RMS Titanic Book 2

Elizabeth Mellinger

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1870 - January 4th, 1962

Zodiac Sign Is Unknown.

Elizabeth Anne Maidment was born in Pimlico, Middlesex, England to William Maidment (1831 - 1889), a Porter, painter, and later a bailiff, and Sarah Neale (1832 - 1927), natives of Wiltshire and Buckinghamshire respectively who were married in London in 1855. She had 5 known siblings: William Henry (born 1858), Charles (born 1859), Louise (born 1864), John (born 1867), and Emily (born 1875). She first appears on the 1871 census as a resident of Pullford Street, St George, London and on the 1881 census at Islip Street, St Pancras, London. Her father died in 1889 and the 1891 census shows Elizabeth, Emily, and Sarah living at Nellford Road, Walthamstow, Essex and she is described as a unmarried dressmaker.

She was married in St Mary's Church, Islington on March 13th, 1895 to Claud Leinard Deschamps Mellinger, a clerk. Claud had been born in Wimbledon, Surrey in 1874, the son of Claud Leinard Mellinger and Jane Deschamps, but was apparently raised by a elderly widow, Sylvia Carpenter, and her 2 spinster daughters, Sylvia and Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Claud went on to have 5 children: Eugenie Claudine Emily (born 1895, later Mrs. Brunger), Alexander Leinard Deschamps (1896 - 1975), Violet Madeleine (born 1899), Edmund Reginald (1900 - 1992), and Constance Sylvia (born 1904; later Mrs. Rupert Vance). The family are shown (minus Claud who is listed at their home address, Pembar Road, Walthamstow) on the 1901 census as visitors to an address in Bournemouth.

Claud and Elizabeth later became estranged, with the possibility he abandoned her. He resettled in Victoria, Australia sometime before 1910 and later lived with another woman named Ellen Costello. He died in Melbourne on March 6th, 1952. The 1911 census shows that Elizabeth faced dire circumstances in the wake of her husband's withdrawal from her life. She and Eugenie appeared living with the Carpenter sisters at Old Field Road, Wimbledon, Surrey and she described herself as a married domestic. Her other children were seemingly taken into care. Alexander was listed as an inmate at the Gordon's Boys Home in Choblam, Surrey and described as a part-time carpenter and Madeleine at a children's home located at Worple Road, Wimbledon. The whereabouts of her 2 younger children isn't clear.

Aboard Titanic/April 14th-15th, 1912:
By 1912 Elizabeth had gained a position as a housekeeper in Bennington, Vermont on the Fillmore Farms, the estate of the Colgate family who had founded the toothpaste brand. She and Violet boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton on April 10th, 1912 as 2nd class passengers. Also aboard, albeit in first class, and bound the same destination, was Charles Cresson Jones, the Fillmore Farms superintendent. He reportedly visited them in 2nd class to show them pictures of Bennington.

Elizabeth and Violet survived the sinking. They entered lifeboat 14 and later transferred to lifeboat 12 by Harold Lowe. That boat would rescue the occupants of collaspable B and Elizabeth assisted Charles Lightoller by putting her cape around him. In gratitude, he reportedly gave her his whistle whilst aboard the RMS Carpathia.

After The Sinking/Later Life/Death:
After arriving in New York, she went to see the widow of Charles Cresson Jones in Bennington. They returned to England after the sinking but emigrated to Canada around 1915, settling in Toronto. According to one grandson, Elizabeth went deaf permanently, and all her life suffered a nervous reaction from the shock of the sinking. On April 15th, 1939, she and Violet, with fellow survivors Emma Bliss and John Collins met for a Titanic reunion dinner at Royal York Hotel, Toronto.

Elizabeth died on January 4th, 1962 and is buried in St John's Ridgeway cemetery near Welland, Ontario.

Sources:
www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

Rest In Peace Elizabeth Mellinger.