William Denton Cox

Mr William Denton Cox was born in Millbrook, Hampshire, England in early 1882 and he was baptised on 2 September the following year.

He was the son of Albert Denton Cox (b. 1854), a railway telegraph labourer, and Ellen Jane Lockyer (b. 1862); his father hailed from Abingdon, Berkshire and his mother was a Southampton-native and the couple had married in late 1881, going on to have seven children, losing two in infancy.
Cox's surviving siblings were: Albert Henry Denton (1883-1957), Frederick Denton (1885-1964), George Denton (b. 1887) and Kate Denton (b. 1889, later Mrs John Stanley Bones).

Cox first appears on the 1891 census living at 5 Vulcan Terrace, Millbrook Road, Millbrook, Hampshire. On the 1901 census he is described as a fishmonger's assistant and still living with his family, now at 19 Gordon Terrace, Freemantle, Southampton.

William doesn't appear on the 1911 census, presumably at sea at the time, but his family are scattered around different addresses in Southampton and further afield and it appears that his parents may have been estranged.

When Cox signed-on to the Titanic on 4 April 1912 he gave his address as 110 Shirley Road, Southampton. He was transferred from the Olympic and as a third class steward he received monthly wages of £3, 15s. 

During the sinking of Cox led groups of steerage passengers up to the boat deck, aided by fellow third class stewards

 John Edward Hart and Albert Victor Pearcey.

Cox died in the sinking. His body was recovered by the Mackay-Bennett (#300) and was buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 7 May 1912.

His mother died in Poplar, London on 20 March 1927; his father remained in Southampton and appears to have lived on Shirley Road for the rest of his life, albeit at different houses. He died on 9 August 1935 when he was fatally injured after being knocked down by a motor car near his home.