Who was Mrs Annie Elizabeth Sage?

Mrs Annie Elizabeth Sage was a 44 (forty-four) year old English passenger who tragically perished aboard the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. She was traveling with her husband and nine children as third-class passengers, embarking on a life-changing journey from Southampton to Jacksonville, Florida, where her husband had purchased a fruit farm.

Early Life and Family

Born as Elizabeth Ann Cazaly on August 3, 1867, in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, Annie came from a large family with French-Huguenot roots. Her parents were Francis Wilmot Cazaly, a warehouseman from Chichester, Sussex, and Sophia Lucker from Sonning, Oxfordshire.

Annie was one of ten children, growing up alongside her siblings:

• Jane Louisa (b. 1858)
• Francis Edwin (b. 1860)
• Edward Lewis (b. 1862)
• Alice Sophia (b. 1864)
• Alfred Thomas (b. 1867)
• George Wilmot (b. 1868)
• Kathleen Maria (b. 1871)
• Charles Frederick (b. 1874)
• Charlotte Helen (b. 1876)

Marriage and Family Life

On November 2, 1890, Annie married John George Sage at St John’s Church in Hackney. The couple settled in London and began their life together. Over the years, they became parents to nine children:

1. Stella Anna (b. 1891)
2. George John (b. 1892)
3. Douglas Bullen (b. 1893)
4. Frederick (b. 1895)
5. Dorothy Florence (b. 1897)
6. Anthony William (b. 1899)
7. Elizabeth Ada (b. 1901)
8. Constance Gladys (b. 1904)
9. Thomas Henry (b. 1907)

Career and Relocations

Throughout their marriage, the Sage family moved several times, adapting to new circumstances and opportunities:

• Early 1890s: Resided in Hackney, London
• Early 1900s: Moved to Norfolk, where John became a publican at the New Inn in Gaywood
• 1910: Relocated to Peterborough, Northamptonshire, taking over a bakery and confectionery business

The Path to Titanic

In April 1911, a pivotal moment occurred when John Sage and his eldest son traveled to Winnipeg, Manitoba. They worked as cooks for the Central Pacific Railway, saving money for a new venture. This led to the purchase of a fruit farm in Jacksonville, Florida, which John intended to cultivate for pecans.

John’s excitement about their new prospects is evident in a postcard he sent to Annie:

“My Dear, have found a lovely plot of land, Jacksonville is quite the most wonderful of places. I count the days until I’m home with my dear ones. Your loving husband, John”

Annie’s Reluctance

Despite John’s enthusiasm, Annie was hesitant about leaving England. She harbored a fear of water, exacerbated by a traumatic incident involving their daughter Dorothy, who had nearly drowned after falling into a well. Annie’s timid nature also contributed to her reluctance to embark on this life-changing journey.

The Fateful Journey

Originally, the Sage family was scheduled to travel on the Philadelphia. However, due to a coal strike, they were forced to book passage on the Titanic instead. On April 10, 1912, after bidding farewell to their well-wishers, the family boarded the Titanic as third-class passengers.

Titanic Details:

• Ticket Number: 2343
• Fare: £69 11s
• Class: Third Class

The Tragic End

As the Titanic met its fate on April 15, 1912, it’s believed that the Sage family managed to reach the deck in the final moments. A poignant detail emerged that Stella, their eldest daughter, had briefly entered a lifeboat but chose to return to her family when they couldn’t join her.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, all eleven members of the Sage family perished in the sinking. Out of this large family, only the body of Anthony William, their 13-year-old son, was recovered.

Annie Elizabeth Sage’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the many families who lost everything in the Titanic disaster, their dreams of a new life in America tragically cut short by one of history’s most infamous maritime catastrophes.