Out of the near 2,200 passengers and crew aboard the RMS Titanic, 724 of those people were residents of the city of Southampton. The shadow cast by Titanic disaster is not long forgotten by the residents of Southampton. One street could be deemed one of the worst affected by the sinking. Oxford Street is located at the heart of Southampton’s maritime quarter and was once home to 35 people who would go on to work on Titanic.
Hugh Calderwood:
Hugh Calderwood was born in Belfast, 1879, he was one of four known siblings: William, Lizzie, Smyth and Ellen. Census shows that Hugh had lived in Belfast until 1899, where he had taken up temporary residence in Rasharkin, Co Antrim.
Sea faring was not Calderwood’s first career option. As previously mentioned, Hugh had lived in Rasharkin, where he had worked as a carpenter. In this period Hugh Calderwood had married Ballymena resident, Isabella McDowell. The couple had three children, the first being John, born in 1901, in 1903 Sara Ann was born and, on the 15th, September, 1905, Martha was born.
Not much is known about how Hugh began his career at sea. However, what is known is that on April 2nd, 1912, boarded Titanic at Belfast Lough and made the trip over to Southampton. by April 6th, 1912 he officially signed on to the White Star Line’s 45,000-ton vessel: Titanic. His last address was listed as the Sailor’s Home, Oxford Street. This building was also the temporary home to twenty-four of Titanic’s Crew. Hugh Calderwood was assigned the position of a Trimmer, it is more than certain that Calderwood would have worked in one of six of Titanic’s boiler rooms.
Hugh Calderwood did not survive the sinking, he died aged 30 and if his body was ever recovered; it was never identified. However, the life of Hugh Calderwood is remembered as Hugh’s name appears on the Memorial to Titanic’s crew, which can be found in the Titanic Memorial Garden at Belfast’s City Hall.
James Blaney:
Born on January 10th, 1880, Ballycastle, Ireland, James Blaney was the son of James Blaney Senior and Catherine McAtameny both had worked as Blacksmiths. James was the youngest of four sisters and one brother. During the early 1900s Blaney appeared to have lived in Scotland. In 1902 Blaney enlisted himself into the Highland Light Infantry, giving his last address as Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland. During his time-of-service Blaney served as a labourer. However, it is unknown when Blaney began to work for the White Star Line as a fireman. But James Blaney had transferred from the ship Narrung. Blaney signed onto the ill-fated Belfast liner, resuming his position as a fireman, Blaney would have expected to work a round-the -clock four hours shift to maintain the Titanic’s 21ft long boilers.
Blaney’s last address was listed as the Sailor’s Home, Oxford Street, Southampton. James Blaney did not survive the sinking of the Titanic nor was his body ever recovered. Blaney died aged 29.
Thomas Edgar Major:
Thomas Edgar Major was born in Middlesex sometime in 1876. For a time, Thomas Major had lived in Islington, with his address being listed as; number 17 St George’s Terrance and by 1901 Thomas appears on the census to be living at Colne House, Islington. Having left school at age 14 Thomas had taken up work as Clerk. However, by 1902 Thomas Edgar Major began his career at sea. He had worked on ships such as the Campania and the Soudan. By this stage Major was living at 17 Roxbrough Avenue, Liverpool.
Thomas initially signed onto the Titanic at Belfast and was on board the ship on her voyage from Belfast to Southampton. On April 4th Major re-signed onto Titanic as a First-Class Bath Steward, he could have expected a wage of £3. His last ship had been the, near identical sister ship to Titanic; RMS Olympic. Major’s last address was listed as the Criterion Restraunt, Oxford Street, Southampton. Thomas Edgar Major did go down with the Titanic at the age of 35, his body was never recovered.
As always, I’ll leave some external links about Oxford Street’s connections with the Titanic. Feel free to ask any questions
Have a Titanic week, Millie.
Hugh Calderwood according to Encyclopaedia Titanica: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/hugh-calderwood.html
James Blaney according to Encyclopaedia Titanica: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/james-blaney.html
Thomas Edgar Major according to Encyclopaedia Titanica: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/thomas-edgar-major.html
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