Encyclopedia Titanica

William Thomas Kerley

William Thomas Kerley
William Thomas Kerley

William Thomas Kerley was born in Sutton Waldron, Dorset, England in early 1884 and he was baptised on 14 April that same year.

He was the son of Charles Kerley (b. 1847) and Emma Caroline Pope (b. 1851), natives of Edmondsham, Dorset who had married on 5 June 1867 and who went on to have a total of nine children, with seven living past infancy. Their known children, besides William, were: Robert Charles (b. 1867), Frederic George (b. 1870), Ellen Jane (b. 1875), Ada Caroline (b. 1879), Charlotte Maud (b. 1881) and Rose Amelia (b. 1883).

William was born into an agricultural background and his father was an agricultural labourer. He first appears on the 1891 census living in St Michael, Gussage, Cranborne, Dorset. The following 1901 census sees William and his family living on Pentridge Farm, Pentridge, Cranborne. Aged 16, William had already left school and was working as a domestic footman. By the time of the 1911 census William had left home and was living as a footman at "The Hall," Farnborough, Banbury, Oxfordshire, the home of a wealthy man named Joshua Fielder. William's own parents were living in contrasting conditions in Woodmanton, Bower Chalke, Wiltshire, his father still farming.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, William gave his address as Woodminton Cottages, Salisbury. The Titanic was his first ship. As a second class steward he received monthly wages of £3 15s.

Kerley, who was unmarried, died in the sinking. His body was one of the last recovered on 6 June 1912 by tanker SS Ottawa. His body was buried at sea.

"In Latitute [location provided], we picked up the body of a man wearing a lifebelt. We put our boat out and picked him up and searched his clothes and found a wallet bearing the initials W.T.K. and evidently a passenger of the Titanic. It contained a love letter and a business card, "Apartments" in Margate, Kent. The man was buried with ceremony of the church of England. The body was much decomposed especially the hands and face. There was no name on the lifebelt as it has been washed off. We have since ascertained that his name is W. T. Kerley and was an assistant steward on the Titanic. The finding of the body was 543 miles from Titanic's position. Signed, Thomas Cook, Third Officer.

References and Sources

Agreement and Account of Crew (PRO London, BT100/259)

Newspaper Articles

Southampton Times and Hampshire Express (19 April 1913) Death Notice: Kirby & McMullen
Bowerchalke Parish Papers (1989) Tragic death of Titanic chef
Mentions of William Thomas Kerley in local press

Documents and Certificates

Compensation made to Kerley's parents 1913-1924

Credits

Gavin Bell, UK
Michael A. Findlay, USA
Paul Anthony Richard Kearley, UK
Lorraine Keys
Brian J. Ticehurst, UK

Comment and discuss

  1. Lorraine Keys

    Lorraine Keys

    Dear All, I was overwhelmed to find all this information here about W.T.Kerley who was my great great uncle. I have been researching the family history and had heard about "Uncle Tom", as he was referred to by my grandmother, many years ago. She had told me about how the family had a piece of his life belt but didn't know what had happened to it. My great uncle, nephew of Tom, told me about the ship that had picked up his body and how someone had returned his personal items to the family. I was wondering if Marie you could tell me more about the items you have and maybe even send a photo? In August I went to Dorset and looked around the area where the family lived and was able to go inside the Baptist chapel in Bowerchalke where the memorial service was held.A very kind lady had the key and also took us to Woodminton Cottages as My Mum has a photo of Granny Kerely standing outside. They are still there and recognisable from the photo.Also still lived in by a farm labourer who works... Read full post
  2. Bob Godfrey

    Bob Godfrey

    Hallo, Lorraine, and welcome. Thanks for an interesting first posting. Marie is not a regular visitor to the forum so she may not see your posted message. If you click on her name in the left-hand column this will open her profile page, which contains a link for sending a private message to her email address.
  3. Marie barker

    Marie barker

    My Gosh, I haven't logged on in ages, as my Titanic hobby has been on the back burner for a while. I do hope Lorraine sees this,and gets my message,how exciting, she may even have a decent photo of him.
  4. Lora198721

    Lora198721

    Hi there, I hope someone is still in this thread . I can confirm that William Thomas kerley is my great great uncle. If anyone has any pictures of the items that Marie speaks about I would be grateful. And Lorraine, we must be related? :) if anyone has email addresses for Lorraine and Marie I would be extremely grateful
  5. Bob Godfrey

    Bob Godfrey

    Click on their names in the left-hand column, then for each select 'private message' from the small menu box that appears. That should work if they haven't changed their email addresses.
  6. Lucy Speed

    Lucy Speed

    Hello, no idea if people are still on this thread, Ive been told that I am related to William Kerley. Kerley is my mums maiden name. Our Kerleys lived in Wiltshire, and are still there now. I would love to know more about William to see if I am related and how. I was told he might have been cousins with my great grandfather. My email is - I would love to hear from you and maybe see a picture? Thank you, Lucy
  7. Irupt

    Irupt

    I too am a great nephew of WK kerley and have his trunk at home and would love to see these artifacts does anyone know where they are now
  8. Ames

    Ames

    hi all, I’m hoping somebody can help me out. There are stories in my family that go something like this...a male relative of my grandmother was supposed to sail on board Titanic working in the kitchen. However on the day, he overslept and didn’t make the sailing. (My grandmother tells us that he had scarlet fever and was too unwell to sail, my Great Aunt Joan tells us he was out drinking all night and was sleeping off a hangover!) my grandmother and her siblings have since passed away and I can’t remember this persons name. My grandmothers family name is CURLEY, they lived in Southampton and generations of family men have worked on ships from Southampton docks - mainly as chef’s. I’ve looked through endless lists of crew and passengers and have found a William T Kerley on board Titanic working as kitchen staff, and listed amongst the dead. There are no other Curley’s (or variants) listed. This completely contradicts what my grandmother was so sure about. Within the family... Read full post
  9. Dave Gittins

    Dave Gittins

    There is a good deal about Kerley here. There is a list of a dozen or so crewmen who failed to join the ship after signing on earlier. There is no Curley or Kerley among them. I'm afraid you have yet another family legend that is just not true.
  10. Lorraine Keys

    Lorraine Keys

    Lorraine
  11. Lorraine Keys

    Lorraine Keys

    I will email you Lucy
  12. Lorraine Keys

    Lorraine Keys

    I have continued to research my great great uncle William Thomas Kerley. I found him on the 1911 census at Farnborough Hall near Banbury as a footman. The tenant at that time was a man named Joshua Fielden. His wife’s name was Dora and she was the sister of Bruce Ismay. I wonder how Tom decided to sign on for Titanic?
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Titanic Crew Summary

Name: Mr William Thomas Kerley
Age: 28 years and 11 days (Male)
Nationality: English
Marital Status: Single
Last Residence: at Woodminton Cottages Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
Last Ship: First Ship
Embarked: Southampton on Thursday 4th April 1912
Died in the Titanic disaster (15th April 1912)
Body recovered by: Ottawa
Buried at Sea on Thursday 6th June 1912

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