Edward John Willey

Who was Edward John Willey?

Edward John Willey was a 20-year-old (twenty-year-old) Welsh farm labourer who tragically lost his life in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Born in Ystradyfodwg, Glamorgan, Wales in 1891, Willey was a third-class passenger aboard the ill-fated ship, embarking on a journey that would have taken him to a new life in America with his uncle.

Early Life and Family

A Welsh Upbringing

Edward John Willey was born in the latter half of 1891 to English parents, Richard Willey and Rhoda Gilman. His father worked as a mine pit haulier, while his mother tended to their growing family. Edward was the eldest of nine children, with siblings:

• Archibald James (1893-1965)
• Eva Priscilla (1895-1930)
• Melinda May (1897-1926)
• Ada Mathilda (1899-1934)
• Edna Lucy (1901-1907)
• Walter Ewart (1904-1974)
• Ivy Lillian (1907-1925)
• Horace Wilfred (1910-1988)

An Unconventional Childhood

Interestingly, while Edward’s parents and siblings lived in Ystradyfodwg before moving to nearby Rhondda, young Edward’s upbringing took a different path. He was primarily raised by his paternal grandparents, Edward Willey Sr. and Martha Ann Gooding, in Drayton, Somerset. This arrangement set him apart from his siblings and likely shaped his early experiences.

Life Before the Titanic

A Farming Background

By the time of the 1911 census, Edward, then 19 (nineteen) years old, was listed as an unmarried farm labourer living with his grandparents in Drayton. This rural upbringing would have equipped him with valuable skills and a strong work ethic.

The Shaker Connection

A fascinating aspect of Edward’s family history was their connection to the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers. This nontrinitarian and egalitarian Christian sect was known for its ecstatic worship practices. While it’s unclear if Edward himself was a Shaker, his paternal uncles, Francis “Frank” and Hubert, had emigrated to Schenectady, New York in the 1890s and were involved with a thriving Shaker community there.

The Fateful Journey

A Change of Plans

Edward’s journey to America was set in motion by his uncle Frank, who sent him funds for the passage. Originally, Edward had booked passage on the Philadelphia, but due to coal strikes, his journey was rerouted to the Titanic. This twist of fate would prove tragic, as his uncle remained unaware of the change in plans.

Aboard the Titanic

Edward boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third-class passenger. His ticket, number S.O./P.P. 751, cost £7 11s (seven pounds, eleven shillings). Like many third-class passengers, little is known about his activities aboard the ship during its brief voyage.

The Tragedy and Its Aftermath

Confusion and Hope

In the chaotic aftermath of the Titanic’s sinking, Edward’s family in America clung to hope. A name similar to his, “Edward Willard,” was circulating among the lists of passengers, causing confusion and anxiety. His uncle Frank rushed to Manhattan, hoping to find Edward among the survivors aboard the Carpathia, but his search was in vain.

A Family’s Grief

The loss of Edward deeply affected his family on both sides of the Atlantic. His uncles reportedly lived with the guilt of his death for the rest of their lives. Frank remained in Schenectady until his death in 1947, while Hubert moved to Colonie, Albany, passing away in 1946.

Legacy and Family History

Edward’s tragic story is part of a larger family narrative. His parents continued to live in Rhondda, Wales, until their deaths in the 1930s and 1940s. Curiously, none of Edward’s surviving sisters ever married, and all passed away before reaching 40 (forty) years of age. In contrast, his brothers all married and had families of their own.

The last surviving sibling, Horace Wilfred, born just days after the Titanic sank on April 16, 1910, was the only one to leave Wales. He lived in Essex with his family until his death in Colchester in 1988 at the age of 78 (seventy-eight).

Edward John Willey’s life, though cut short at just 20 (twenty) years old, serves as a poignant reminder of the many individual tragedies that made up the larger disaster of the Titanic. His story, woven into the fabric of his family’s history and the annals of the famous shipwreck, continues to resonate over a century later.