My second book about the RMS Titanic and her passengers and crew along with some movie talk. Same rules apply, no drama, trolls, and disrespecting the people on this ship
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September 26th, 1880 - September 22nd, 1955
She is a Libra.
Emily Alice Brown was born in Milton Regis, Kent, England and was later baptized on November 27th, 1881. She was the daughter of Henry Edward Brown (born 1855), a brickfield labourer, and Harriett Richards Cannon (born 1861), both Kent natives who had married on May 17th, 1880. Her siblings were: Eliza (born 1882), Emma Jane (born 1894), Henry Edward (born 1886), Edward (1888 - 1970), Richard (1890 - 1935), William John (born 1892), Frances (born 1894), John (1896 - 1943), Albert Edward (1898 - 1946), and Kate (born 1900). She first appears on the 1881 census living with her family at Grovenhurst Row, Milton.
By the time of the 1891 census the family are still living in Milton at an unspecified address. She was married in late 1901 to Frank John Goldsmith (born 1878), an engineers' turner originally from Hadlow, Kent. The couple had 2 sons: Frank John William (born 1902) and Albert John (born 1905) and made their home in Strood, Kent, appearing there on the 1911 census living at Home Street. Before the close of the year the family lost their youngest son to diphtheria at the age of just 6.
Aboard Titanic/April 14th-15th, 1912: Emily's parents and several siblings had emigrated and settled in Detroit, Michigan around 1910. Still grieving the lost of their son, it was decided that she, her husband, and son Frankie would join her family in Detroit. The family boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as 3rd class passengers. Also traveling with them from Strood was an acquaintance, Thomas Theobald and another from Surrey, Alfred Rush. The Goldsmiths seemingly became acquainted with many other British passengers aboard, including: May Howard, Emily Badman, Rhoda Abbot, Edward Lockyer, and Edward Dorking. On the night of the sinking the family were in their cabin; Emily slept through the impact and it was her husband who awakened her.
The family then made for the upper decks with Thomas Theobald and Alfred Rush and managed, along, with several of their other shipboard acquaintances to find their way to the forward end of the starboard boat deck where 4 collaspable boats were being prepared for launch. Frank bade farewell to Emily and Frankie and saw them off in collaspable C. Alfred Rush was also offered a place but he declined, preferring to remain with the men; Thomas Theobald, sensing the hopelessness of the situation, gave his wedding ring to Emily so she might send it to his wife back in England. Emily and Frankie survived the sinking, Frank was among the lost.
After The Sinking/Later Life/Death: Aboard the Carpathia; an effort to build spirits, Emily organized a sewing circle to make and men's clothes for survivors. She ain't aimed contact with several of the survivors she had met, including Rhoda Abbot. She and Frankie arrived in New York and were cared for by the Salvation Army before being shuttled off to Detroit where her family were waiting. Emily was remarried in May 2nd, 1914 to Harry Illman (September 26th, 1881), a fellow countryman who had emigrated in 1913, also a native of Strood who worked on the railroads.
The couple had no children and they later lived at Vermont Avenue in Detroit. Emily died while traveling on a train in Ohio on September 22nd, 1955 at the age of 77. Harry died on January 25th, 1963 and they are buried together in Ashland Cemetery in Ashland, Ohio.
