Eliza Hocking

Who was Mrs Eliza Hocking?

Mrs Eliza Hocking was a 54-year-old English passenger who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Born as Eliza Needs in 1858 on Tresco in the Scilly Isles, she embarked on the ill-fated voyage with her family in pursuit of a new life in Akron, Ohio. Her remarkable story encompasses not only her survival of the Titanic disaster but also a life marked by personal tragedies and resilience.

Early Life and Family

Born on April 11, 1858, Eliza was the daughter of George Needs, a laborer from Somerset, and Anne Pender, a native of the Scilly Isles. She grew up in a large family with six known siblings:

Samuel Pender (b. 1852)
John (b. 1853)
George (b. 1854)
Mary Elizabeth (b. 1856)
Henrietta (b. 1861)
Ellen (b. 1864)

Additionally, Eliza had a half-sister, Joyce Ann (b. 1846), from her mother’s previous relationship.

Marriage and Children

First Marriage to William Rowe Hocking

In 1880, at the age of 22, Eliza married William Rowe Hocking, a confectioner’s foreman, in Penzance, Cornwall. The couple had seven children, though sadly two did not survive infancy. Their surviving children were:

William James (b. 1881)
Sidney (b. 1884)
Emily (b. 1887)
Richard George (b. 1889)
Ellen (b. 1891)

The fate of this marriage remains unclear, with reports suggesting that William Hocking left for South Africa and never returned.

Second Marriage to William Guy

In 1899, Eliza remarried to William Guy, an engine driver born in Cornwall in 1847. This union brought:

A daughter, Dorothy Needs (b. 1899, d. 1908)
Two stepsons from William’s previous marriage: Alfred (b. 1879) and Abraham (b. 1881)

Unfortunately, this marriage was reportedly unhappy and possibly abusive. Eliza became a widow for the second time in 1907 when William Guy died at the age of 59.

Life Before the Titanic

Following her second husband’s death, Eliza reverted to using the surname Hocking. By 1911, she was running a boarding house at 6 St Mary’s Place, Penzance, living with several of her children, including her married daughter Emily Richards and her family.

The Fateful Titanic Journey

Why was Eliza on the Titanic?

Eliza’s sons Sidney and George had emigrated to Akron, Ohio in 1911. Deciding to join them, Eliza planned a family migration. Her son George returned to Cornwall to accompany the family on their journey to America.

Who was traveling with Eliza?

Eliza’s Titanic party included:

Her daughter Ellen Hocking
Her daughter Emily Richards
Emily’s two infant sons, Sibley George and William Rowe
Her sister Ellen Wilkes (traveling in third class)

Titanic Ticket Details

Ticket Number: 29105
Class: Second Class
Cost: £23 (for Eliza and her daughter Ellen)

The Night of the Sinking

On the night of April 14, 1912, when the Titanic struck the iceberg, Eliza’s quick thinking and actions likely saved her family. She went to her daughter Emily’s cabin, saying, “There is surely danger. Something has gone wrong.” The family gathered their lifejackets and made their way to the A-deck promenade, a first-class area, where they managed to board a lifeboat through a window.

While Eliza, her daughters, and grandsons were rescued, her son George tragically perished in the disaster.

Life After the Titanic

After being rescued, Eliza was met in New York by her son Sidney, who had traveled from Akron. She settled in Akron, Ohio, living at 195 Gale Street, and never returned to England.

A Tragic End

In a cruel twist of fate, exactly two years after surviving the Titanic disaster, on April 14, 1914, Eliza was found unconscious on the street near a hospital in Akron. She had suffered severe head injuries and bruising, possibly from being struck by a motorcar. Eliza passed away early the following morning, April 15, 1914 - the second anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking. She was 56 (fifty-six) years old.

Eliza Hocking was laid to rest in Glendale Cemetery in Akron, her life a testament to both the tragedy and survival associated with the Titanic’s legacy.