Spring of 1879 in Holborn, London, England.
He was the son of immigrant parents Domenico Piazza (1843-1916) and Guiditta Jamoli (1849-1918). His father was a chef who hailed from Faenza, Italy whilst his mother was Swiss by birth. They had married around 1878 and Pompeo was their only child.
The time between his birth and when he next appears on the 1901 census of England is unclear. At the time of the 1901 census Pompeo was still living with his parents, now at 162 Newport Dwellings, Soho, London and he is described as a waiter. His parents continued to live at Newport buildings and appear there on the 1911 census at number 94.
Pompeo was married in the early 1900s to French-born Emilie Hecky (b. 1881). The couple had a son, Charles Achilles, in 1905 who, unfortunately, died in 1908. The following year they had another son and again named him Charles Achilles.
When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 6 April, 1912, he gave his address as 94 Newport Buildings, Shaftsbury Avenue, London. The Titanic was his first ship and as a member of the à la carte restaurant he was employed and therefore paid by Mr Gatti.
Piazza died in the sinking. His body was recovered by the MacKay-Bennett (#266), and was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 10 May 1912.
Courtesy Bill Fowler, Canada
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NO. 266 - MALE - ESTIMATED AGE, 35 - HAIR, DARK CLOTHING - Black trousers; dark coat; cotton shirt; patent shoes. EFFECTS - Knife. NAME - Pompeo Piozzo (chef) |
His widow Emilie was remarried in 1916 to Karl Herman Kramer (b. 1893), a native of Basel, Switzerland, and they settled in London where they had a daughter, Sophie Louise (b. 1920). Emilie died in Middlesex in 1954.
Pompeo's son Charles was married in London in 1936 to Elizabeth Florence Farrell (1906-1955) and apparently remained childless. He died in Wandsworth in 1993.
