Mr William John Mellors 1 was born on 14 January 1893 in Wandsworth, London, England.
His parents were unmarried at the time of his birth.2 His father William John Mellors (b. 1871) hailed from Nottingham and worked in London as a porter at His Majesty's Stationery Office. He was married to Harriet Stacey (b. 1871), a native of Shaftesbury, Dorset on 20 February 1893 in London. The couple went on to have a further two children, Samuel Henry (b. 1898) and Violet Adelaide (b. 1903).
William and his family appear on the 1901 census living as boarders at Enmore Green, Dorset. His father was absent and at the time was in Africa serving in the Boer War. The family later appeared on the 1911 census living at 8 Christ Church Terrace, Chelsea, London and William was described as a shop assistant in a trunk store.
He boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger (ticket number SW/PP 751 which cost £10, 10s). He was destined for New York where he had secured a job in Staten Island. During the voyage he appears to have spent time with Mrs Bessie Watt and her daughter Bertha.
Mr Mellors survived the sinking in waterlogged collapsible A and suffered from frost-bitten feet.
After arriving in New York, he went to his cousin, Mr Hale, at Richmond Country Club, Donganhills, Staten Island (400 West 57th Street, New York) where he would later work.
He was married in 1920 to Juanita Veronica Sarber (b. 8 October 1894), a native of West Virginia and they had a daughter Virginia (later Mrs Charles Bell) the following year. They lived in Manhattan before moving to Detroit, Michigan in the 1930s where William worked as an editor for a magazine, The National Republic.
William died in Detroit on 23 July 1948 aged 55.Mellors His wife passed away in 1954. He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Detroit
Comment and discuss
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I sat down to read Bob Bracken's article on 2nd class passenger William J. Mellors and was most impressed. Not much was known about his life, and not only does this article tell his full actions aboard Titanic, (which includes letters he wrote home on Titanic stationary), it gives a full view of his political adventures afterwards. He truly was one of the more interesting individuals aboard and I hope others enjoy his story when they have a chance to read it. Especially those interested in Titanic memorabilia. There are pictures of the stationary and the postcard he sent home.
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