Ellen Hocking

Who was Miss Ellen Hocking?

Miss Ellen “Nellie” Hocking was a 20 (twenty) year-old English woman who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Born on November 5, 1891, in Penzance, Cornwall, she was a second-class passenger aboard the ill-fated ship, traveling with her family to start a new life in Akron, Ohio.

Early Life and Family

Cornish Roots

Ellen Hocking was born into a working-class family in Penzance, Cornwall. Her father, William Rowe Hocking, was a baker and confectioner, while her mother, Eliza Needs, hailed from Tresco in the Isles of Scilly. Ellen was one of five surviving children from a total of seven siblings:

• William James (born 1881)
• Sidney (born 1884)
• Emily (born 1887)
• Richard George (born 1889)
• Ellen “Nellie” (born 1891)

Additionally, she had a half-sister named Dorothy (born 1899) from her mother’s second marriage.

Family Changes

Ellen’s early life was marked by significant changes in her family structure:

• The whereabouts of her father, William Rowe Hocking, became unknown.
• Her mother remarried to a Mr. William Guy.
• Mr. Guy passed away in 1907.

By 1911, the family was living at 6 St Mary’s Place, Penzance, where Ellen’s mother ran a boarding house to support the family.

The Journey to a New Life

Why Did Ellen Decide to Leave England?

Ellen’s decision to leave England was influenced by several factors:

1. Her brothers Sidney and George had emigrated to Akron, Ohio, in 1911.
2. Her fiancé, George Hambly, also lived in Akron.
3. The prospect of new opportunities in America appealed to the family.

Ellen and her mother decided to join their relatives in Ohio, and her brother George returned to Cornwall to accompany them on their journey.

Who Traveled with Ellen?

Ellen’s Titanic journey was a family affair. Her travel companions included:

• Her mother, Eliza Hocking
• Her sister, Emily Richards
• Her nephews, Sibley George and William Rowe Richards
• Her aunt, Ellen Wilkes

A Memorable Departure

The family’s departure from Penzance was marked by a touching send-off. Ellen’s brother George, a former member of the YMCA choir, was honored by his old choir mates who came to sing the family out of Penzance, creating a poignant memory of their last moments in their hometown.

The Titanic Experience

Boarding the Titanic

Originally intending to travel on the Oceanic, the family instead embarked on the Titanic at Southampton on April 10, 1912. Ellen and her mother traveled second class, sharing ticket number 29105, which cost £23. Her aunt Ellen Wilkes traveled in third class.

Life Aboard the Titanic

During their time on the ship, the family became acquainted with several other Cornish passengers, including:

• Addie Wells and her two children
• Nora Keane
• Edwina Troutt
• Susan Webber

Interestingly, Ellen shared a peculiar experience with Nora Keane. She claimed to have heard a cock crowing at night, which in Cornish folklore is considered a sign of impending disaster. Despite being told she had imagined it, Ellen remained adamant about what she had heard.

The Night of the Sinking

On the fateful night of April 14-15, 1912, Ellen’s experience unfolded as follows:

1. After the collision, Ellen and her mother noticed something was amiss.
2. They went to wake her sister Emily.
3. The family dressed and left their cabins, only to return for their lifejackets.
4. They made their way via a circuitous route and up a rope ladder to A-deck promenade, a first-class area.
5. They climbed through a window into a lifeboat.

Ellen, her mother, sister, and nephews were rescued, though the specific lifeboat they boarded remains uncertain. Tragically, her brother George was lost in the disaster.

Life After the Titanic

A New Beginning in America

Upon arriving in New York, Ellen was met by her brother Sidney and fiancé George, who had traveled from Akron to greet the survivors. This marked the beginning of her new life in America.

Marriage and Family

Ellen’s post-Titanic life was characterized by new beginnings:

• She married George Charles Hambly, a bookkeeper from Penzance, on May 14, 1913.
• The couple initially lived in Akron before settling in Schenectady, New York, around 1918.
• They had two sons:
  1. William Jack (1916-1997)
  2. Robert Trewlawney (1919-1973)

Later Years

Ellen’s later life included both personal loss and moments of recognition:

• She was widowed in 1938 when George passed away.
• In 1953, she was invited as a special guest to Schenectady’s Proctor Theatre for a screening of the movie “Titanic,” acknowledging her status as a survivor.

Ellen “Nellie” Hocking Hambly passed away on October 14, 1963, at the age of 71 (seventy-one), following a heart attack. She was laid to rest alongside her husband in Park View Cemetery in Schenectady, bringing an end to a life marked by extraordinary experiences and resilience.

Her story serves as a testament to the human spirit, embodying the courage of Titanic survivors and the determination of immigrants seeking a new life in America.