Mr Alexander Mellis Thompson: A Titanic Passenger’s Tragic Journey

Who was Alexander Mellis Thompson?

Alexander Mellis Thompson was a Scottish stonemason and Titanic passenger who lost his life in the infamous maritime disaster of 1912. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland on October 19, 1875, Thompson was 36 (thirty-six) years old when he embarked on his fateful journey aboard the RMS Titanic, seeking new opportunities in America.

Early Life and Family

Alexander was born into a working-class family in Aberdeen, Scotland. His parents were:

• Father: Adam Howie Thompson (born May 23, 1847, in Ordiquhill, Banffshire)
• Mother: Isabella Mellis (1850-1921, from Cairney, Aberdeenshire)

The couple married on December 31, 1874, in Cairney. Alexander had two younger siblings:

• Edwin (born 1885)
• Adam Howie (born 1892)

Childhood and Education

As a child, Alexander experienced various living arrangements. In the 1881 census, he was recorded as a visitor at his widowed maternal grandfather Alexander Mellis’s home in Ruthven, Cairney. His grandfather was a crofter with a modest five-acre plot.

By 1891, the Thompson family had relocated to Boddam, Peterhead, in Aberdeenshire. It was here that Alexander’s family later ran the Seaview Hotel, establishing themselves in the local community.

Career as a Stonemason

Following in his father’s footsteps, Alexander pursued a career as a stonemason. He specialized in letter cutting, a skill that required precision and artistic talent. This expertise would serve him well throughout his professional life.

Marriage and Family Life

On an undisclosed date in 1902, Alexander married Isabella Dalgarno May (born June 13, 1881, in Peterhead) in Boddam. The couple had three children:

1. Isabella (born 1905 in South Africa)
2. George Alexander (1907-1979)
3. Adam (1911-1941)

International Experience

Why did Thompson travel to South Africa?

Thompson’s career took him and his young family to Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa. While there, he made his mark on one of the country’s most famous landmarks. Among his notable works, Alexander inscribed a plaque at the summit of Table Mountain, showcasing his skill as a stonemason on an international stage.

Return to Scotland and Plans for America

After their time in South Africa, the Thompson family returned to Boddam. The 1911 census shows them living at 4 Stirling Village, Boddam, Peterhead. Alexander continued his work as a monumental stonemason and stone polisher at the Boddam Granite Polishing Works.

However, the family’s sights were set on new horizons. With previous experience working abroad and reportedly in America, Thompson made plans to settle in Barre, Vermont – a town known for its granite industry and skilled stoneworkers.

The Titanic Journey

How did Thompson end up on the Titanic?

Originally, Thompson had planned to travel aboard the Cymric. However, coal strikes led to the cancellation of that ship’s crossing, altering his plans. Instead, he boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton as a third-class passenger. His ticket, number 32302, cost £8 1s (equivalent to about £1,000 in 2023).

Thompson’s Last Communication

While aboard the Titanic, Alexander sent a poignant postcard to his wife, posted from Queenstown (now Cobh) on April 11, 1912. The message read:

Dear Lib,

Getting on all right, after leaving Sthampton (sic) we sent to Cherbourg France and we are nearing Queenstown. It is very comfortable here and as steady as a rock, but the feather beds are a bit hard.

Kindest love to all, Alick.

This postcard would be the last communication his family received from him.

The Tragedy and Its Aftermath

Alexander Thompson lost his life in the Titanic disaster on April 15, 1912. His body, if recovered, was never identified. The local newspaper, Buchan Observer and East Aberdeen Advertiser, reported on April 23, 1912:

Amongst the passengers on board the Titanic was Alexander Thomson (sic), belonging to Boddam, a son of Mrs Thomson, of the Seaview Hotel there. Mr Thomson was a young married man, engaged as a stone polisher in the Boddam Granite Polishing Works, and was on his way to Barre, Vermont, to enter on the same occupation. He had experience of previous work in America and also in Africa, and was known as a deft and artistic workman in lettering and designing. His mother, his wife, and his three children are resident in Boddam, and much concern is being expressed. Mr Thomson was made a Freemason just before sailing…

Legacy and Family’s Fate

The tragedy of the Titanic cast a long shadow over the Thompson family:

• Isabella, Alexander’s widow, never remarried. She lived in Aberdeen until her death on May 21, 1956, at the age of 74.
• Their eldest child, Isabella, is believed to have married, but details of her later life remain uncertain.
• The youngest son, Adam, followed a maritime career. Tragically, he perished at sea during World War II when the SS Almeda Star was sunk on January 17, 1941.
• George, their middle child, had a long career as a Post Office telephone engineer. He married Maud Isabella Mitchell in 1938, raised a family in Aberdeen, and passed away on June 15, 1979.

A Titanic Artifact

In a remarkable twist of fate, the postcard Thompson sent to his wife from the Titanic survived the decades. It was discovered by family members years later and auctioned by Sotheby’s in 2002, fetching over £7,000 – a poignant reminder of the human stories behind the Titanic tragedy.

Alexander Mellis Thompson’s journey from Aberdeen to the decks of the Titanic encapsulates the aspirations and tragedies of many third-class passengers. His story, preserved through family memories and a single postcard, continues to resonate over a century after that fateful voyage.