Mrs Ada Elizabeth Balls

Who was Mrs Ada Elizabeth Balls? Ada Elizabeth Balls was an English survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster, known for her remarkable escape and her resilience in building a new life in America after the tragedy.

Early Life and Family

Ada Elizabeth Hall was born on May 9, 1875, in Hackney, London, England. She was the youngest of seven children born to William Henry Hall, a painter, and Laura Susan Powell. Ada’s early years were spent in London, where she appeared in the 1881 census living with her family at Exeter House on Pratts Road, Hackney.

A Challenging Marriage

In 1896, at the age of 21, Ada married Martin Luther Balls, a wheelwright from Norfolk. The couple settled in Essex and had two sons:

Martin Luther (born September 8, 1897)
Edgar William Reubin (born May 4, 1899)

However, their marriage faced difficulties. By the 1901 census, Ada was living separately from her husband at 20 Swimburne Avenue in East Ham, Essex. She claimed to be a widowed laundress, though her actual widowhood came in 1902 when Martin Luther Balls passed away at the age of 44.

Journey to a New Life

What led Ada to board the Titanic?

Ada’s sister Emily was married to Reverend Robert James Bateman, who lived in Jacksonville, Florida. After visiting his native Bristol, Reverend Bateman encouraged Ada to accompany him back to America, with plans for her sons to join her later.

On April 10, 1912, Ada and Reverend Bateman boarded the Titanic in Southampton as second-class passengers. Ada’s ticket (number 28551) cost £13, equivalent to about £1,500 in today’s currency.

The Fateful Night

On the night of April 14, 1912, Ada participated in a prayer meeting near the second-class dining room, organized by her brother-in-law. After retiring to bed, she slept through the ship’s collision with the iceberg. Her cabin mate, Marie Jerwan, woke her with news of the accident, but Ada, too tired to comprehend, went back to sleep.

It wasn’t until Reverend Bateman returned to her cabin and insisted she get dressed that Ada realized the gravity of the situation. He escorted her to the boat deck and helped her into one of the aft port lifeboats. As the boat lowered, Reverend Bateman reportedly threw his necktie to Ada, calling out, “If I don’t meet you again in this world, I will in the next.”

Life After the Titanic

How did Ada rebuild her life in America?

Ada survived the sinking and made it to America. Over a year later, on May 31, 1913, she was reunited with her sons when they crossed the Atlantic aboard the Philadelphia. The family settled in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 1925, Ada remarried to William R. Perrine, a widower from Maryland. They managed an apartment complex in Baltimore at 32nd and St Paul Streets. After being widowed again in 1955, Ada moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where her son Martin was a pastor.

Legacy and Later Years

Despite her traumatic experience, Ada showed remarkable resilience. She:

Became a charter member of the Berkshire Full Gospel Church
Gave occasional newspaper interviews about her Titanic experiences
Maintained her Cockney accent, a testament to her London roots

In her later years, Ada battled leukemia. She passed away on October 1, 1967, at the age of 92 (ninety-two) in the Maryland Masonic Home for the Aged in Cockeysville, Maryland. She was laid to rest beside her husband in Oak Lawn Cemetery, Baltimore.

Ada’s Family Legacy

Ada’s sons went on to lead successful lives:

Martin Luther Ball became a gospel minister, living in Massachusetts and Florida. He passed away on March 26, 1989.
Edgar married Lillian Elizabeth Maria Kleiderlein in 1922. They had a son, Edgar George, in 1925. Edgar worked for a printing company in Baltimore until his death on December 20, 1985.

Ada Elizabeth Balls’ story is a testament to human resilience in the face of tragedy. From surviving one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters to rebuilding her life in a new country, Ada’s journey embodies the spirit of many Titanic survivors who found strength to carry on after that fateful night in April 1912.