OLD WEST BROMWICH PHOTOS

Mr and Mrs Richard Davies lived at 29 Harwood Street Guns Village West Bromwich. Their eldest son had left 7 years previously to build a new life in Pontiac near Detroit USA. He returned to visit his parents for Christmas in 1911, the family could see how well he had done in the New World and a decision was made that the whole family should move to America. The second eldest of the Davies clan joined his elder sibling straight after Christmas. It was decided that three other brothers would also join them in the early spring as soon as they could raise enough money for the fare for the Atlantic crossing.

Mrs Davies Brother in Law James Lester had also decided to try his luck in America. James sold all his family’s belongings to raise the fare for his ticket and he moved his wife, Alice and daughter, Jane into 29 Harwood Street to live with his wife’s sister and husband until he had raised enough money for them to join him in Pontiac. The three brothers and Lester were to go in advance and then send money for Mr and Mrs Davies and four younger children to follow.

John aged 21 and Joseph aged 17 worked with their father Richard Davies, a puddler, at Messrs Adams of Ettingshall, Wolverhampton where James Lester also worked Alfred Davies, 24, was a cupola worker. By March The fare of £24 3s for the three older men and a fare of £8 1s for Joseph was raised, their notices given in at work and they were all ready to start a new life. They were all booked to sail on the maiden voyage of The Titanic leaving from Southampton on 10th April 1912

Alfred, had married the day before he left for Southampton to a girl he had courted for some years. The wedding was at Oldbury parish church on Monday April 8th. Alfred's new wife went to live with her mother - Mrs Cartwright at Brades Village, Oldbury until her new husband sent for her.

On the 9th April after celebrating the Wedding of Alfred the four left Harwood Street for the last time to catch the 7 am train from West Bromwich, The ship was due to leave port at 12 Noon unfortunately there had been some confusion over train times and the train for Southampton had left at 5 am. The four men quickly realising their mistake jumped on the tram to Birmingham in a last ditch attempt to catch another train to Southampton or they would face missing the ship and losing their fares.

They managed to catch the connecting train and settled down for their trip to the coast. On arriving at Southampton they boarded The Titanic and found space in the 3rd class section before the ship set sail they wrote home from Southampton and again on 11th April from Queenstown Ireland now known as Cobh saying they were "comfortable" and having an "enjoyable passage". This was the last contact the Davies had with their sons and Brother in Law. The Titanic set sail and sank on 15th April 1912 All four men lost their lives in the disaster. James Lester's widow received aid from the Titanic Relief fund.

Well how about that, a great story !

I recall reading some time ago that a certain  John Wesley Woodward, a Cello player  in the Ships Band, who came  from Hill Top West Bromwich, and perished along with the three other West Bromwich men on the Titanics Maiden voyage.

Mr John Wesley Woodward, 32, was born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire on 11 September 1879. He was the youngest son of Joseph and Martha E. Woodward.

the family lived at 24 Hawkes Lane, Hill Top, and West Bromwich. As well as John there were six other boys: Joseph ,Thomas, Frederick, Herbert, Samuel, and Roland, and two sisters: Mary B. and Martha E. Woodward. John's father was manager of the Holloware Iron Foundry, Hill Top, West Bromwich. As a boy, John attended Wesley Sunday School. The family later moved to Oxford where their address, in 1912, was No. 2, The Firs, Windmill Road, Headington.

John Wesley Woodward became well known as a 'cello player appearing in solo and a member of several string quartets. He left Oxford to join the Duke of Devonshire's band at Eastbourne but that enterprise fell through around 1909 so he joined the White Star Line, his first voyage being to Jamaica. He made a number of journeys across the Atlantic, and three across the Mediterranean. He was on board the Olympic when she collided with H.M.S. Hawke, and narrowly escaped injury as he was in the cabin with three colleagues just where the Hawke struck. Woodward had taken his best 'cello with him for the first time for the Titanic’s maiden voyage and on his return was due to perform at the May dinner of Magdalene College, Oxford.

Woodward and all the other musicians died in the sinking. The 'cellist is remembered on a small unadorned brass plaque in All Saints Church, Lime Walk, Headington which bears the inscription:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF
JOHN WESLEY WOODWARD
BANDSMAN ON THE S.S. TITANIC
WHO WITH HIS COMRADES
NOBLY PERFORMED HIS DUTY TO THE LAST
WHEN THE SHIP SANK
AFTER COLLISION WITH AN ICEBERG
ON APRIL 15 1912.
BORN SEPT: 11, 1879.
"NEARER MY GOD TO THEE."

Hello uncle john, just to add a little something to your brilliant writing ... there is a headstone in heath lane cemetery with a few peoples names on it and at the bottom the words ... in memory of john wesley woodward  who went down with the titanic playing " nearer to god thy be " or words to that effect ... i think the inscriptions are family to john wesley woodward ?? seems fitting as a memoriom as he was born in west brom. every one knows it as the titanic stone just left of the old baby graves on the crest of the hill where the old chapel used to be.

Hello uncle john, just to add a little something to your brilliant writing ... there is a headstone in heath lane cemetery with a few peoples names on it and at the bottom the words ... in memory of john wesley woodward  who went down with the titanic playing " nearer to god thy be " or words to that effect ... i think the inscriptions are family to john wesley woodward ?? seems fitting as a memoriom as he was born in west brom. every one knows it as the titanic stone just left of the old baby graves on the crest of the hill where the old chapel used to be.

Uncle John at May 29, 2011 at 11:26 AM

Mr John Wesley Woodward, 32, was born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire on 11 September 1879. He was the youngest son of Joseph and Martha E. Woodward.

the family lived at 24 Hawkes Lane, Hill Top, and West Bromwich. As well as John there were six other boys: Joseph ,Thomas, Frederick, Herbert, Samuel, and Roland, and two sisters: Mary B. and Martha E. Woodward. John's father was manager of the Holloware Iron Foundry, Hill Top, West Bromwich. As a boy, John attended Wesley Sunday School. The family later moved to Oxford where their address, in 1912, was No. 2, The Firs, Windmill Road, Headington.

John Wesley Woodward became well known as a 'cello player appearing in solo and a member of several string quartets. He left Oxford to join the Duke of Devonshire's band at Eastbourne but that enterprise fell through around 1909 so he joined the White Star Line, his first voyage being to Jamaica. He made a number of journeys across the Atlantic, and three across the Mediterranean. He was on board the Olympic when she collided with H.M.S. Hawke, and narrowly escaped injury as he was in the cabin with three colleagues just where the Hawke struck. Woodward had taken his best 'cello with him for the first time for the Titanic’s maiden voyage and on his return was due to perform at the May dinner of Magdalene College, Oxford.

Woodward and all the other musicians died in the sinking. The 'cellist is remembered on a small unadorned brass plaque in All Saints Church, Lime Walk, Headington which bears the inscription:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF
JOHN WESLEY WOODWARD
BANDSMAN ON THE S.S. TITANIC
WHO WITH HIS COMRADES
NOBLY PERFORMED HIS DUTY TO THE LAST
WHEN THE SHIP SANK
AFTER COLLISION WITH AN ICEBERG
ON APRIL 15 1912.
BORN SEPT: 11, 1879.
"NEARER MY GOD TO THEE."

An interesting story, Did you know the name of the Holloware factory? my Grandfather lived at 85 Hawkes lane and was a holloware tinner,

I think "Siddons Foundry" made cast pots and pans, ??